Problem: Your direct reports are competing
when they should be cooperating.

Situation: You lean back in your chair and
sigh. The talk with Jack Webster and Ellen
Holland went just as expected with each one
blaming the other. You know your employees
would be much more effective if they would
work together but you just can't get any of
them to work with anyone else. They're all
individualists.

Problem: An employee doesn't deliver what
he promised.

Situation: "R.B., this is just a summary of
the overdue accounts. You told me you'd
have me an analysis of them by today."

"I really meant to but you know how busy
we've been lately. I'm sure I can have an
analysis by Wednesday."

"You'd better!"you fume as you walk off.

Problem: An employee is a "know-it-all."

Siituation: You grin to yourself as you walk
past the small group. Edna and Lorraine are
trying to explain to Donna why her input isn't
working. But she won't listen to them.

"I know all about these things," she says
emphatically. "There's nothing wrong with
my system."

Donna seems capable but she's so sure she
knows everything; it's taking forever for her to
learn how your unit does its job.

Problem: You're told to destroy a report that
identifies serious safety hazards in the work
area.

Situation: "You want to see me, sir?" you
ask as you walk into Mr. Maxey's office.

"You know that shredder down in the
mailroom? I want you to run this through
it."

It's the report on safety hazards the firm
commissioned and which identified several
dangerous conditions out on the floor.

Mr. Maxey looks at you intently. "I have to
have your complete trust in this. We need
to get rid of it permanently. If I can count
on you for this you can count on me to be
quite helpful to you from now on."