Dealing with female employee

[FruitLoops]

How should one deal with a female employee who constantly undermines your authority in front of your staff?
This question is inspired from a situation I witnessed at a restaurant where the female assistant manager used to sometimes even scold the manager in front of the staff and would always do the job, her own way, without consulting the manager and without keeping him in loop. This certainly destroys the respect and power you have as the manager over your staff.

 

[Black Widow Void]

You have a 'cleaver' way of spinning this.
You treat a female employee of these antics the same way you treat a male employee with these antics.
Instead of painting the mgr as a victim, perhaps he should ask himself ... what did I do to encourage/enable this type of behavior.

 

[Mike32ct]

How should one deal with a female employee who constantly undermines your authority in front of your staff?
This question is inspired from a situation I witnessed at a restaurant where the female assistant manager used to sometimes even scold the manager in front of the staff and would always do the job, her own way, without consulting the manager and without keeping him in loop. This certainly destroys the respect and power you have as the manager over your staff.

One possible scenario is that she comfortable doing so because she believes that the big boss (e.g. owner or director) has her back and/or she is one of his favorites.

(Not a solution, just an observation.)

 

[FruitLoops]

You have a 'cleaver' way of spinning this.
You treat a female employee of these antics the same way you treat a male employee with these antics.
Instead of painting the mgr as a victim, perhaps he should ask himself ... what did I do to encourage/enable this type of behavior.

I can provide a bit more background information here. Thing is i worked at this quick service joint for few days. Initially the manager and the assistant manager were both co workers together at a different chain. Eventually the male became the manager and the female became assistant manager.
Could it be possible that since they were both of equal ranks earlier, so this might be cause of such behaviour?
Also, even if you once figure out the reason that enabled such behaviour, how do you control it now?

 

[mrgoodstuff]

I can provide a bit more background information here. Thing is i worked at this quick service joint for few days. Initially the manager and the assistant manager were both co workers together at a different chain. Eventually the male became the manager and the female became assistant manager.
Could it be possible that since they were both of equal ranks earlier, so this might be cause of such behaviour?
Also, even if you once figure out the reason that enabled such behaviour, how do you control it now?

It's a pretty normal life scenario that can happen. I'm curious to the straightforward ways of dealing with it.

 

[Spaz]

The manager must take corrective action immediately by ordering her (in full view of the staff) into his office and then privately giving her a dressing down.

She won't like it but she will have to accept it, now the power has shifted back to the manager.

The staff has seen power revert back and will toe the line.

 

[Black Widow Void]

Could it be possible that since they were both of equal ranks earlier, so this might be cause of such behaviour?

I've seen this happen several times in work situations. This is typically a result of too much familiarity and not enough professionalism.

Also, even if you once figure out the reason that enabled such behaviour, how do you control it now?

This will be a difficult goal to achieve without coming across now... as "passive/aggressive." My suggestion to this manager, is to achieve and maintain the respect of all other employees. She will feel less power as a result. And when she feels that slipping away, she'll show herself in a less than positive light. It will not look pretty for the other employees and in several ways, work to his advantage.