Dear Eric: I hired Stacey a couple of years ago. She’s got lots of great skills but struggles with being on time and staying focused. Despite this, I gave her an opportunity to take on more responsibility through a promotion.
She was very excited about it, but even after a year of training, meetings, etc., she still is chronically late and unable to complete tasks independently. It takes a lot of my energy to manage her.
My HR department wants me to start a disciplinary process for her tardiness. My issue is that she clearly has executive function issues, and she often references this when I address work performance issues. It’s hard for me not to feel like I’m punishing her for something she really cannot control, but I need something to change … even if it’s just my perspective.
—Time Management
Dear Management: When Stacey brings up her executive function issues, use that as an opportunity to talk solutions. What can she do to make her working environment work for her? What are the parts of her job that she finds consistently challenging and are there ways that you two can find creative alternatives? Are there accommodations that can be made?
If she has concrete asks, you might be empowered to approve them, or you can take them to HR as a performance improvement plan. Philosophies vary by workplace, but discipline seems a less effective tactic than a plan to target the problem issues and work toward change. This also empowers her to be a better advocate for herself, which will make her a better contributor to the team.
Dear Eric: In response to your response to “Concerned Relative,” who was distressed that a monetary gift to a nephew was used to buy guns, I was in support of everything you said but also thought that if Concerned Relative wants to help pay for summer activities without having this money go directly to something like this (guns) perhaps they could purchase memberships, tickets, tuition directly from various organizations rather than giving the money to their nephew.
—Reader
Dear Reader: Giving experiences or directly paying for things like camp is a great alternative for future gifts.
(Send questions to R. Eric Thomas at eric@askingeric.com or P.O. Box 22474, Philadelphia, PA 19110. Follow him on Instagram and sign up for his weekly newsletter at rericthomas.com.)
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