Dan* is responsible for one of the robots in the workshop. You are his supervisor and you suspect that the rejection rate is much higher than usual when he is at the controls. You check the operations log and your suspicions are confirmed. You could wait for the problem to pass, but you decide to talk to him to get to the bottom of things. 

It’s never nice to broach difficult subjects... But you’re brave enough to go through with it, so how can you prepare for this difficult conversation? By respectfully sticking to the facts, the message you want to get across and the proposed solution, your conversation can lead to positive outcomes for all concerned.

The facts.

Above all, ensure that you are basing your position on proven facts, not on suspicions or rumours. Your credibility as a supervisor is at stake. This is exactly why you checked the workshop log.

Who to talk to?

Speak directly to Dan, and only him. Don’t talk to anyone else about it unless absolutely necessary at this stage. But if you do need to involve someone else, make sure you speak to Dan first. 

The message.

Don’t tie yourself in knots with a long-winded and complicated preamble. Put your cards on the table straight away, but don’t be accusatory: “Dan, I’ve asked to see you because I’ve noticed that the rejection rate is unusually high when you are at the controls of the robot and I wanted to talk to you about it. I want us to examine the source of the problem together.”

The solution.

Resist the temptation of a quick fix: “Since you’re obviously not capable of programming the equipment correctly, I’ll take charge of it from now on.” On the contrary, give him the chance to identify the source of the problem and to find a solution. Listen to his ideas and, if necessary, put him on the right track. That way, he won’t make the same mistakes in future.

Timing.

I know that we are all very busy, but make sure you set aside enough time to discuss every aspect of the problem with a clear head. The increased rejection rate might be just the tip of the iceberg; the time to explore every aspect of the problem is now or never. Also bear in mind that Dan might need time to realise that he’s made mistakes; don’t count on resolving the problem straight away.

Respect.

During the discussion, separate the person from the facts. Hitting him with something like: “I don’t think you have the skills required for this job” won’t get you anywhere. Stick with the facts (statistics, periods of activity, etc.) and simply ask him to provide explanations.

If you are facing a difficult conversation and need advice and support, speak to your hierarchy. Alternatively, don’t hesitate to call upon the support structures put in place by CERN!

*Names have been changed

Pierre Gildemyn

If you’d like to comment on any of my articles or suggest a topic that I could write about, please don’t hesitate to e-mail me at Ombuds@cern.ch.