The moonlighting question: ‘I told her she’d get fired’
Dear J.T. & DALE: My co-worker is moonlighting as a consultant. She recently told me she got a project from a company that is kind of a competitor, but not really. She asked me what I thought would happen if our boss found out. I told her she’d get fired. She got really upset and now doesn’t talk to me. Even worse, she started criticizing my work and trying to get me in trouble with
Talk Jobs my boss. It’s like
she is trying to
J.T. O’donnell &
Dale Dauten protect herself
if they find out about her moonlighting. What can I do? – Charissa
DALE: First, you are unquestionably right: If the company finds out, your co-worker would be handed the anti-gift — the empty box for her personal possessions — followed by an escort to the parking lot. And now that you know about her transgressions, she has to worry about you. It’s like detective novels where the murderer has to kill off all the witnesses. In this case, she’s looking to whack your reputation and credibility.
J.T.: So I would sit down with your co-worker and have a heart-to-heart. Tell her you noticed she’s upset and has been undermining you, and that you suspect this is due to the feedback you gave her about the moonlighting. Tell her that you don’t intend to say anything to management and that you really want to find a way to get back to your good working relationship. Once she knows you aren’t going to tell on her, things should work out. If they don’t, then tell her you’ll have no choice but to start to defend yourself aggressively, because she is hurting your reputation. She’ll understand what that implies, and hopefully will back off.
DALE: Yes, let’s hope it works and that the conversation can engender a new relationship. She’ll be moving on soon, one way or another. If she moves on because she’s thriving as a consultant, she could be a great ally — after all, it’s the nature of consultants to be in and out of many related companies, putting her in an ideal position to recommend you for other jobs.
Dear J.T. & Dale: I just got a promotion to head a different department. Now that I’m there, I see all the politics and backstabbing. There is one person in particular who “stirs the pot”; however, she holds a key position and nobody is cross-trained to take her place if I let her go. I asked my boss about it and was shocked to find out that he is aware of her issues and feels we should just deal with it. I don’t want to, but if I fire her, it’s sure to hurt the productivity of the department, which could put my new promotion at risk. What should I do? – Duncan
J.T.: One toxic employee can ruin a department. I think you are on the right track. I’d pull a couple of key employees aside and ask them if they are open to being cross-trained to cover for the toxic employee. Then I would institute a mandatory cross-training program. If the problem employee tries to sabotage it, you’ll have reason to let her go. I guarantee that if you no longer tolerate her behavior, you’ll either get her into alignment or get her to move on — either way, your team will rally around you. You’d be amazed at how employees will go the extra mile when you get rid of an employee who has been draining them.
DALE: True, one good firing can change the culture of a department, as can one good hiring of a replacement. A good firing defines for the team what is and isn’t acceptable, while a good hiring can declare the leader’s vision of the team’s future. First, though, J.T. is right: You need mandatory cross-training to smooth the transition. One approach to this is called “the person in the pocket,” meaning that every employee is responsible for having someone lined up who could take over for him or her. This, by the way, can be offered as a career positive: One reason to have someone take over for you is getting promoted.
– Jeanine “J.T.” Tanner O’donnell is a professional development specialist and the founder of the consulting firm jtodonnell. Dale Dauten resolves employment and other business disputes as a mediator with Agreementhouse.com. Please visit them at jtanddale.com, where you can send questions via email, or write to them in care of King Features Syndicate, 628 Virginia Drive, Orlando, FL 32803. Copyright 2017 by King Features Syndicate, Inc.