My A-Player gets a D

Relationships revealed...

As the facts unfolded, I soon realized there were deep personal relationships between some of the QA Staff, HR, and the "UF" Ultimate Fighter. They would all get together after work but the relationship didn't end there. Not only was the "UF" and HR friends, they were roommates.

So now one of the more disorderly reps has teamed up with HR resulting in a performance issue with immunity. This was an entirely inappropriate arrangement, which formed only after they met each other at Call Center USA, which to me was even worse. It would be one thing to enter into an arrangement with a company already being roommates but for a rep to move in with HR after meeting at the site represents a new level of poor management. Neither situation is right, and both situations set the stage for favoritism.

Suspicions Confirmed...

Now that this relationship was known, I watched their interactions very carefully from across the call floor. I watched the "UF" ask HR for numerous privileges and HR would give her blanket permissions with no regard to SL or the fact that she doesn't have the authority to authorize anything. These exchanges would go down in front of the supervisors (who were in charge of the floor) without them (supervisors) saying a word. I watched HR provide excuses on why the "UF" was late because HR moved the alarm clock without telling the "UF". All my fears were being playing out in front of me.

HR and myself had a long discussion about her role, and what she can, and cannot do. I told her that she was treating the UF differently, and that was unacceptable, favoritism, and grounds for action. She acknowledged my concern, stated it had not be an issue before (before my arrival) and that she would cease and desist. I spoke to supervisor staff and asked them why they would allow HR to control their teams. Their answer resembled HR's by stating that’s just how is was. I again explained their roles, and what I expected from them. I was losing my patients with their inability to step up. I cant stand victim statements, and I felt like I had a staff full of them (victims). I should have immediately demanded a resignation or demotion from either the "UF" or HR. That was my mistake.


More on HR...

My plan was to transition into more on the "UF", but I feel compelled to into more on "HR".

While my A-Player (HR) does posses some really strong skill sets, her opportunities were just was defined. I realized that she loved drama, and loved a good crisis, and was actually responsible for creating more than she prevented. As an example, within my second or third week at the site, she finds me working on a project. Her body was riddled with urgency, and she had a real look of panic in her eye. I asked her what was wrong, and all she could do was hastily reply that I needed to come with her. I dropped what I was doing, and jumped up to follow her. My mind was racing, was someone hurt, was there and emergency, what was going on... It was all I could do to keep up as she led me through the call floor, down the back hall by an emergency exit, and into the women’s restroom.

I quickly realized that we were the only one's in there... We were alone..