Feedback Scenarios
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Feedback scenarios
There are three types of human resources scenarios here:
- communication issues
- poor performance (with an eye toward coaching for improvement, not termination)
- relationships with co-workers
The sender will start off, but it does not have to be a person in a supervisory position. The sender has asked for the meeting—either making an appointment or perhaps (badly) caught the receiver off guard in the workroom hallway.
Sender: Library Director
Receiver: Friends President
Scenario #1-A: Ever since the new Friends President was elected, she has been uncommunicative with the Library Director. She appears to be a power monger and doesn’t want staff input into the Friends activities—she wants to run the show. The President sees the volunteers in the library and assumes all are Friends members. She has distributed a “new” volunteer recruitment flier in the latest Friends newsletter that outlines many tasks volunteers would need to do in the library, not just for the Friends. She did not share the form with the Director before it was printed. The Director is concerned about supervision of the volunteers, who they will be, and who will train them.
Sender: Susan, I’ve asked you here to talk with you about recruiting volunteers for the library.
Sender: Clerical Supervisor
Receiver: Library Clerk
Scenario #2-B: The Clerical Supervisor has been requested to meet with a clerk has been employed for at least six months. The Library Manager stated that every time she heard Robert answer questions posed by patrons at the Circulation Desk he responds “I don’t know” or “I don’t think we can do that.” Questions from patrons are effectively blocked and have no answer. Robert doesn’t say “I’ll find out for you,” doesn’t attempt to ask his supervisor for assistance, and doesn’t make referrals to more experienced staff.
Sender: Robert, the library director has observed that you still don’t have a good handle on some of the System-wide services we provide to patrons.
Sender: Library Manager
Receiver: Clerk
Scenario #3-C: It has become painfully apparent that Laurie just doesn’t talk with her co-workers—at all! She will only ask them a question when absolutely necessary, going about her business mute and sullen. She brightens up with the patrons, always cheerful and “Have a nice day” attitude. Some of the other clerks have actually asked to be placed on other shifts, as they don’t want the stress and just don’t know what the problem is. Laurie’s behavior doesn’t make the clerks a “team” – she just does her thing and leaves at the end of her shift.
Sender: Laurie, some of the other clerks you work with on Monday night have come to me to say you just don’t talk to them. They are puzzled by your silent treatment.
Sender:Librarian
Receiver: Library Director
Scenario #4-A: On a busy Sunday afternoon, the Network Administrator worked overtime time with a consultant to move files off the old server onto a new one. In the process, the printer became “disconnected” from all the Internet and word processing work stations. The reference staff on duty were not informed of the “disconnect” and kept struggling to keep troubleshooting the printer, not realizing the true nature of the problem.
Sender: When I was in charge of things on Sunday, couldn’t the Network Administrator have at least WARNED me that we would lose all the networking printing? You should have seen all the angry patrons! Couldn’t Ted have done that work on the server with the consultant when we were closed?
Sender: Library Manager
Receiver: Cleaner (Maintenance Person)
Scenario #5-B: Despite an extensive checklist of duties, the cleaner regularly skips the Meeting Room and various other areas of the library when picking up the trash and recycling. The problem created with full trash cans (that is, the next group has no place to toss their trash) is usually handled by a grumbling Library Manager locating the trash bags and dumping the wastebaskets to appease the Children’s Librarian who is rushing around setting up for the next craft program (that will, indeed, generate more trash).
Sender:Steve, you consistently are not emptying the trash in the meeting room. It really makes for problems when we have such a busy line up of children’s programs during the break week. What is the problem with your completing this task every night?
Sender: Library Assistant
Receiver: Library Director
Scenario #6-C: The poor performance record of the part-time Cleaner seems to affect everyone in the building, day in and day out. His attention to detail is lacking, despite repeated coaching and notes to please be more careful about replenishing paper supplies in both the public and staff restrooms.
Sender: Just once I’d like to go to the ladies restroom and find an extra roll of toilet paper left on the vanity in case we run out during the day! I don’t want to take the time to go to the janitor’s closet for paper—that’s Steve’s job to put it out every night. What the heck does he DO around here?
Sender: Library Volunteer
Receiver: Library Manager
Scenario #7-A: When Ellen shows up for her volunteering every Tuesday morning, it is evident that the Library Manager has “forgotten” (yet again) that she is coming to help out. Ellen’s tried mending, shelf-reading, and filing forms—all seem beneficial to the library. But she thinks she’d like a steady project and a supervisor that wants to give her a chance to do something constructive.
Sender: You know, whenever I come in to volunteer, you are so distracted. I think you realize that I set aside every Tuesday morning to come to the library from 9 to 11 o’clock, but you always look shocked when I show up. Don’t you need my help? Couldn’t you just save some jobs for me each week, instead of trying to dream up something when I come in?
Sender: Page Supervisor
Receiver: Library Page (high school student)
Scenario #8-B: Over and over, other staff members have blown the whistle on John. He is such a reader; it seemed a match made in heaven for him to become a library page. But he doesn’t know when to STOP reading, and constantly is being discovered reading the books rather than putting them away.
Sender: John, we’ve had this conversation before—you are supposed to shelve the books—not stand there and read them. I’ve had another complaint from the Reference Librarian who was here last night. She said it was very busy, and it seemed you were gone for an hour, never coming back to the desk for another truck. She found you standing with a half-shelved truck, reading a book in your hand!
Sender: Library Clerk
Receiver: Library Manager
Scenario #9-C: When Mary comes to work, her internal work ethic is shattered as she watches her co-workers goof off. Not only does she feel put upon as the grunt doing the work, but she has started to think about other employment due to her frustrations. She is the last employee the administration would want to lose—she is very productive, cheerful, and accommodating to patrons of all ages.
Sender: When I come to work, I expect to work. The other clerks are standing around, gabbing, ignoring patrons who need help. When they come in at the start of their shift, they run right to the Internet and start sharing recipes they’ve tried from FoodTV.com! I just want to vent about this—it is very frustrating to me—but I can’t say anything to them.
Sender: Library Manager
Receiver: Library Assistant
Scenario #10-C: The Library Manager asked one of the library assistants to help coach the newest employee with their reference skills when they work together. Although Louise was at first hesitant about what she might be able to offer as a coach, she now has become a role model for the other staff.
Sender: Louise, I had the nicest compliment from your co-worker about you the other day. She said you’d helped a patron with a medical question and you did the best job. You didn’t rush the patron, you were thorough—you’re really doing great reference interviews. It is wonderful for you to model such good behavior for Sally since she’s still training. She’s really learned a lot from working with you.
Sender: Library Director
Receiver: Children’s Library Assistant
Scenario #11-B: Every Wednesday morning it is the same scene: mothers and preschoolers flocking to the meeting room door for storytime, but no Children’s Assistant. Jen has early morning issues—she’s up late and has a hard time getting to work on time most days. But the mothers seem annoyed—can’t Jen at least be there to greet the children, rather than rushing in at the last minute, breathless?
Sender: Jen, I really want to talk to you about arriving on time for storytime. You know Isurely don’t want to do storytime. But I just remember when I was a children’s librarian, I loved having an unrushed bonding time with the moms and children as they arrived—they always had things to tell me. I could always see that storytime was the highlight of their week.
file: feedback scenarios