Let’s face it, managing a team of other people can be a difficult task even for the veterans. The rules and culture is constantly changing and we must evolve with the times. We may not get it right every time, but we do our best to create a professional and fair work environment for all. It’s not always easy, just ask any manager. Dealing with different personalities and backgrounds, you’re bound to find yourself in a few tough spots. Below are a few manager pickles and how to handle them if they were to arise in your own office.

Pickle #1 – Promoting an employee only to find out they are not right for the job.

As a manager, I put a lot of time, energy and trust into my employees. I like to see them succeed, therefore, I would always rather promote from within as it is less training and more opportunity for growth for my current employees. Unfortunately, this doesn’t always work out like everyone hopes. Sometimes employees may not be as ready as you think they are or their skills/personality don’t line up with the new position. Simply put, it’s not always a good fit. But what do you do? You have given them this promotion, can you just take it away?

The answer is yes. A promotion does not ensure job security. I tell all of my employees before promoting them that this is a probationary period that will allow us to explore new areas of growth for them. This allows room for both the employee and the manager to try the new position out without full commitment. It also gives the employee motivation to work at their highest level in order to earn the job full-time. If you have promoted an employee that is not working out in that position, it is perfectly acceptable to redirect that employee to another position or back to their previous job. You may find out that their skills are better suited in other areas. It’s not a fail, it’s a learning process for everyone.

Pickle #2 – Losing your temper with an employee.

We have all dealt with difficult people or maybe just been in a moment where someone is intentionally pushing you to the edge. As a manager, we are trained to rise above this situation and to check your emotions at the door in order to keep the conversation professional. Unfortunately, as humans, sometimes those emotions get the better of us and we react in a way that we were not planning. So now the toothpaste has been squeezed out of the tube and there is no putting it back. How do you move forward?

The best way to handle this situation is to take some time away and get yourself together. Make sure you are in the right headspace enter another conversation with this person and ask a witness to be in the room (this could be another manager or HR representative). Bring the employee in the room and start off with a very sincere apology. Even if it is a human moment that you had, it is never okay to disrespect your employees and they need to hear that from you. Ask for their forgiveness and let them know it won’t happen again. This is also a good segue into exactly what happened to make you lose your temper and re-address whatever issue you were discussing in your initial conversation in order to come to a full resolution of the situation. Ultimately, is the behavior that caused your buttons to be pushed insubordinate? If so, those behaviors need to be addressed as well.

Pickle #3 – Hiring family members or friends, and then having to fire them.

Mixing personal and professional lives can always cause issues eventually. We all want to do what we can to help our family and friends, but as a manager, it can get a little tricky…. ESPECIALLY if they don’t work out! This can not only cause issues at work, but also at home. So what do you do?

Well as a manager hiring family or friends, we need to do some prep in order to make this successful. I always make sure I lay the ground work with my personal connection before they ever start the application process. I let them know that this is a professional setting and that there will be no personal decisions involved. If they get the job, it is because they are qualified, not because they are family or friends. Also, if they do not work out, this is not a personal decision, it is business. Ultimately, just like any other job, how they do is completely up to them. I also speak to the other managers in my office to make sure everything stays professional on their end too. I do not want anyone treating someone differently because they know me on a personal level. If the family member or friend does not end up working out, it is handled in a professional manner just like any other employee. Any personal feelings will be dealt with after the work day is over and I am on personal time.

Dealing with tough situations as a manager can be difficult, but it’s apart of the job. We are all constantly learning and growing in our positions and with each experience, we gain the knowledge needed to handle similar situations in the future. As long as we do our best to remain professional in all situations than doing our best with the knowledge that we have is all we can do.