Lifescripts, 3rd Edition

85Putting an End to a Direct Report's Flirting

STRATEGY

The overfriendly worker's “hands‐on” approach to work, coupled with the occasional double entendre, body brushing, and personal compliments, creates one of the most difficult and uncomfortable supervisor–direct report problems you'll face. Your success at ending this behavior will depend on your objective, dispassionate approach, citing examples of the behavior. Your focus should be on linking the perceived behavior to the manner in which you and other staff are adversely affected. Expect responses ranging from anger to embarrassed enlightenment. Don't be surprised at arguments accusing you of sexual harassment. Don't get rattled. Be objective, cite your documentation, and focus on your professional concern for maintaining an effective workplace. Ultimately, it's not important to get agreement: Recognition of your position and the reason for it should be enough to end the problem.

TACTICS

• Attitude: You need to be calm and controlled. You're a diplomat who must avoid personal entanglements while dealing with an issue that's clearly personal. Feeling flattered is a natural reaction. But you must maintain the objectivity of a manager who's simply dealing with another workplace problem.
• Preparation: Establish that a pattern of behavior is taking place. Keep a record of incidents to confirm not only the problem, but your objective approach to the problem. Include dates to give your notes even more credence. Use fellow managers ...