I’ve Been Put on Probation…. Now What?!

I received an email this week from a reader who wanted more guidance on her probation status at work. She had read a previous blog posting of mine on the issue.

If you are on probation I encourage you to do these 6 things:

 Decide if you want to keep the job or it would be a blessing to be rid of it
 If you opt to free yourself of the position, make sure you take steps to minimize any damage to your professional reputation by meeting with each party involved and expressing your apologies that the fit wasn’t exactly right and you’re opting to move on to eliminate further harm or embarrassment to yourself, your team and the company as a whole (certainly customize this for the situation)
 If you opt to stay, you have to go in full damage control mode fast.
 Meet with each party involved with the decision to keep or fire you and plead your case, sincerely and openly. You will have to own up to mistakes, miscommunication and faults- even if you don’t believe they are yours. Stubbornness will get you no where.
 Develop your own action plan to get back on track with everyone. Ask for their input. Apologize for misgivings in the past. Tell them you want and will do better for the good of the team and the company.
 Be willing to turn a new leaf. Be better than you were yesterday. Be open to working with people you don’t like or don’t want to like. Realize that you are not perfect, no one is, and your success depends upon your ability to see a situation outside of yourself.

The Road to Being Fired.... Probation

Having a successful job isn't measured in sheer skill alone. You can be great at your craft and you can still have a tough time maneuvering the work day. One of the reasons for such is that you are likely working with other people, whether they are at your location or remote. You still have to get along with and work well with others. (Remember what our parents tried to teach us in the sandbox?)

I have a client who has talent beyond her years in her field. The trouble came when she exerted her strong and assertive personality in the workplace. They weren't ready for that- and quite frankly, they didn't like it. This can be of particular trouble for women, who are often expected to be more mild-mannered and the peace-keepers in the office. Needless to say, my client landed on probation. (You're getting the shortened version of this story of course.)

This blog is meant to be two-fold in its purpose: (1) warn you that your personality matters and can help or hinder your success and (2) a few tips on what to do if YOU land on probation.

I think the warning is clear. Recognize how your personality can impact your success. What are you known for? Do people like you? Don't they? And, why? Truly, examine your personality through the workplace context to prepare yourself (and make any adjustments necessary) to achieve your goals/succeed.

Now, on to the tips. If you are brought in today and told you are going on probation I recommend you do the following:

• Repeat to your supervisor/s the reasons that you are on probation to ensure you have the cause/s exactly right
• Understand how long the probationary period is (get it in writing if possible)
• Understand (and repeat it) what you can do to come off of probation (you want exact steps here- this should be crystal clear and measurable)
• Schedule your meetings during the probation period to discuss progress (depending upon the period, you may want them weekly or monthly) and bring your probation plan, progress, outcomes, etc... to the meeting. Show them you are working hard and WANT to stay.
• Ask if you can have a representative or witness to all of your probationary meetings (for you to compare notes with afterwards- they may have gleaned something you didn't)
• Be professional, be courteous, always take the high road... this is not the time to let anger, hostility, or juvenile competitiveness to get in the way of your success
• If you want to keep this job, be the stellar employee they need you to be (and that you know you can be) ... otherwise, hit the opportunity circuit and see what is out there

Remember, probation is on the road to getting fired. It isn't the equivalent to getting fired. You can still turn this around if you play your cards right. If nothing changes in you, nothing will change in their decision. You'll have to decide if the opportunity is worth the adjustments.