to want my secretary to do ONE THING right for a change??

[nervousal]

She is driving me up the wall and it has now gotten to the point where every little mistake she makes could well be the straw that broke the camel's back. Long long list of incompetencies - I am going to SCREAM!!!

How long has she worked for you?

Your relationship does not seem to be going well.

Has she been with you long?

Is she annoying or incompetent?

worked together for about 4 years. She is totally incompetent (AND annoying!!), I don't manage her directly - she's managed via Office Manager. Office Manager knows I'm not happy - nor is the other manager who she does some work for.

Its starting to get me down - I'm really busy and don't feel able to delegate to her as she never does anything right. Funny thing is she's just siad shes applying for a more senior secretarial post in same office...

Oh your post brings back horrible memories of office work. Both being a secretary and being a pissed off boss. YANBU unreasonable but you should say it to her and give her a chance to pull herself together. I used to hate waiting for appraisals where it was clear that everyone had been fed up for a long time. Would have appreciated a quiet, unofficial word if I wasnt up to speed.

Do you not have a staff appraisal system in place. Therefore any weakness in her work can be discussed openly.

Does she think that she does a good job ?

I hope she doesn't get promotion as incompetent people, sometimes tend to as references are glowing just to get rid of them.

Agree with ALMummy - take her aside and have a quiet chat and let her know how you are feeling. She is probably crap cos she knows she gets away with it.

Don't think she cares whether she does a good job - she's pretty open that she's only here for the money. I agree that she is crap because she gets away with it - this is the NHS and performance management is not somethign we are well known for!

She has been spoken with before and it makes no difference

One wee example - was coming back into offices for meeting at 1pm yesterday. Met her coming out at a couple of minutes to one. Asked her "now that the coffee machines not working will I just make coffee in kitchen for my meeting?", she said "no - I'll get your coffee sorted out, we've been told we have to" - ok so I say "well, are there flasks in the meeting room for my meeting at 1?" "meeting at 1??? no - well I'm just going for a cigarette, I'll do it when I come back - I'll only be 10 minutes"

Now - why didn't she just do it before she went for her cigarette??

Maybe you need to be firmer with her and said "actually I would like you to sort out those flasks before you go out". You are her boss. I know what you mean though - it would be nice if she could just think about these things instead of you having to point it out.

Having been a PA and Secretary all my working life (also working in the NHS), I would never have left to go out for a cigarette when a meeting was starting in 2 minutes. She should have sorted the meeting room out first. I think a quiet word is needed directly from you and not her line manager.