I had a teacher and an assistant who squabbled constantly about who was going to be responsible for all of the work in the class. The teacher felt that she had seniority so should not have to do any of the menial tasks. The assistant felt that she was being treated like a slave by the teacher. They couldn't agree at all and so NOTHING was getting done! it was a mess.
I sat down with them and let them both have a chance to speak. This was not easy, as they quickly moved into disagreement, blame, etc. However, I kept the conversation on point and slowly they began to relax and listen to each other. Once the anxiety had dissipated, they began to work cooperatively.
We ended up with a plan to try changing jobs every week so everyone (me included...I have enough to do as director, but wanted to make it fair and equitable for all) has a turn doing every job. We've agreed to meet again in a month and decide whether we need to come up with another plan. Stay tuned...
Ellen,
ReplyDeleteI liked the way you handled the situation. Next week, 8 of us are meeting to complete a health manual and some policy paperwork. In the past when we had a group project, a few of us banded together to get the job done. Two employees don't contribute, they complain, goof off, and leave early. I am going to use some of these strategies and see if I too can resolve the issue of unequal distribution of work. I'll keep you posted.
Ellen,
ReplyDeleteI loved this blog so much that I shared it with my assistant. We split everything down the middle from cleaning to teaching. During our first meeting with each other, I assured her that there was nothing that I would ask her to do that I wouldn't be willing to do. I loved the way that you handled the situation because you provided options for them but ultimately they had to work together to come up with a plan that would benefit them both. Great post.