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Ask HN: What should I say to my manager when my performance starts suffering?

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Re: Ask HN: What should I say to my manager when my performance starts suffering?

#131

Post by atatatat »

mgarfias wrote: post #48
cjensen wrote: post #15

Please don't assume the question is "disingenuous." It's an invitation to talk about what's going on, and bring the manager into the loop. Most managers really do want to help! More concerning to me is the "I always lose my job or quit." It sounds a lot like you're running into a pattern in your life which causes you to underperform. If it's emotional or mental, please consider seeking counseling. Brain chemistry can…

Not just brain stuff, I’m a walking example of weird hormone issues screwing up my ability to work well

Endocrine -> nervous -> brain..?

Re: Ask HN: What should I say to my manager when my performance starts suffering?

#132

Post by brundolf »

> To me, it just seems like disingenuous manager speak for "I've noticed that you're slumping, and really there are not other options, but let me know if you're planning on quitting or doing less".

Wow wow wow, no. I mean I guess it's always possible that anything could be disingenuous, but to me this sounds like a manager who genuinely wants to come to an understanding and figure out what they can do to make things better for everyone, you included.

A good manager understands that people can only be at their most productive when they're happy and working on things that play to their interests and strengths. Firing someone and hiring someone else is extremely expensive. Nine times out of ten they genuinely want to help. Let them!

> The broader question is, how can a company expect to retain employees/contractors if the only work available is the same tedium over a long period of time, and no way to change that?

Most companies I've worked at are happy to let someone shift to another area, for the exact reasons I outlined above (if you communicate with them that you're bored!). If you have specific knowledge that the company in question won't do that then, well, maybe it is time to move on. But why would you just assume they won't be open to it? At the very least raise the subject before quitting!

Re: Ask HN: What should I say to my manager when my performance starts suffering?

#134

Post by cjensen »

mgarfias wrote: post #48
cjensen wrote: post #15

Please don't assume the question is "disingenuous." It's an invitation to talk about what's going on, and bring the manager into the loop. Most managers really do want to help! More concerning to me is the "I always lose my job or quit." It sounds a lot like you're running into a pattern in your life which causes you to underperform. If it's emotional or mental, please consider seeking counseling. Brain chemistry can…

Not just brain stuff, I’m a walking example of weird hormone issues screwing up my ability to work well

Right? We all have our issues. When it affects our wellbeing we should all remember to try to get help. If the Medical profession can't make it all better, many managers will accommodate -- it's actually easier to accommodate someone who is trying to get help.

Re: Ask HN: What should I say to my manager when my performance starts suffering?

#135

Post by browningstreet »

arrosenberg wrote: post #22

It sounds like the manager may have an intuition that your partner is burned out and is giving them an opening to discuss it. Generally if a person has done good work in the past, and now they aren't, there is a reason for it, and clear communication is the quickest way to surface and resolve the issue. This is somewhat situation dependent - some workplaces are truly toxic. > how can a company expect to retain employ…

At the last tech place I worked, they celebrated the 25 year tenure of an employee who had essentially the same job for all 25 years -- he created accounts and passwords for users.

It's a SF based tech-ish company, one y'all have heard of, and as I did my consulting gig there, floating through the wave of SMEs and ICs and Directors and VPs and the history of all those who had left or been fired, I thought about that guy and why he stayed where he stayed. He also had notable records and accomplishments in a not-lucrative sport, so I figured the stability and unbothered job position he had let him achieve notable things in the rest of his life.

If he'd gotten a mortgage 25 years ago and lived within in his means, I bet his net worth exceeded many of the Directors and new VPs that churned through the place.

Re: Ask HN: What should I say to my manager when my performance starts suffering?

#137

Post by mehphp »

wetmore wrote: post #27
jimmaswell wrote: post #16

> while sitting in our apartment with the sun shining outside You can always go work at a park with wifi or something for variety.

I know what it's like to see the sun shining outside and lose all motivation to work. I know it's well-meaning, but whenever someone suggests that I work outside when I feel that way, I feel like they are missing the point. I don't want to be outdoors on my computer, I want to be outdoors experiencing and engaging with the world.

I get it, but at the same time, it's not your manager or even your job that is stopping you in the end. It's the fact that you need to work to support yourself.

You _can_ decide to just go outside instead of working, but then you're stuck with no money. Unless you end up making FU money, I see no way out of this conundrum.

Re: Ask HN: What should I say to my manager when my performance starts suffering?

#138

Post by iLemming »

PragmaticPulp wrote: post #109
adhdsufferer wrote: post #80

> I always lose my job or quit. See a psychologist and/or psychiatrist. This is something you can work through. Whatever issue you’re dealing with, there’s people who are very experienced in helping you figure out what it is and how to start dealing with it. For what it’s worth, you might have ADHD if you’re always quitting or being fired because of an inability to perform to your own abilities. Or you might have som…

Consulting with mental health professionals is a good idea. Assuming an ADHD diagnosis with such little information is not a good idea at all. Please leave the diagnosis to professionals. HN has a growing problem where ADHD is suggested as the root problem on virtually every question from someone struggling with work lately. We really need to stop suggesting this diagnosis for everyone and leave it to the professiona…

> Consulting with mental health professionals is a good idea.

Has anyone here tried www.betterhelp.com ?

Re: Ask HN: What should I say to my manager when my performance starts suffering?

#139

Post by gotaran »

LimaBearz wrote: post #53
JMTQp8lwXL wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The world is far too big for anyone to care as to a minute detail of "Developer John Doe didn't meet my productivity metrics". That's worthy of a (mental) eye roll. Workers in this industry, at the moment, have the leverage, not the employers.

True but the tech world IS small. I’m not coming to the defense of the business or management but there is some truth to it. Everyone is only a degree or two from anyone else in the BA, and you bet your ass people ping old coworkers about candidates that land on someone’s desk. You may eyeroll but if you have a trusted coworker ping someone and they come back with “he was the most unsuccessful junior dev I’ve ever me…

It’s highly unprofessional for someone to disclose a job search to your current manager. I wouldn’t expect that to happen.

Back channel references are a thing, but even they’re becoming less and less common

Re: Ask HN: What should I say to my manager when my performance starts suffering?

#140

Post by coliveira »

yebyen wrote: post #99
ahtihn wrote: post #73

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why are you discussing how you're going to implement a change with your manager? In your scenario, the "better" way appears to require the same time anyway so just present that as the only way to do it.

"What are you working on now? Why does that part take so long? Can we skip it altogether?" They're not stupid, they know a little bit about the path from point A to point B. I have never given an estimate that was not later called into question and asked to be reduced. Usually much sooner in fact. In many cases, asking for an estimate is fishing for a way to make the problem easier to solve. But they don't really wan…

It is not just the quarter result, the managers also are evaluated based on what they did the last few months. If they miss their projects for the quarter there is no promotion, no pay raise.
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