Is Team Leader Picking on me.

LegacyUser

I have been working in the same company for a long time now. I have been getting on very well with plenty of praise and rewards etc, but lately a new team leader took over our group, coupled with this some of my own personal issues which they are well aware of.

It seems that I am being picked on, maybe I am over reacting, one week I am being praised for my work, but then I get called up for not attending a meeting (not important or formal), which is fair enough but as said I have a lot of other pressures outside of work and it just slipped my mind, I always get all deadlines down with extra work on top.

It was the manner it was down. I was called into a room and had a one on one, but it was more like a school teacher giving out to a five year old and it was suggested in not a very nice way that maybe I couldn’t handle my work.

Would I be within my rights to raise this with HR?? I don’t want to get anyone into trouble, but just want to cover myself.

LegacyUser

Speaking to HR is confidential (unless you've a HR Manager like my last one) and the person in question can't know about it unless it's a formal complaint.
I'd recommend speaking to HR and see what they have to say about it. It wouldn't have to be a complaint at first, they are there to give advice and help you. At the end of the day if you want to lodge a complaint then it's completely up to you. If this is a one off incident then I don't think thats necessary but a chat with HR will help.

gerrycollins

you are fully within your right to raise it but its done through the grievence procedure where you talk to your next in line above you or above her.

Be formal and explain all dont get bitchy.

this may lead to further tension between both parties but maybe talk to them yourself saying that you dont want to get the wrong end of them again and what can you do to prevent that. Explain your personal situation(ugly but best) and they might understand totally.

if they say you cant handle the work its up to them to prove it with fact and figures.

mickoneill30

Is it only that one incident? If the team leader gave out to you only once for not attending a meeting I wouldn't say it's picking on you.

Who else didn't attend the meeting? Was there anybody else or just you? If it's just you then maybe it's not as informal as you thought. I've never been invited to meetings that I didn't really need to go to. I've missed company meetings or announcements but not something where we're all sitting around one table.

When you say it was done in a not very nice way that you couldn't handle your work was there swearing or shouting. If there was either of those I'd be off to HR. If not, I'd (and this is just my opinion) wait to see if they are picking on you by calling you up again.

AARRRGH

From what you've typed it sounds like you used to have a very compassionate team leader who overlooked some of the mistakes you made as s/he understood you have personal problems.

I don't think your new team leader is picking on you. I think you are being oversensitive.

Try to do your job properly and start taking responsibility for your mistakes and I am sure these problems with go away.

InReality

Its kinda hard to advise based on what you've written.
How long has the new team lead been your boss ? Did he praise you the week before ?
I'm can't judge how important missing the meeting was in the context of your job, it might be have been sufficent to have a meeting about it.
Do you think your old team leader would have mentioned it at all to you ?

It could be your new team leader wants to "lay down the law" a bit.
I think I'd see how he works with you over the next few days. If there is someone there you could discuss it with, see what they think of calling him on the "not being able to do your job".
If he's worse I'd do "something" about it.

My basic approach would be ( not saying you should do this ) , would be to wait a few days , get your nerve up , and have a a very formal , very dispassionate meeting with him, saying that you think what he said about you doing your job was unfair because you did x ,y , and z.
Basically at this stage , I'd expect ( if he's wary of HR policy etc ) he would row back from what he said.
Then we would have a more even power position established for going forward. And he should know to be careful how he says stuff to you in the future.

AARRRGH

Another thing, don't you think it is a bit ironic that you believe your boss should be disciplined for screwing up (in your eyes at least) yet you expect to get away with your own screw ups?

People who can't do their job properly because of personal problems can be very disruptive, so try to imagine the situation from your boss and team mates perspective instead of just your own perspective.

InReality

AARRRGH wrote: »

Another thing, don't you think it is a bit ironic that you believe your boss should be disciplined for screwing up (in your eyes at least) yet you expect to get away with your own screw ups?

People who can't do their job properly because of personal problems can be very disruptive, so try to imagine the situation from your boss and team mates perspective instead of just your own perspective.

Re A. Boss gets paid more, has more responsibilty , more possible negative impact on people , hence I think their screw-ups should get tackled more throughly
than a junior person's.

Re B. I think a bit of compassion would not go amiss.The OP is doing their Job AND handling personal problems. The other lads and lassies are just doing their Jobs. Who's having the harder time ?

AARRRGH

I guess I sense there is more to the OP's story, for example, that her personal problems may be impacting her work/work environment more than she thinks. I also sense she feels she is entitled to this somewhat.

I could be completely wrong though. It's hard to tell for sure with the lack of information she has given us.

LegacyUser

AARRRGH wrote: »

Another thing, don't you think it is a bit ironic that you believe your boss should be disciplined for screwing up (in your eyes at least) yet you expect to get away with your own screw ups?

People who can't do their job properly because of personal problems can be very disruptive, so try to imagine the situation from your boss and team mates perspective instead of just your own perspective.

I don't believe that my boss should be disciplined, they did not screw up, just that their method of dealing with the issue is wrong. What is one meeting in 4 + years work, I have been getting bonuses, and really good reviews, in fact I got one the previous week. All I want is that I am treated with respect and not be talked down to. Why couldn't they just have said it to my face at my desk, instead of making it into a bigger deal.

I have some really bad personal problems, which are outside of my control, but I never complain or use them as an excuse in work, I also make all deadlines and make extra efforts after my deadlines are made to ensure everything is done within the group, I suppose I don't take to micro management, and only need guidance from a team-leader not baby sitting.