Staff accountability for showing up to work....HELP!!!

[drann]

Hey Guys! I'm new here. My BJJ family turned me on to Jocko's podcast and I am really getting so much out of it! I have listened to Extreme Ownership a few times and am trying to implement the principles into my being. I have been spending a lot of time lately on self improvement.


I am a 47yo Female veterinarian who works in a very busy ER Specialty Practice.  
My good...I am an excellent doctor. I am good at what prioritizing and executing. I am efficient and accurate in my work. I don't panic in stressful situations. I am an excellent employee..I don't call out, I take on extra shifts when needed, I communicate well with he specialists on staff and the clients. After each shift I thank the staff for their hard work and tell them they did a great job. If they did something extraordinary I will acknowledge that too, both in real time and at the end of the day. 
 My downfall is that I am not always aware of Staff's emotions or I hurt their feelings when I give instructions. I have always leaned towards an extreme ownership mindset and have trouble relating to people who I consider lazy and oppositional. When I get in "the zone" of ciritical or voluminous situations I tend to bark out orders but usually with a please and thank you.
My downfalls tend to stick with staff more than my good qualities. I have always had an extreme ownership sort of mindset, very self motivated, and I have trouble sometimes relating to people who make excuses for everything, who can't/won't prioritize and move with purpose. 

As of right now we don't have enough support staff to cover all of our shifts, and we haven't since they hired a new manager who the staff responded poorly to.  She has since been released from our practice, but we are left short staffed.  Nether the technicians nor the doctors at my practice have a manager to go to for problem resolution. 

The owners of our practice are not great managers. They are disconnected from what happens in the ER. They do not do a good job of listening to our needs and helping us provide the outstanding quality of care everyone expects. They have "driven away" several managers in the last few years.  They tend to be a bit discriminatory towards some in managers meetings, discounting their ideas and not actively listening or planning for improvements. They have hired a counselor type person to work with management to help them communicate Better and take action on things that need action. They don't seem to be heeding that advice.  Clearly, they did not hire Eschalon and I think they are tired of me asking why and what is the end game. I have met with his counselor to improve my role in this situation. He's nice enough and has some good ideas, but he is not having the desired effect on upper management. That's the short version. 

One of the biggest problems we face on the floor is absenteeism.  (there are many more)
The employee manual states that it is a fireable offense to call off a shift and not have a replacement. 
We have a few repeat offenders, who are also gossips in the hospital. 
I inquired as to how management plans on handling these situations going forward or what the doctor's instructions are when people call out.  The response I received was disappointing on several levels. 
I was told that
    -the employees in question have been talked to about how difficult they make shifts for those left on the shift
    - because there are no resumes coming in the staff is getting away with things they didn't before. 
    - "we have become captive by the prisoners"

The honest truth is that I am tired to playing shift Russian roulette. 

I need some advice about how I can contribute positively to this situation  when the only authority I really have is over the medicine that I practice. 
What do you think I can do to inspire people to want to come to work?    One step I have taken is to have team huddles at the start of the shift. I have done this a few times as time has allowed and it has been well received. 


Thanks in advance. I hope this is clear. Please feel free to ask questions. I need all the help I can get! 

Oss

[mynewunit]

I love BJJ troopers.
The huddle is a great idea. It helps define the team, shows everyone they are a part, sets the tone for the day. Keep them short and simple. Scott Mann would say it allows you to control the "Story".

If punishment doesn't work for those, then try rewarding the ones who fix it. Mention at your huddle or around the work place that you are going to start calling people in when you are short staffed. If you are the person that comes in to fill a shift you will get x reward. $20, I will buy you lunch, I will clean your car, car wash, Borrow my fun car for the weekend, Pay for a movie, pay for a BJJ class. Find something rewarding that is moderate cost or value. Show them who values their time.

If it is like you said, and the top isn't filling this leadership void, go ahead and fill it. Send ideas up. Maybe you mention, Hey I called Janet in to cover because we were missing someone. She really stepped up so I bought her dinner for her and her man. Is that the kind of thing we could make an unofficial or temporary agreement to do? Maybe for a month or 2?
Yes, it hurts your pocket book maybe a few times. It shows that you care to the leadership and to the troops. They may be dismissive, but this feels like it might be a big enough step from the every day that people wouldn't tip the other way and start missing shifts or asking for a reward for what was doing their job. Make sure a stimulus like this has a sunset. That makes you appreciate it.

There are a lot of questions about how to play the long game. How do you eventually get rid of the bad employees? How do you get better ones? That will be somewhat of a dance with leadership. The easiest way is to create a situation where diverting from your plan takes work. I don't know what requirements you have of these employees. Where they come from, but get ahead of the supply chain. If they come from a degree program, see if you can speak at one of the schools. If there are not requirements, then go speak at a high school, or community college. Talk to your kids, or people in your bjj class. Find someone who you can offer access to a job. Tell them if they come work for free for 5 shifts, you will give them a letter of reference and get them an interview with the X person at your company. Then they have some real experience and your work has gotten to see them in their natural work environment. If I was anywhere near you I could probably help you tap into a stream that could send you a half dozen "kids" every 6 months. Yes I am about your age and they all feel like kids if they haven't done anything outside of college.

The next thing is consistency. Keep up the huddle. Let others participate so it isn't you forcing it. Give them "ownership". Train your replacement. The company is more likely to hire a manager if they are already on pay role. Is that you, or someone else. What steps lead to someone's job description fixing the problem? What credentials are needed for that position? I would love to pretend to be the free lancer that came in for a missed shift, but that probably won't happen. Maybe your BJJ professor could come and fill the position for a shift for the Absent worker. He wouldn't have to be too much to get the rest of the team talking about him.

And always, We are looking around for something to fill that hole, don't fight filling it with the current employee. It would take some change of heart on their part, but be looking for that. Aaaaand Tiiiiime.

Oss

[drann]

Thank you so much for the prompt reply!

The team huddles are paying off! Attitudes on my shifts have turned 180 degrees in about 3 weeks. We are working more fluidly, people are getting along, slackers and stresses are being called out by other teammates.
Staff is taking my cues of what needs to be done and when. Other doctors are trying to get in the action. One is taking my lead and doing great. One tries to turn it into a bitch/blame fest but I redirect the conversation immediately because I am trying to get the staff to think about themselves and how they can perform better, not the things they do wrong or people find unsatisfactory about them. It is making work so much more fun!! And I am MUCH less stressed and more pleasant to be around! Also getting more comfortable speaking to small groups!

As far as employees go, there are requirements. I know we put out a lot of ads but I don't know that we physically go and speak to anyone. For example, we are going to a continuing education in September. I asked if they wanted me to spend some time at our booth in the main hall....but we are not having a booth! We are going to a specialty seminar where people will look for other opportunities and we are not a)going as a group. b) with logos and information, and c) with no presences at the employment booth area! Not sure what the reasoning is there. I should probably ask.

A meeting was announced for next week about changes in management (again) so we'll see what that brings....

Thanks again for your support and prompt reply! I'll keep you posted and come back with more questions!

Oss

[mynewunit]

All good things. You seeing these means you are doing great.
Ask for feedback in a less public forum, like one on one. That is a great time to deal with "gripes" and blame. One thing to remember as a leader, sometimes people just want to be heard.
Keep it up.
Oss

[drann]

I have another question.

As part of my leadership revamp I am trying very hard to back the management. I don't always understand they whys of what is going on but I try.
However.....when management communicates inappropriately with staff (we refer to this as "nasty grams"), often in the form of a rude text message or email, and the staff comes to me to cry/vent/discuss, but I see management as being wrong...how do I back management?
As a specific example, we had an incident this weekend where our washer was broken. I didn't have enough staff to send someone out to do laundry for hospitalized pets, nor did I have enough clean laundry for the night. I contact the manager to find out what to do. She sent her on the spectrum daughter in with towels and such. We all thanked her profusely.
Not 20 minutes later one of the technicians received a text message from the manager basically saying that this techs' comment was rude and inappropriate. She didn't know why no one did laundry, and then proceeded to complain that she was out with her daughter at dinner and she had to get it boxed up so you should have said thank you....it went on complaining about how much she is having to work, all the responsibility she has, no down time,etc. This technician said nothing inappropriate. I heard her positive comments.

Tech ended up crying and coming to me over this.
My only thought was to tell her to let things settle down and speak to the manager face to face tomorrow. Text message eliminates intention and expression.
I explained that this manager is under quite a bit of stress. Sometimes we have to choose which hill we are going to die on and this may not be the one.

These things happen frequently.

How can I be positive about management when they behave like this? Sometimes I feel like I am in high school.....

[mynewunit]

I have a similar situation I was just thrust into.
You got the front-line staff huddle improving communication. Now you need a management huddle.
Nasty grams are nothing new. You have to work that from both sides. First, you need to work on the receiver side. I have done this with the guys on my team. The company makes a statement, or rolls out a new policy, they have to look through the front line and call out anything they see as counter problematic. This is prime time for a nasty gram. When someone gets a nasty gram, and they bring it to you, the first thing to do is find the truth in the nasty gram. Where did it come from? Why was it sent? The next thing is what is the right reaction. Form the correct responses to the nasty gram, actions, changes, follow up. I often have fun responding to those when they are emails.
Next step is to talk to the sender. Ask them why they sent that message, what response they wanted, and then read them their message. Ask them if they think they conveyed that properly with that message.

[drann]

HI!! Hope you are well!

Took home 2 silver medals at my first BJJ tourney in August!! Woo hoo!! Working hard to be better next time!

So, the drama continues at my job.

I want you to know that I have been working on what you suggested above. I am often met with resistance but seem to be getting through to most people. I have been honest and positive with the staff and have tried to teach them how to step back and do as you suggested. It's difficult because the whys are the missing link.

Tonight I am just trying to sort out my brain and I thought posting here again might help. Lord knows I need all the help I can get.

1- A new owner and ER manager was announced last week. Same guy for both. We have 2 active locations. HE is the Doctor manager at the other location. None of us respect this doctor as a leader. The current 2 owners of the hospitals LOVE him. It's kind of a boys club. All the female ER managers have been driven out. HE has a history of being against us. HE tells his technicians they are not allowed to fill in at our location, yet he is constantly trying to get techs to cover shifts at his location. When our hospital was short doctors and I was working 15-17, 14-16 hour shifts a months we got no help from them..but he raises holy hell when our doctors won't cover his hospital.
He has threatened us with taking away benefits if we don't work a certain number of shifts, even though he works less than all of us. We were told he doesn't have that power and now it has become a reality. We were assured multiple times our schedules wouldn't change but they are..When he is confronted with the things he says and does, he lies, blatantly lies, and the other owners believe him. We have been told our contracts are non negotiable. Despite having no respect for him as a leader I have a good working relationship with him. I am starting to worry about things that I may bot have control or influence over.


2- The ER docs had a meeting to announce these changes. The staff found out by world of gossip. During one of my huddles I asked if anyone had any questions or problems I could help sort out. The staff unanimously addressed the management changes. They had not been told about the changes, no meeting no email. I was honest and positive with them. Then they did it...they asked me why they weren't included. They wanted to talk about it. They felt like it was being kept a secret. They told me there was no meeting set for them.
So, I took this opportunity to lead from the middle. I sent an email asking the manager if there was a plan for meeting with staff to explain the changes. The answer I received was so telling of the mentality...it doesn't affect them so there is no need to.......I almost cried. We engaged in a back and forth email about how the staff wants to be included. They want to be able to do their jobs to the best of the ability and understanding the chain of command is part of that. They want to feel like respected team members.
Then the sarcastic nastygram came relaying information they already knew not the information for moving forward. It was condescending and reiterated everything that had been done for staff and how this manager is overworked. I was so deflated.

I am trying to lay low and continue to lead from the middle. Huddles are going well. Staff is starting to weed each other out. They are starting to not tolerate the negative chatter and gossip.

however..

3- We have good staff quitting. I don't know why...well, I sort of know why.... I have had a discussion with several of them during huddles about with 2 main questions. What brings you satisfaction in your job? What makes you feel like a valued employee?
The answers I received all surrounded working as a team and receiving affirmation from their peers and doctors.....NOTHING NOTHING at all about management and how they are rewarded for their jobs. Now, it's all about getting paid and benefits, etc.
BUT we don't have enough support staff to be open 24/7 next month. We would if the new owner allowed his techs to fill in at our hospital.


I don't know what I am asking here. I think I am just trying to find the "GOOD" and check my ego a bit. I see that I can continue to lead my immediate teams and be a positive influence. But the rest of this is a mess.
We have a doctor who is a troublemaker, constantly complaining about stupid stuff and the nasty gram manager acts on every single thing she says, whether there is truth to it or not, even if it creates a ton of unnecessary work or stress. There is no thought involved.

Being honest about this, I would love to be able to threaten to leave or just get up and walk away but that is too ego-centric I think and not who I am. I also have no place else to work where I can have the lifestyle I am accustomed to at this point.
I love working in the ER, I love the cases and my client communications are becoming much easier since EO.

If you have any thoughts I'd love to hear them! Maybe I just need to be talked down off the ledge tonight.

I appreciate you! Oss!!
Ann

[mynewunit]

Well the good news is it seems like people are showing up to work. I would ask the dumb questions to the new owner. How short on staff do we have to be for us to just close the door and go home? What attribute or commonality was the reason for the firing of all the female leaders?
What do I need to do to be successful in this organization? I feel like my efforts are too scattered. What do you want me to focus on?

Honestly, work on your detachment. I have done a bunch of coaching guys in my office to not get excited about bosses and managers telling us to tell them how much work we have. Employees with a year of experience shouldn't be aware of how much work they have on a project that spans months. So when someone gets hot on a conf call about 1 number on a spreadsheet and starts making statements about what employees are supposed to be telling him, he assumes they understand what he is talking about and that they are responsible for. I encourage them to write back a sincere email illustrating the absurdity of the the request.
That is my recommendation to you, write a sincere email illustrating the absurd. This is a delicate art. It often helps if it is out of the ordinary. Hand written, or along with baked goods has worked for me.
Good luck and chill out.

[drann]

I've been working on all you suggested and I thought I was doing much better.

We hired a tech manager who lasted about 2 months and quit. He moved to us for the job and left behind some family illnesses, etc. Coming into or job is hard. We are difficult. We have been without leadership for so long that we tend to bombard people with complaints and information, We are so used to doing for ourselves that we just do and we didn't always include the new manager. We were also told he was very stressed and to not bother him too much. That is an entire other discussion.

When the tech manager left the doctor manager's wife, who is a technician, started trying to take on some of the managerial duties.

Sparing you the gory details. I got called to the office today for a meeting. It seemed like the meeting was being held so the doctor manager could say he had it, not because he wanted it do it.

I forgot to bring my notebook to write all the stuff down. I didn't know what I was being called in for.

We basically talked about the complaints some of the staff had about me. None of them wanted to give their names and I have no specific examples to gauge improvement. Example: one of the complaints was that I don't let the techs do enough. I have been very hands off since the last time this discussion was had with the doctors. . I see patients and sit at my desk..that's pretty much it. I give the techs the list of tasks for that patient and let them have at it. If they are screwing it up I will step in, but for the most part I leave them alone. I ask them periodically if specific tasks have been completed and they see that as me trying to give them more work before the original is done. I don't quite understand this statement when they have a list and I am asking specifically about items on the list. I usually ask after about a half hour has gone by. I have asked them in the past what they want to do that we aren't letting them do and I can't get a straight answer. so I don't know what to do about that.


The other complaints were from very recently.
Some of the complaints seemed to stem from conversations I had with manager's wife or she was involved in. I got the impression that my intention and words were misquoted(I had the opportunity to explain some of these because I was able to recall specific events) and that many of them came from her. The topics varied greatly and were all surrounding my trying to diffuse confusion or gossip. I was also trying to encourage people to consider what their role in all of this could be. Yes, the manager left for personal reasons, but how could we have made this transition better for him?

Sadly, I fell like I can't say anything at all now. I can't give direction because I am micromanaging and not letting the techs do anything, I can't diffuse gossip because I "encouraging the gossip"....(P.S.- his wife started one of those conversations about the technician manager and she spoke poorly of him. I did not say that because I did not want to seem petty and wasn't necessarily relevant).

What I really wanted to say was that we can have this discussion when there are specific examples and I can face my complainants so they can explain to me how they want to be treated. I did not. I assured them I would work harder and thanked them for pointing out my problem areas.
But it seems my problem areas are with the wife......

Do you have any advice on how to navigate this?


I am not a complainer at work. I don't run to management over any thing, really. I don't' complain when my shifts suck because my staff is slow and distracted or there just isn't any staff....
I am thinking I need to zip it entirely and keep a log to turn in at the end of the month of all the "misbehaviors" of the staff.

[mynewunit]

When another strong female comes into an environment there is a question of which one is the alpha. The easiest way to cut down the alpha female, is to have the alpha male remove her from the alpha. This could be what is happening. She could all right about all the things she is saying about you. She is likely right about at least one of these in some capacity. Jordan Peterson talks about how the alpha female gets first choice of mate. She might be doing this as a way to defend her spouse.

I would assume that some aspect of what she said may be right. You will figure out by letting these concepts have a chance. If implementing those suggestions have benefits support them. Let other team members make that determination for you. Taking her suggestions will show you are not broken by questioning. If one suggestion doesn't make an improvement, give up on it.

So how do you move forward. Don't react. Act accordingly. She will know you are not a threat if you don't care what she does. No attacks. No gossip. No over the top pleasantries. No kissing the ring.
Let her exist out side your circle. Let her interact with everyone. Wait for the rest of the gang to make a determination.

[drann]

I wanted to give you an update since you have been kind enough to lend me your advice! This may not make a lot of sense but I will try to kept organized.


I spoke with the Hospital manager with regard to several things.

She admitted/vented to me, cited a few facts and examples of how the medical director's wife is not being held to the same standards of the rest of the staff.

And with regard to that, It was also revealed to me that the meeting we had the above mentioned meeting because of MD's wife.
Protocol is that if you are sick, you have to call and speak with the doctor on duty and find a replacement. If you don't do either of these you come to work. MD's wife was mad because when she tried to call out of work, without talking to me (doctor on duty) and with no replacement, I texted her and told her she had to come in per the protocol. She tells everyone to follow the same protocol. She has sick people come in when they are sick, especially fi they are the only person scheduled. She got angry because I told her to follow the protocol. The meeting we had was a slap not he wrist for that.

HM also told me that some of the things that the new MD says he would NEVER let happen he lets happen when he gets in meetings with the other owners. He is not representing the doctors the way he tells us he does. She has been calling him out when appropriate and has spoken to the owners about the double standard. She says she can't effectively work with him because he undermines her and what their team is supposed to be.

Management is also taking steps in the right direction and (finally) released from employ THE most toxic employee we have.
The most difficult owner who has been undermining all of the managerial staff finally had a "come to Jesus" with another owner about his contribution to the problems we have int he hospital. He seems to be, at least trying, to change his ways.

I have been keeping my head down and leading who I can.
I have been in contact with out management counselor and he had nothing but good things to say about how I am influencing the staff. HE is in agreement with me about few of the hospital issues.
So, all in all, I think things are going ok. I am interested to see how thing pan out.

I took a DISC test and came up mostly dominant, then steadfast, conscientious. Not unexpected.


On a completely different front, BJJ is freakin' awesome! Every day I love it more! Spending more and more time training! Competed last Saturday in Atlanta. I didn't win my match but dominated the stand up(which was the goal, so that's a win!). Made dumb mistakes....oh well! Have another tournament on March 23rd!! Hopefully things will all come together!


There it is!!

Again, Thank you!! I appreciate you!
Oss,
Ann

[mynewunit]

Love it.

Glad you let the situation develop until their smoke cleared and your medal shown. Keep up the good work.

Also, it is great that you clicked with the Joy Jitsu-bo-ha. Enjoy it. That is a great competition story. A little thing you have probably heard, "people tend to neglect the ground game because stand up is more fun to train". That is more for MMA fighters. You just need some more time and some more diverse training partners. Patience. You will still have a better than 50% chance against me.

Keep it up. Good work will always be revealed.
Oss.

[drann]

mynewunit
Hey friend! I haven't been here in a while and wanted to give you an update!

We have had several changes at my job in terms of managers. This time they brought people in from outside, which was an excellent move I think.
I have heeded your advice as much as possible and I have to say that things are going very well.
I have developed and am still building a strong relationship with our new medical director. WE have had several conversations so we understand each other much better. I am able to support him on the doctor end of things because I now understand what is has to contend with and what his motivation is. HE, in turn, is able to support me in my position because he understands how I think and what my limitations are.
His wife has been concentrated on helping the new manager and is not working as a technician. That is bad for the floor but good for the overall feeling in management. She has improved and grown in her new position.

Our new technical manager is excellent. I have had a few email conversations with her about staffing, training, expectations, and explained to her the stresses the doctors are experiencing and relayed some potential solutions.
I have offered her my services in any way possible. She is still getting her feet wet with us as she just started with us. She has taken the time o get to know some of the staff and hear their concerns regarding specific concerns.

I have developed a relationship with one of the owners of the hospital (surgeon). We've always got along but I have reached a level with him where he ALWAYS answers the phone if I call or text. He doesn't do that for everyone. I rarely need him for anything but he will come help if he is available even if he is not on call...for me...it is a unique relationship, only of mutual admiration. He now takes my suggestions seriously and actually listens, really listens when we talk. He even sometimes takes my "advice"!

I am still seeing our professional counselor who is fantastic and truly helpful!

I am trying to step up to lead and help whenever I can.........but I am preparing for World Masters IBJJF in August..because I just got my blue belt!!!!......so this month is training!!

So, the slow climb, Following all the advice as best as I can apply it to my position is going very well!
I appreciate all the time you have taken to guide me.
So thank you!

Hope things are going well with you!
Anything new in the works?

[mynewunit]

I just got back form my Year of deployment with a federal organization. They don't understand that people don't have to have doctorates to know how to analyze people and make them work better.  They also stated to throw me at problems, thinking the problem went away, then threw me at something else, and the other problem came back. 

That situation resulted in job offers from every person I worked with, and my leadership honestly annoyed that I left even if with the level of compensation they offered.

Back home. Got spoiled on travel status, now I need to buy a bigger house. And buy a car to replace the one I sold before I left.

Glad to see progress. I know it feels like the year you have been at this is a life time, but in a few months you will have blinked and forgotten half the problems you solved.  Keep it up.
oss.