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Blind sided at work and don't know what to do next

143 replies

katedan · 21/02/2025 21:31

I have been struggling for a while at work for a few months, lots of pressure but I work very hard and very long hours and thought I was a good manager. Today I was given feedback from my manager in relation to the people I manage,s feedback about me as a manager and it was brutal!!! Lots of negative feedback about me as a manager. I fell apart on my manager and currently see no way back. I know I could get signed off ( have not taken a day's sick in 5 years I have been there). I cannot stop crying and feel awful i sacrificed my own kids and my home to give 100% to this job and although I am not perfect I always felt I was a good manager. Please advise me as I have to face everyone Monday morning knowing what they have said.

OP posts:
Nazzywish · 21/02/2025 22:51

It's a learning curve OP and your still on one despite what you think given your responsibilities. You need to embrace that and cut yourself some slack and certainly don't let the intrusive thoughts get in about quitting or looking for lower paid jobs. Its better it you who gives a damn than some other one who doesn't. So look at your hours- delegate some meetings as a learning opportunity for those less senior on your team. Its exactly the kind of thing they need to develop. Have monthly 121's with your team and offer them genuine feedback in detail, less when it's not needed. Monthly or bi weekly case discussions for the non urgent stuff and a team case clinic type thing that they can bring to you certain days in the week x3 . Cap the time. You can all learn re others cases and they have that 'touch in' in the week with you so they don't feel so adrift? Maybe they're frustrated with the set up of things and it's coming back onto you but be mindful of being managed out like pp have raised

Bunnycat101 · 21/02/2025 22:49

katedan · 21/02/2025 21:35

Did not feel i challenged them enough in our case discussions, not enough case direction, discussions were too quick and not deep enough.

This does scream ‘you’re taking on too much and not delegating enough’

One of the things I’ve found hardest to learn as a manager is letting go and I see it really frequently in managers who are new or not very confident. The job I really progressed with delegation was when I took on an extra function and just had to support the team rather than doing any actual work on it.

I have also found that it takes a good 3-6 months of effort in coaching and developing someone before they are saving you time but if you put in the effort upfront you can just then let them crack on if they’re good. There is also a discipline when you’re busy to build in time into your diary for team management and to protect 1:1s as much as possible. It’s too easy to get into ‘head down saviour mode’ and try and fix things yourself but as you’ve seen you then to just burn out and then also not really get the most out of your team.

The best thing you can do now is to have some conversations re how to provide a bit more stretch and how do reduce your diary commitments down so you can be a bit more available. Don’t take it personally - they want a bit more of you. I’ve seen much more brutal 360 from people at senior levels.

Hibernatingtilspring · 21/02/2025 22:48

OP I knew you were going to say social care from your second post

I had similar feedback once about not having in depth supervision, I asked to sit in on someone doing in depth supervision so I could learn from it. In the 2hr supervision they discussed 5 children (and they didn't type the notes at the same time so needed longer afterwards to put it on the system). I pointed out that our policy was to cover all the cases every supervision+ get the notes on contemporaneously and on my team that meant 27-30 children to discuss in 90 minutes (but that 90mins also had to include wellbeing, training and development and staff feedback)

You may well be a good manager, but you can only provide what the system allows you to do. Be kind to yourself

maddening · 21/02/2025 22:48

katedan · 21/02/2025 22:03

And this is where I am - it was a team feedback but I have no idea who said which part - there was some positive but it was minimal but I agree if the whole of my group think I am awful I need to be the problem and leave - but I need the money and of course will look for other jobs at a lower scale ( as I am clearly an awful manager) but that will take time and I do not know how to cope with next week

Sorry was the feedback that the team have said you are awful and need to leave?

byteme1011 · 21/02/2025 22:48

I think tomorrow you'll feel a lot better about this - I don't understand the quitting/I'm an awful manager rhetoric. 360 reviews are for constructive feedback - I always give something to be worked on when I do mine. Just start thinking how you can plan to resolve it.

TeenLifeMum · 21/02/2025 22:47

katedan · 21/02/2025 22:06

No we are all very busy no one has capacity to help others - I want to develop my staff they are a great bunch of very hard working people who deserve a manger who can manage and guide them

So put a business case together for more staff to help manage workloads. That’s what you need to fight for, showing you have your team’s backs. Managing people is part of your job so you need to prioritise it even if that means declining meetings, or you’re telling your team they are the least important thing.

Charlize43 · 21/02/2025 22:44

Sorry, I should have added that your mental health & your family should be your priority, so maybe it would be better to walk away.

JorgyPorgy · 21/02/2025 22:41

You sound like a hard working and nice supportive manager. They sound like a bunch of 2 faced backstabbers in a blame culture where everyone is overworked . Don’t be pushed out. Why should you be just because of your age? Stop the overtime. Spend more time with family. Allot team each a 121 with you on whatever frequency and time length is reasonable for you to complete your own schedule without overtime and where you get a one hour lunch break . Tell them to come prepared , to email you beforehand with areas they need help. Put the onus on them. Set them KPIs and give them actions. You are not their friend. They can say goodbye to mrs nice guy. Find your inner Alan Sugar!

Lovelyview · 21/02/2025 22:41

You sound like you're on the edge of a breakdown op. Like others I don't think this feedback is a reflection on you unless you are choosing to have back to back meetings when you don't have to. You need to discuss with your manager what you can not do in order to spend more time on your team. You also need to look after your mental health. Does your workplace offer mental health support?

Cadenza12 · 21/02/2025 22:40

Sounds like you are working your socks off while the team feel they have more to offer. Might be an idea to learn how to delegate more. I know skills development takes time but it's time well invested that will pay dividends. Stop with the 10 hour days. Take a lunch break, go for a walk, you will be more effective instead of being more frazzled. At the next review your team will be saying that you expect too much. That's the scourge of middle management xxx

Charlize43 · 21/02/2025 22:39

Sometimes things are said for a reason. If you haven't achieved the support, admiration and respect of the staff that you manage then something probably isn't working.

Maybe consider a career change. Not everyone is a people's person.

Weebleswobblesowhat · 21/02/2025 22:35

This reply has been deleted

This has been deleted by MNHQ for breaking our Talk Guidelines.

Cinnamonrollsforbreakfast · 21/02/2025 22:31

It sounds like you’re a hardworking dedicated employee who is not used to getting negative feedback and this has hit you very hard and personally. That’s completely normal. Maybe when you have slept on it and had a chance to get over the pure shock of it, you can begin to see the opportunity.
look at it this way - now you know what you didn’t before. You know what you have to work on and you’re entitled to ask for help with that. Your manager shouldn’t just dump feedback on you without helping you to make it constructive. If I were you, I would ask for a coach. Then use the coach to help you change the way you work so that you are giving people more of what they want - sounds like they want more of you - that’s a good thing really! And maybe there will be ways of delegating smarter. Imagine if this is a real turning point in your career for the better? And you get to spend more time with your family and stop doing 10 hour days? Or you might even use the coach to figure out what you really, truly want out of your career and see what’s possible.

Addeline · 21/02/2025 22:20

It’s an incredibly difficult sector, social care, massively under resourced. I think these people are saying they’d like more of your time, but they probably know you don’t have any. It could very well be more a complaint of the system than of you personally.

MyLimeGuide · 21/02/2025 22:20

What is your job? What business is it??

Poppinjay · 21/02/2025 22:19

Your line manager should be offering training/mentoring to help you address the issues that have been raised. Ask for it. They will know that they are on dodgy ground re contructive dismissal if they don't provide it.

PleaseDontFingerMyPouffe · 21/02/2025 22:19

Galatine · 21/02/2025 21:50

O you are so funny 🤮

I think they were trying to make the op laugh - they seem to have managed it

Thought it was actually quite a good way to respond to op's overwhelm.

Op- I don't have much to add to the responses youre already getting. You sound very overworked & burned out with work - a Talk through & a sleep and hopefully you'll feel a bit better tomorrow.

Definitely stand up for your unmet needs at work, take the personal out of it as a pp said, and reflect on how you can make the changes needed with your boss' support.

m00rfarm · 21/02/2025 22:15

Presumably your team were asked what could be changed to make things better rather than what can they think of to criticise their manager. They are unlikely to talk about positive things, simply because they would not be seen as relevant by the team - they would want to focus on things that can be improved. Not things that are already ok. You seem incredibly defensive, not listening to anything anyone is saying on here (or at least being very choosey about your responses). You need to think about WhAT was said, and whether it could, just possibly, be accurate. And if so, what can you do (and involve your team with the feedback and resolutions to show you have listened to what they have said) to improve the areas that are mentioned. Just google some of it - the answers are all there.

RIPVPROG · 21/02/2025 22:14

What structure are you using? Are you completing SEEDS observations or similar? Which reflective practice supervision structure are you using, could it do with tweaking? Have you got out of the habit of structured supervision?
This really isn't insurmountable feedback. Your team are saying they want more of your time and focus, that's not unreasonable, I work in an adjacent field, and manage a multi agency department including adult and children's social care. Their feedback is as much about the excessive demands placed on your time as it is about you as a person. Your reaction seems quite extreme. Are you getting appropriate supervision?
Draft an improvement plan for yourself and take it to your line manager for feedback, support and protected time to improve in this area.
They are you team, not your friends. They need you professionally, birthday presents etc are irrelevant.

maddening · 21/02/2025 22:14

I think you should luck your wounds and go back in with a plan, both to your manager and team, you can approach it with your team positively imo - grateful to understand what they need, here is your plan to work together to drive the operating rhythm needed to address concerns.

MrsMiniver1942 · 21/02/2025 22:12

Menstrualcycledisplayteam · 21/02/2025 21:35

What a douchey response.

Indeed. And unhelpful and pointless.

Pebbles16 · 21/02/2025 22:12

@katedan Please feel free to DM me (although unlikely to respond this evening - I have now developed boundaries).
Sounds to me like you are in a high pressured role and the team need your input, but you are caught up in the day to day "doings". I may be reading too much into it but you are approaching "case discussions" as an element to be solved and so you are applying your expertise to get the job done.
Perhaps you are a perfectionist - I've been there.
Perhaps you feel that everything needs your input - I've been there.
You are overwhelmed with the responsibility you hold to your clients and your team.

PandyMoanyMum · 21/02/2025 22:12

if you are in social care then both you and your team will have hideous caseloads and unbelievable stress levels. This feedback says more about the system than you.

ConflictofInterest · 21/02/2025 22:10

I'm not a manager but this doesn't sound that negative to me I've said things like this to managers when I've been asked to give feedback and feel awkward about it and am trying to think of something neutral to say. It sounds like it's really triggered your stress response though so taking time to be kind to yourself over the weekend and reflect on why this has overwhelmed you might help. I don't think you've got anything to worry about facing on Monday. Thank them and show you've listened by putting in regular longer 1:1s in the calendars for them all and go from there. You've said you're too busy and there's not enough hours in the day or work life balance for you, your team sound like they agree with this. Could you give them more challenge and responsibility, delegate more whilst also discussing it with them more?

PandyMoanyMum · 21/02/2025 22:08

You sound like you have burnout. :-(