Stephen Harvard Davis

Last night I was the invited guest speaker at a Director’s network meeting in London and was speaking on internal networking. Feedback from the talk was excellent and I was delighted that the group seemed to gain so much.

It came as no surprise that those leading organisations find internal networking as difficult as everyone else. The group told me that:

1. There often isn’t enough time to network and complete the daily “to do” list
2. The difficulty is often to get other areas of the business to recognise one’s worth

In this respect the difficulties are shared with everyone else. However, a strategy of internal networking is essential if one is to have two or three vocal and continuous supporters in each area of the business. If one has then one gains support when things are difficult, forgiven more easily for mistakes and job security is increased.

A lot of blame is being heaped onto Maria by the Sales Director and the CEO. Both suggest that it was her fault that one of the candidates found details of the assessment centre process in the photocopier. However as there were seven sets of the documentation distributed it’s uncertain that any one person can be identified as the culprit.

It looks as if Maria is seeking advice on what to do next and whether it is time to consider her future and she is thinking that a change is appropriate before she is forced to leave.

She has taken advice from the CIPD and her husband who also works in HR.

However, is there any advice you could give her?

Maria has been informed that a member of staff has complained that a disciplinary meeting conducted by Maria did not follow the ACAS code of conduct set out in April 2009 relatinmg to the calling of witnesses.

Maria has been told that the employee, who has now left the company, is making a claim for wrongful dismissal and the solicitor is wanting to move to tribunal. The CEO feels that compensation will have to be made to the employee and is placing the blame entirely at Maria’s feet for not being aware of disciplinary changes in procedure. Maria claims that the new procedure was only guidance.

As the employee was a direct report to the Sales Director it seems that she is unlikely to get any support from that direction.

Maria has held a departmental staff meeting and told her team that she is conscious that Christine (her assistant) is overworked and under pressure and is therefore removing some of her responsibilities. The result is that Christine will undertake fewer new staff interviews and more research. Maria will delegate staff interviews amongst the other team members as people are available. Christine sees this as a removal of a key part of her job and the scope of her work has been reduced.

This afternoon Maria has a meeting with the Sales Director and Project Manager to look at restructuring the remaining areas of the sales force. The meeting will identify those posts and branches in the north of England that The Sales Director wants to merge and reduce the headcount by three managers and five sales administration staff. Maria is being consulted to advise on retaining the people that the Sales Manager wants to retain whilst “letting go” those he sees as being less capable.