[GGG]

Originally Posted by GirlySports

Ok, I concede. Maybe because of my experieince they're not difficult to me so i don't see it this way. It's a professional workplace, work needs to get done and it has to be comfortable for everyone. No mind games, no bullying, this isn't high school. I have no issues addressng issues due to my position.

I've learned that managers need to be proactive. The difficult conversation occurs because 10 other things have happened before that, for example, a guy with BO continually going to meetings, isn't the manager in the meeting? Aren't there other execs in these meetings? Doesn't any of the higher-ups notice?

Maybe it's because I'm a chit-chatty boss. My team is small, 7 people. We go for coffee every Monday morning at Tims and talk about mostly non-work related stuff. How was your weekend? Any good movies? Any games or shows you watched? One girl is pregnant and one other girl just came back from mat leave so those are easy topics. In addition, each person has a monthly meeting with me to discuss workload and air grievances, also coffee.

And then as a manager you just have to know. There is a guy who's worked for me 4+ years and is a great worker. But over the last few quarters his production is down and he's making simple mistakes. I call him in, "What's borthering you? You've been struggling, is there anything I can help you with?" He admitted that he's having trouble adapting to the new system and there's trouble at home, probably going to divorce. I need to know this, give him more training and lessen some of his workload in the short-term.

Sometimes people are grateful you bring these things up and sometimes people are defensive. But I run an accounting team, it's preatty black and white. And maybe accountants aren't really difficult personalities, the majority of them are introverts. We are a service department, i know there are big peersonalities are not nice to my staff. I've had to talk to other managers. This is probably the most difficult of the conversations because other manangers are in denial. But our team documents this so facts are always facts.

So what you are saying is that through your job experience and various HR training that you would have done in school and throughout your career you have learned how to have difficult conversations.

So what courses and books would you recommend to learn those skills.