Criticism From Boss, Feeling Violated

[Leni]

What I've found is that if a superior is telling me they want me to improve in areas 1 2 3 4 5... They d...

Well, actually, she did not tell me to improve in areas 1,2, 3, 4 and 5. She just said: my production is low, I'm nervous, and then she said something absolutely random about some negative reaction of mine to something that had to do with customer service (there is not a soul in that place that doesn't have a negative reaction to customer service - everyone HATES it and doesn't even try to hide it) and that I don't have the potential, which she bases on what exactly? Nothing. She just pulled that out of her ass, pretty much.

So, what areas am I supposed to improve in? Since you saw that constructive criticism in what I wrote, you can perhaps now tell me about those areas that I need to improve in.

 

[Friday]

Every single explanation or defense I came up with to each critique,

Each of these ^^^ Of the ones you listed? Below, and any others that you might not have listed here, but that you & she spoke of.

Low Production
- Writing Decisions
- Closing Cases
- ? (Any other areas)

More Independent
- Use Manuals More
- Use Decisions Officer less &/or more efficiently
- Take Initiative
- ? (Any other areas)

Use of Language

Affect / Personal Presentation / Interpersonal Interactions
- Nervousness
- Negatively Affected (Publicly / aka colleagues are noticing)
- ? (Any other areas)

 

[desiderata310]

Hmm... Bad bosses make for bad communicators.

Can you go back and say something like: "I've had the opportunity to think about what you said and I want you to know that I am committed to doing a better job. Could you please give me some specific advice how to improve or pair me up with someone temporarily who can show me a better way to do things? I want to be one of your success stories."

It absolutely sucks. I've had those kinds of bosses who tell me "you're doing a crappy job"
I've actually had a boss who told me "I know you're here a lot of hours but I don't know what it is that you're actually DOING"
(at the time I was filling two positions and I was 'salary' which means I got paid the same for work 40 hours as I did for working 90 hours)

I don't know if that line of attack would work or not but it sounds like you don't have much to lose. Maybe if approached like that it might help? Putting the boss as your champion?

 

[aut555]

Maybe she just wants to screw with you because she knows your temp, she knows you are nervous and she is a sadistic bored cog in the machine . Because face it, there is nothing forth coming in the effect of if you wish to do a,b,c then you can move forward here. There is no dialog of let me help you by commenting on ways to improve your productivity, it's more of let be abusive with no recourse because you are temp, so suck it up. I take the bad positions and learn from them too. Maybe work on your anxiety projection, try smiling, breathing deep breaths when she comes around. Stay postive when she is down-playing everything about you, then you are showing strength and showing she can't emotionally manipulate you. Start with her and it will get easier. For all you know, maybe her superior does it to her, and she continues the pattern, yes, this really does happen in real life.

 

[Leni]

Hmm... Bad bosses make for bad communicators.

Can you go back and say something like: "I've had...

I'm not big enough of a person ... that needs strength and I don't have that amount of strength. Now I'm thinking about asking my union representatives about advice about what to do next ...

Thanks.

 

[aut555]

Ok, hope that something works out, but don't let her back you into corner and feel so helpless. This is more about her and less about you. Sadly, there are a lot of bosses very much like this and a lot are in gov positions too.

 

[Sideways]

"The numbers are low", when you seem to be aware of the stats you're referring to, is pretty specific when it comes to feedback from a boss. Her feedback there is very precise: improve your numbers.

Commenting on the negative reaction reported by other employees? That didn't seem to be random. As I set out above, she gave you at least 4 specific examples of the way your presentation/demeanor isn't meeting her expectations.

It doesn't seem to be a case of the feedback not being specific enough IMO, based on your posts.

I can see that you don't like the feedback you've been given. But she has given you specific stats that you're not meeting, specific tasks where your peformance isn't meeting her expectations, specfic examples from her own experience, and specific examples from feedback from other staff. That seems to be fairly detailed as far as feedback goes IMO.

 

[Leni]

Ok, hope that something works out, but don't let her back you into corner and feel so helpless. This is...

I have considered writing an email to her in which I would ask her to describe my weak areas and her suggestions in how to fix them. That way, if she responds in another insane manner, I'll have something to show my union. Or get actual workable response ... maybe she just sucks in person.

 

[Leni]

"The numbers are low", when you seem to be aware of the stats you're referring to, is pretty spe...

Again, I'm baffled at where you see specifics.

 

[Leni]

Each of these ^^^ Of the ones you listed? Below, and any others that you might not have listed here, but...

Low Production
- Writing Decisions
- Closing Cases
- ? (Any other areas)

--> Do you actually think this is an 'area'? You just described my entire job. Btw my boss never mentioned there being anything wrong with me writing any decisions - nothing that specific.

More Independent
- Use Manuals More
- Use Decisions Officer less &/or more efficiently
- Take Initiative
- ? (Any other areas)

--> This critique I did not get from my boss, but earlier from my supervisor and I promptly stopped asking anyone for help (which, btw, negatively affected my 'production,' so there). Also, expecting someone that has been actively working as a case officer with such complex tasks and cases as I'm working with for only 2 months (2 weeks theoretical education, 2.5 weeks vacation) is absolutely abhorrently idiotic in my book or book of anyone with half a brain. But whatever, i did what she said I should do.

Affect / Personal Presentation / Interpersonal Interactions
- Nervousness
- Negatively Affected (Publicly / aka colleagues are noticing)
- ? (Any other areas)

--> Nervousness ... she questioned my nervousness while meeting her and running into her in the corridor - wtf does that have to do with my job? Nothing. I'm nervous because she is my boss and she decides whether I stay or not. So I get nervous. Big whoop. Also, questioning why I am nervous while we're talking and she's tearing my ass apart? What psycho does that?
..> Negatively affected is just a bunch of bullshit that she came up with. Iv'e never reacted more negatively than anyone else that I work with. I think she's just reaching there. I don't work with the public. I answer telephone calls a couple of hours a day and I've never had a problem except the first two times I did it while still in training. How the F can she hold that against me? If that is what she is referring to, which I don't know as she declined to specify (another Wtf moment for me, btw).

Yeah, so no, not quite.

 

[Silver.]

odd, I see @Friday and @Ragdoll Circus listed the specifics that they have read that you posted.

honestly? you've been pretty hostile in your responses to people that are trying to help you, if you're this hostile towards people in an online forum, I can see that this sort of hostility would be carried out in your job. I would take a step back from the anger and try and re-read people's responses for the encouragement, recommendations and honesty they are bringing to you

 

[Leni]

"The numbers are low", when you seem to be aware of the stats you're referring to, is pretty spe...

Sweetheart, if she gave me 'specific stats,' that would be one thing, but there are no such 'specific stats' at my work. The only stat we have is the stat on the end result, however, what we do has an insane amount of tasks that go into it. Also, as a caseworker, I'm not the only one involved in what I do - I work with people and it's up to them to give me what I request and if they take a long time or don't cooperate as they should, shit can take longer than it should, and then there are crazy insane cases where it's nobody's fault why they are taking longer and then there is the decision-making officer that decides what other complementary tasks need to be taken and my decision officer tends to be an insane nitpicker and thanks to her lots of cases that could have been closed weeks ago are still open. It's not as easy as you seem to be picturing it.