Q: Two months ago, our board hired an operations manager. We'd grown from eight to 30 employees, and when our office manager retired, we decided we needed a professional to manage our billing, accounting, insurance, record-keeping and personnel systems.
The other partners and I have been pleased with the OM. She's experienced in operational areas and is charming, dynamic and charismatic. Within her first 10 days she provided us a list of deficiencies that stunned us. Without her, we would have been in severe jeopardy. We need her.
We knew some employees would react to our bringing her on board, as the prior office manager was their peer who gave them a lot of autonomy. Sure enough, several employees viewed the OM's hire as a demotion and immediately complained about "her ways."
As expected, we had several resignations in the first month. The OM suggested we accept these immediately and not require a notice period. We did.
The resignations continued. Five long-term employees left. Last week, a senior manager turned in his resignation. Again, the OM told us to immediately cut him a severance check. We did so; however, one of our partners interviewed him off-site. He described the OM as ruthless and demeaning and warned us to expect more resignations.
The partner and I met with the OM. We'd planned to ask her questions based on the stories this manager told. Instead of answering, she blasted the manager and was furious he'd slandered her and we'd "entertained his nonsense." She asked us if we had confidence in her and we assured her we did.
Where do we go from here?
A: She put you on the defensive and you caved. She didn't want to answer your questions, she wanted you to answer to her. You need to get your arms around this situation before you lose more employees.
When a "new sheriff" comes to town, you can expect employees to react. But six resignations in two months? Your OM asks you to stand behind her -- what about standing behind your long-term employees?
You may have hired a "shape-shifter," a workplace Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. This chameleon individual plays the charmer to those in charge but shows a different face to the employees under her.
One by one, newly hired shape-shifters establish their status in the office pecking order by acting the model employee even as they weaken other employees' relationships with the boss. Those a shape-shifter views as beneath her or from whom she can gain nothing soon feel her claws.
Shape-shifters like to be the winner in every situation -- and to do so they need to make others wrong. They assure employees who challenge them, "Cross me if you dare; I can take you out." Both a personality disorder and a type of bully, shape-shifters protest they've been misunderstood or attacked when others call them on their behavior.
If you do nothing based on six resignations you send a strong message to your remaining 24 employees -- we're prepared for the rest of you to leave.
Meet again with your OM. Let her know you value everything she brings to the table but you and she need to look at what's going on. If she threatens to resign because you're willing to listen to voices other than hers, she's not the right manager because she doesn't understand valuing employees.
As you talk with her, notice what happens as well as what she says. Does she counter genuine questions with attacks? Does she practice the technique but not the art of eye contact? Do your worries fall on deaf ears?
Where do you go from here? You need to find out and act on what's going on -- both to fix the deficiencies your OM uncovered and the ones she's potentially covering up.