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Post Info TOPIC: Any department heads here?


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Any department heads here?
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If you are a department head...

do you have any employees who don't respect you as their boss? For whatever reason, be it that they have more time in with the company than you, or are older than you, or any reason really.

Because i don't mean to sound like a whiner but after an incident today, i really just realized that i have a coworker who really just doesn't respect me at all. I'm not trying to be on a power trip at all, but i mean she just doesn't respect me as a fellow employee. We were having a conversation about a scheduling mishap that happened when all of a sudden she's just like yelling at me saying she did nothing wrong...when i never said she was?? it was uncalled for for her to be yelling at me like that. i've never blamed anyone in my dept, never been like some people who threaten or do write ups or anything. It's hard to really explain what happened but it just really is getting old when she does this and all it does is bring down everyone's mood for the day.

I feel as if the problem is that she's worked for Kroger so long she doesn't like having someone who only worked for the company for 5 years as her dept. head. But what can I really do about that?



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I'm not a Department Head, but some day I hope to be. Let her know that you understand that she has worked there longer, but she isn't the Head. If she wanted to be the Head then she should've asked for the position when it was available. A real leader RESPECTS their team, works as a team, listens to any suggestions their team may have, and does their job. You can be a Leader without being the Head. Being a Leader doesn't mean you are bossy, aggressive, or in control. It means you make suggestions that fit each individual person and you do your job WELL. A Leader is someone the others will follow willing, without being told. This is the only advice I can give, without knowing too much.



-- Edited by Deli Clerk on Monday 17th of April 2017 10:32:49 PM



-- Edited by Deli Clerk on Monday 17th of April 2017 10:33:19 PM

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Anonymous

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You don't have to listen to her yelling.  She might have been passionate or she might have been mad.  Never raise your voice or escalate the tension.  Tell her to hold her thoughts(mouth) while the two of you go to the store managers' office to finish the discussion if she ever flips out again.  If you find yourself needing to have a serious discussion with her, make sure someone is there to witness the discussion.

A rational person will ask themselves wtf happened like you are now.  If the person comes to you in the next few days to try and apologize, accept it.  And, ask them to refrain from yelling at you.  If they don't apologize, let them stew in their own mess.

I am a night manager.  We all get along for the most part.  Respect is hard to measure.  Very few 20 yo have any idea of work ethic.  Over 40s usually do but their bodies can't keep up.   I have been with Kroger for 9 years.  The night manager(45 years) before me stepped down and I was in charge of him.  He did what I told him to do and only gave me lip jokingly.  Of course, he always thought I was a smart ass when he was in charge of me.

When I was part time, I was the 2nd back-up.  I did some of the training and breaking in of newbies.  I had one newbie flip out on me because I told her we do not leave large pieces of cardboard(pallet liners) sitting around.  She was nuts.  Glad she didn't stick around.

 



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For a little background info:
I'm 27, she's in her 50s, i got transferred to this store after I went to dept. head training. I have never tried changing things for the worse or acted like she's doing anything "wrong", in fact I know she has helpful tips once in a while due to the amount of time she's worked for the company.

She did apologize after I walked away for a few minutes, and came back and basically said, there was no reason to yell at me. So I accepted it and moved on, it's just that this seems to be a recurring pattern. Store management knows that she can get this way but I feel as if they are afraid to do anything because she's worked there so long. But from what I understand, she's never gotten along with any of her dept. heads, and that store has gone through a lot of them.

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Anonymous

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I think you need to put your foot down and say, "I'm sorry you feel that way but I'm in charge now and this is the way it's going to be.  If you don't like it, you can always transfer somewhere else."  



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Anonymous

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4hourrush wrote:

For a little background info:
I'm 27, she's in her 50s, i got transferred to this store after I went to dept. head training. I have never tried changing things for the worse or acted like she's doing anything "wrong", in fact I know she has helpful tips once in a while due to the amount of time she's worked for the company.

She did apologize after I walked away for a few minutes, and came back and basically said, there was no reason to yell at me. So I accepted it and moved on, it's just that this seems to be a recurring pattern. Store management knows that she can get this way but I feel as if they are afraid to do anything because she's worked there so long. But from what I understand, she's never gotten along with any of her dept. heads, and that store has gone through a lot of them.


Her apologizing quickly is a good indication that she knows she was wrong.  There might be things going on at home causing her to be hot and cold like that.  I have known old timers that get like that with store managers.  One even hit the wall with his fist while speaking to a store manager.  The store manager was visibly shook up and could have fired him on the spot if she wanted.

Most store managers have no problem showing a person where the door is.   As long as you are making decisions correctly and to the best of your ability, the store managers will stand behind you. 

I don't know how to suggest dealing with this.  Don't come down to her level but do stand your ground.  You don't have to be a door mat.

You are not there to make friends.  You are there to make the department function flawlessly.



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Anonymous

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Anonymous wrote:
4hourrush wrote:

For a little background info:
I'm 27, she's in her 50s, i got transferred to this store after I went to dept. head training. I have never tried changing things for the worse or acted like she's doing anything "wrong", in fact I know she has helpful tips once in a while due to the amount of time she's worked for the company.

She did apologize after I walked away for a few minutes, and came back and basically said, there was no reason to yell at me. So I accepted it and moved on, it's just that this seems to be a recurring pattern. Store management knows that she can get this way but I feel as if they are afraid to do anything because she's worked there so long. But from what I understand, she's never gotten along with any of her dept. heads, and that store has gone through a lot of them.


Her apologizing quickly is a good indication that she knows she was wrong.  There might be things going on at home causing her to be hot and cold like that.  I have known old timers that get like that with store managers.  One even hit the wall with his fist while speaking to a store manager.  The store manager was visibly shook up and could have fired him on the spot if she wanted.

Most store managers have no problem showing a person where the door is.   As long as you are making decisions correctly and to the best of your ability, the store managers will stand behind you. 

I don't know how to suggest dealing with this.  Don't come down to her level but do stand your ground.  You don't have to be a door mat.

You are not there to make friends.  You are there to make the department function flawlessly.


You could try this approach if the opportunity presents itself.  Tell her that you two don't need to like each other or agree on everything but that you both need to act professionally at work and get along.  There is no need for yelling.  You do value her experience and input.

I have bumped heads with co workers with more seniority than me.  The next shift, we each came in and did our jobs and didn't discuss the previous day.

If the working relationship is out of control, then you need to ask a store manager for help and possibly get HR involved.

Other than that, I would not dwell on it.



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Anonymous

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Someone tries that with me they know I'll be showing them the door. You can't allow that kind of precedence to be set. Others will follow suit. I've had one employee try yelling at me on the sales floor before the store opened one time about his hours. After taking him to the back, telling him to piss in a cup because of his erratic behavior, he refused and was terminated. Nothing even close has happened since. 



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Bakerchick25

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Not a DH myself. But I agree with the others. Definitely have to pull this chick aside and let her know yelling and all this overly apologizing is not conducive to being professional. And that you would appreciate it a great deal if she showed you some level of respect in the work place. Does not matter if you are her jr. or were her sr. in age. You are the authority figure in charge and she just has to respect that.



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