Miacat3 Posted May 3, 2012 Share Posted May 3, 2012 Hello all need some of your wisdom. Today I had a member of staff have a problem with me because she asked me if we were not having a circle time this afternoon and why not? I explained that since the member of staff who circle time it was was putting away outside for me to give me a chance to fill in the student's forms for college that she needed for when the session finished that i was filling in there and then. And the staff member with the problem needed to clean and tidy up inside. Then who was going to do the circle time. All six children were happy outside and they were helping to tidy up. So she banged around mopping and sulking because as the Manager I had spoke up and disagreed with her. When she had left to go home I spoke to my Deputy, who had been outside and i filled her in with what had happened and I told her that I was in the bad books. I told my Deputy that if we had to not do circle time everyday in order to teach the children how to tidy up then so be it. Deputy agreed with me and told me that she felt staff member did tidy up time too soon and that the children could not sit still for so long. We both agreed that this staff member can sulk if she does not get her own way and that she needed to realise that as a Manager i do not have to justify all my decisions to staff. I went outside to bring in bench and the staff member who we thought had gone home was coming back through the gate with a very angry face. I walked straight back into building and pretended to be talking about something else with Deputy while I waited for her to follow me in building but she didn't but she shouted bye to Deputy but not to me so I think she had stood outside listening to me talking to Deputy and she had heard everything! So what do I do tomorrow at work? I didn't bad mouth the staff member and stand by everything I said but should I say something first to her about what she may have heard or should I just carry on as normal and wait for her to speak to me. Any advice welcome and I know to not make the same mistake again and not talk about staff to Deputy until staff are millions of miles away! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fimbo Posted May 3, 2012 Share Posted May 3, 2012 id just carry on as usual tommorow ,as manager you are entitled to speak to the deputy about your staff, as long as you didnt 'run her down' and wernt disrespectul and remained proffesional ( as im sure you were) then i wouldnt worry about it. yes, she is entitled to voice her opinion -but so are you, and as the manager how the session runs is ultimatly down to you, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Upsy Daisy Posted May 3, 2012 Share Posted May 3, 2012 I think that if you stand by everything you said you would be well advised to have a conversation with the staff member tomorrow morning anyway. If someone has been behaving unprofessionally because she didn't agree with a decision you had made you would need to clear the air and remind her of her obligations to remain pleasant and positive around the children anyway. While doing this make sure you mention the things you discussed with the deputy to let her know you are of the same view. That way, even if she did hear you, you are telling her everything she overheard and will have no cause for complaint. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cait Posted May 3, 2012 Share Posted May 3, 2012 I'd see how it goes. If she comes in ok, then leave it, if she's sulking and creating an atmosphere then you'll need to take her to one side and talk to her about her attitude. "I'm sorry if there was some confusion yesterday, but ....." is a good opener Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garrison Posted May 3, 2012 Share Posted May 3, 2012 OMG - I am from Yorkshire too - do you work in my setting cos we have this same problem all the time!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rafa Posted May 3, 2012 Share Posted May 3, 2012 Agree with Cait you cant have an atmosphere so if she seems unhappy in the morning no ...'hello everyone' ...then clear the air by saying sonething like 'hope i didnt upset you yesterday but you know we need to be flexible sometimes and if the children are happy outside why bring them in for circle time? 'Also we need to watch that we're not tidying up too early too'! I find if you use the " We " rather than the "you" its good man- managment and usually diffuses the situation! Good luck and sleep well Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
louby loo Posted May 3, 2012 Share Posted May 3, 2012 Nothing to add - but I do think that perhaps your member of staff is actually 'twighlighting' in my setting - which is worrying as it must be at least a 3 hour commute for her each day!! ............. mmhhh could explain the sulks though- she must be very tired.... :blink: :blink: :blink: ::1a 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scarlettangel Posted May 4, 2012 Share Posted May 4, 2012 If memeber of staff was just coming back in through the gates (with angry face!) when you went out to get the bench in, how could she have heard you? Did she hear, go and then come back?!!!!!! Is it more likely that she was popping back for something and face was angry because she was still cross things hadnt gone her way? I would play it by ear today and see if the need arises to talk about the situation specifically, but a general conversation about flexibility and children not sitting for too long would surely be on the cards too! Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunnyday Posted May 4, 2012 Share Posted May 4, 2012 I'd see how it goes. If she comes in ok, then leave it, if she's sulking and creating an atmosphere then you'll need to take her to one side and talk to her about her attitude. "I'm sorry if there was some confusion yesterday, but ....." is a good opener This would be my approach too...........and if it's any comfort I've 'been there done that' :1b Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cait Posted May 4, 2012 Share Posted May 4, 2012 So how did today go? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miacat3 Posted May 4, 2012 Author Share Posted May 4, 2012 First of all thanks for all your advice. Scarlettangel the reason why I thought she had heard what we were discussing was because our building is a portacain and the main door was open and I think she was stood by the fire door on the side of the building. Anyway I was dreading work today but she came in was very quiet with both me and deputy, only really talk to me if she had to. Then a circle time in the morning we encouraged the children to tidy up and it was her circle time and she asked "Am I ok to do circle time?" To which I told her "Yes it was fine to do it today as we were tidy and we had a staff member who was free to do it" Anyway she came round a bit in afternoon and she is not in now until middle of next week. But more I think about it I am the boss and I am in charge and I am going to make decisions sometime that not everyone is going to agree with. Think it was the fact that most of the time I'm easy going but this time i had had enough of staff questioning me and my way of doing things so I was quite firm when I stood up to her. Think the fact I've only been the Manager since September and haven't had to stand up to staff before has shocked her and rest of staff. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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