New manager
You inherited a problem employee with a clean file
Start from zero, on purpose: what other people told you is a reason to pay attention, not evidence. Meet the person early, set out your expectations in writing for the whole team, and give them a real chance to meet those expectations under you. If the problem is real, you will see it within weeks, and this time it will be written down fairly.
How managers put it
- “My predecessor warned me about him, but there's nothing in his file.”
- “Everyone says she's difficult. Do I act on that?”
- “I just took over the team. Can I deal with problems that started before me?”
What to do
1.Treat what you heard as a hunch
Note what you were told and by whom, but do not act on it. A clean file means nobody has told this person, in writing, that anything is wrong.
2.Meet everyone in your first two weeks
Ask each person, this one included, what is going well, what gets in their way and what they want from a manager. Listen to how they describe their own work.
3.Write down your expectations for the team
A new manager is the natural moment for a reset. Set out what you expect from everyone: hours, response times, quality, and how disagreements get handled.
4.Watch, and write it down on the day
If the reported behavior shows up, write down what you saw, when and its effect, and raise it promptly and privately.
5.Give feedback early and small
A first conversation about one specific moment is much easier than a big one about a pattern. It also tells the person you are paying attention, which changes some behavior on its own.
This is management practice, not legal advice. For a termination, talk to an employment lawyer in your state first.
Where LVL Up helps
Recurring 1:1s from your first week
Set up recurring 1:1s with everyone, with a shared agenda and notes kept by date.
Goals that say what you expect
Turn your expectations into goals with an owner, a due date and a status, so everyone knows what success looks like under you.
A record that starts with you
1:1 notes, feedback, recognition and goals build one timeline per person from the day you start, the good work included.
What it does not do
LVL Up cannot fill in a file that was not kept. If your predecessor recorded nothing, there is nothing to import, and LVL Up does not reconstruct history or weigh what you have heard. It gives you a clean, consistent record from your first week. It does not write disciplinary documents or give legal advice.
Common questions
Can I act on what the previous manager told me?
Not on its own. Use it as a reason to watch closely, then act on what you see and document yourself.
How soon should a new manager address a problem employee?
As soon as you see the behavior yourself, in a small private conversation. Waiting months to learn the ropes turns one conversation into a pattern you allowed.
Should I read their old reviews?
Yes, if there are any, but read them as one manager's view at one point in time. A glowing review followed by a stream of complaints may tell you something about the old manager, too.
How do I avoid looking like I am targeting them?
Apply the same expectations, check-ins and documentation to everyone on the team. Consistency is what makes it fair, and what makes it look fair.
Related:
Keep the record in one place
1:1 notes, goals, reviews, feedback and recognition for your team, without an HR department. From $29 a month for up to 25 people.
The trial is 14 days with no credit card, then read-only until you choose a plan. See pricing.