Volatile/emotional manager

[afrikat]

My current line manager was asked to step up for a 12 month maternity period. She's not coping with the pressure terribly well and frequently deals with this by getting very tearful in meetings, slamming things around and raising her voice. I went to her yesterday to help me with a significant work issue but the meeting ended up with her crying and complaining about how stressed she is. She has shown this kind of behaviour to most of the team now, not just her direct reports so team morale isn't great.
She is supposed to be in post until November and I have no idea whether to try and get her to see how she's coming across (she has told me she is an excellent manager so I don't think she has much self awareness) or whether to have a chat with her line manager to make her aware of how much she is struggling (this doesn't feel like the right thing to do, if it doesn't go right the working relationship could be ruined).
The rest of the team can't really take any more work off her as we are all totally maxed out.
Any ideas??

Does she have a deputy, someone needs to speak to her and tell her how this is affecting the staff. Offer support and is there anything staff can do to ease her workload. Say you are concerned about the stress she seems to be under but explain it is detrimental to work and staff.

There are 2 of us who would naturally be her deputies and we've started to discuss how to deal with it so I think one of us is going to have to talk to her. It's got to the point though where we are scared to raise anything because of her reaction so we are going to have to approach it very carefully as I fear pushing her over the edge... The issue of support is tricky too as naturally that would be the best way to take some pressure off but neither of us can manage with even a tiny bit more workload

Go together, don't be confrontational, just try and say you feel she sounds very stressed and that you have all noticed a change in her behaviours which is making people feel on edge and uncomfortable. Ok then don't offer to take on her work, if she has any insight or self awareness at all she will thank you. She might get very defensive, if that happens tell her you only have her and the companies best interests at heart but if things don't change you will have to speak to her line manager. She might relax a bit if you talk away from work or would that be a bit difficult for you if you want to keep it purely professional.

I don't agree actually. I don't think it's her team's job to take any pressure off her.

What do you think they should do stealth

Continue to raise issues as they arise with her.

retired I think we could definitely do it away from work as we are all quite friendly (volatility aside I really like her!)

Next time she starts getting 'shouty' should I challenge the behaviour then do you think? Or note it for a proper chat later??

What situation could make her shouty, would it be in a private discussion or a staff meeting.

Either really. I haven't seen her lose it in front of the team as I am only recently back from maternity leave but I've been told about it.
Basically as soon as she gets in any way frustrated or doesn't quite know what to do or feels she's not being supported either by us or her manager, she gets very tearful, raises her voice and on occasion throws stuff...

Blimey, how old is she, throws stuff, that is way out of bounds in the workplace. Does she stamp her feet too. I would tell her that she cannot behave like this, she is in a senior position and while you appreciate it's difficult for her she must be professional. If she is really struggling and taking it out on the staff then perhaps she needs to step down, it's not fair on anyone.

Honestly I've never experienced anything like it which is why I'm struggling with how to deal with it. It's so bizarre!

I assume she was happy to step up, I have worked with some right drama llamas and they can destroy the workplace. Is this behaviour out of character and only evident since she got promoted or was she always a bit volatile.

She didn't particularly want to do it initially but for various reasons she ended up being the only option. I don't think the behaviour was seen before she stepped up so I'm assuming it's mostly the pressure. It won't be forever but I'm worried about damage to the team if it carries on for several more months..

I think it would be reasonable in these circumstances to talk to her boss. It sounds like she's struggling and that's impacting the rest of you - it would be completely fair enough to go to whoever manages her and express your concerns.

Think I'm going to have to as I really think she needs more support / mentorship if she's going to survive the year...

you cannot put yourself in the firing line like that.

Sorry but I would speak to her boss. If you are already overloaded then she will just drag you down. I wouldn't risk it!

I've seen lots of stressed out junior staff in this position. Very little consideration given to their workload just the view that they can't cope and get managed out. New person comes in and is then expected to do that role with a few more things chucked in. They end up stressed out....

Some people are pushed into jobs they are not equipped to do which isn't fair on them or anyone else, is she a good friend or just a colleague. She must realise that she isn't coping very well , it can't be good for her shouting, stomping about and crying. At the end if the day it's just a job.