I’M currently facing a significant challenge from one of my supervisors, who is struggling to connect with his subordinates.
The issue is his management style, specifically his lack of accountability and work attitude. While he has managed to cruise along in his job, his team is increasingly frustrated by his lack of engagement. He does the bare minimum, and when mistakes occur, he lashes out at his team instead of providing guidance. This has led to a growing disconnect between him and his staff, leaving many to question his credibility.
Initially, I expected his store visits to include auditing the shop and training employees to meet our standards. Instead, he mostly observes, bringing documents between our branch and the head office — acting more like a courier than a leader. On one occasion, he almost failed to provide the records needed to process payroll, offering excuses instead of accountability.
I asked him bluntly: If these are your people, why aren’t you as invested in ensuring they get paid on time as you are in receiving your own salary?
This lack of care for his staff has eroded the trust of his team. When something goes wrong, his first instinct is to shift the blame, refusing to acknowledge his own negligence, creating a toxic environment where subordinates feel he’ll throw them under the bus to protect himself.
For example, he didn’t monitor the staff schedule regularly and failed to adjust when someone called in sick, so the shop opened late. Worse, he blamed the absent employee, though she informed him in advance. This further demoralized the team. It’s one thing to expect people to do their jobs, it’s another to demand while failing to do your own. His behavior comes across as hypocritical, undermining our operations.
Ultimately though, the responsibility lies with me. The leaders we appoint reflect the values of the organization. In this case, assigning him as a supervisor seems to be a massive error in judgment.
The first step in solving this managerial issue is to admit there’s a problem and to actively face it. We can’t gaslight our employees into thinking they’re imagining the leadership gap.
My plan is to speak with the team and get the members’ honest feedback. Did I assess the situation correctly, and am I being fair to both sides? Honest conversations aimed at bridging the gap are necessary. My goal is not to demonize the supervisor but to understand the full extent of the problem, salvage the situation if possible, and address the root cause.
Next, it’s crucial to ensure everything the supervisor neglected gets done. Identify the gaps and address them systematically while modeling the leadership behavior you want to see.
Employees appreciate it when top management steps in to resolve bad situations. They want to know they’re not alone and their leaders are actively fixing the problem. Involving them in the process and asking for their help may help boost cooperation within the organization. It is highly likely that sincere efforts are greatly appreciated. You might be pleasantly surprised how hard and how high your employees will step up, if you only ask.
Performance improvement plan
As for the supervisor, I plan to place him on a performance improvement plan (PIP). If verbal warnings don’t work, his shortcomings should be documented. If the PIP fails, we may need to replace him, following proper documentation and due process.
This week, I’m handling multiple tasks — preparing for the busy holiday season, resolving customs issues for shipments and sourcing new suppliers. I’ve been told I need to delegate more, and I try to, but there are certain responsibilities that can’t be passed on. Choosing, training and mentoring the right leaders is one of them.
Ignoring the problem won’t make it go away. Bad leadership is like rot in fruit. The decay spreads and can ultimately destroy the organization. My mistake was to assume that someone in a leadership role would automatically value it and deliver. I should have also been more vigilant in assessing his performance. If a manager isn’t a good fit, I should’ve made the change before it’s too late.
It’s a tough lesson, but one that entrepreneurs can’t afford to ignore. Recruiting the right leaders is a crucial part of doing business. If I work on this sincerely, my efforts should contribute to the betterment of my people and my organization’s long-term survival.
Wish me luck!
Tina Khoe Ang is a retail entrepreneur managing 29 branches in Metro Manila and a master franchisor of an American frozen treat brand with nine shops. She is a moderator at the Philippines HR Group on Facebook and a co-host of “The HR Cafe: Usapang Trabaho, Buhay, Atbp” every Sunday at 3 p.m. Her email: tinakhoe@gmail.com; and her blog: https://tinainmanila.com.
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