Advice re: upcoming work meeting

[Quirkyme]

Hello,

I've had to arrange a meeting with my manager's line manager, due to a particular individual not following processes, and doing their job properly, and it having a HUGE impact on my ability to do my role, and also on the service user group.

I've spoken with management about this multiple times, and tbh I can't keep doing this and having the same pattern recur.

I'm near the end of my tether! Well I'm there already actually.
It's consistently getting worse .

I wondered if anyone had any advice for this meeting , maybe you've been in a similar position before?

I've been involved in similar complaints as part of a wider team and have also acted in a mediator role at times for some localised issues.
My advice would be, think about what you want to say - use bullets, prompts, whatever you need. When talking - keep emotion out of it, keep it factual and precise. You need spell out: this happens ... which results in ... which means that..
For example, where you've said it has a huge impact on the ability for you to do your job - what's the "so what" (other than being massively frustrating for you)? Without knowing specifics of your role, does it cause delays to certain reports being run before a cut off date, does it mean your team/ company is failing to meet service level agreements or key performance indicators for the contracts with the service users?

@ohidoliketobe

I've been involved in similar complaints as part of a wider team and have also acted in a mediator role at times for some localised issues. My advice would be, think about what you want to say - use bullets, prompts, whatever you need. When talking - keep emotion out of it, keep it factual and precise. You need spell out: this happens ... which results in ... which means that.. For example, where you've said it has a huge impact on the ability for you to do your job - what's the "so what" (other than being massively frustrating for you)? Without knowing specifics of your role, does it cause delays to certain reports being run before a cut off date, does it mean your team/ company is failing to meet service level agreements or key performance indicators for the contracts with the service users?

Good evening , thank you for your response.

Yes being factual is key. And thinking about the "so what" for which there is plenty.

Is it being factual to also speak about personal attacks and remarks that have also come from that person too? I can do that without putting emotion is - by simply saying what she has said? I was told by someone to perhaps allude to personal remarks but not necessarily to go into detail?

She doesn't take responsibility for the fact that she's not doing her job at all, and instead of doing the several hugely overdue tasks at hand so that I can do what I need to do, she has resorted to personal attacks all of which can be evidenced.

I would just try to be objective and state the impact their behaviour/actions have on your own work - rather than your personal feelings toward them.

@Quirkyme
"I was told by someone to perhaps allude to personal remarks but not necessarily to go into detail" - I'd agree with this

"She doesn't take responsibility for the fact that she's not doing her job at all" - as frustrating as it is, this is opinion based, so really keep it to the objective facts, the consequences of their behavior/ actions (or lack of) as sparklesocks has said

Focus on the process and the impact on the business/customers. Remember the outcome you want is the process being followed.

I know the remarks and personal attacks are unfair but at this meeting keep it high level. If they continue them consider a grievance.

@Fungirls

Focus on the process and the impact on the business/customers. Remember the outcome you want is the process being followed.

I know the remarks and personal attacks are unfair but at this meeting keep it high level. If they continue them consider a grievance.

Okay I will keep this in mind. It seems so hard as the two are intertwined? But yes I will do that

I know it’s difficult to separate the two but if you focus on the process and just say colleague has declined to do xyz or met x deadline, it comes over as professional rather than personal.