I have been reflecting on my work performance and have seen a worrying pattern. Though my manager has been aware of the reasons why key objectives have not been achieved, he still blames this on me and the team, even when he has failed to provide the support we need to excel. This needs to stop, but I do not know where to start. I am certain that if I get another bad review I will be out and he will still have his job. What do I do?
Your question is so timely, and gives me an opportunity to explain a form of neglect practiced by poor managers called Quiet Firing. One of any manager’s key responsibility is to create an enabling environment for the team to deliver its goals. Failing to do this is setting the team up for failure, then using them as scapegoats for poor performance. Just like quiet quitting, where an employee is so disconnected to the extent that when they quit their presence is hardly noticed, a poor manager quietly fires a capable team member when he issues comments like ‘I saw that coming’ or ‘took you so long.’ The unfortunate outcome is that a competent employee is shown the door, while the incompetent manager remains to claim his or her next victim.
Since this is a challenge facing the entire team, pick examples on how your performance was affected by situations beyond your control, and collectively bring them up during your team performance review meeting. Instead of just highlighting the problem, go ahead and demonstrate how the outcomes would have been different had the problem been resolved or resources availed at the right time. These meetings should be documented to ensure appropriate interventions are taken at the right time.
At a personal level, you could ask for more frequent discussions on your performance and ask for the support you need. Ask for regular coaching to involve your manager more. This is part of his work. Perhaps some of your performance gaps could be arising from untapped competencies and skills. Identify interventions you can adopt, whether supported by the employer or not. Be sure your manager is aware that you take your performance seriously and that you are upgrading your skills. You could also loop in someone your boss discusses your performance with in these discussions, most likely your HR or his supervisor, who is likely to issue an objective judgment on your performance when called upon.
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