trying to be a good supervisor

[Rae Nishi]

In article <199905271143.HAA01317 at alumni.Princeton.EDU>
ravena at alumni.Princeton.EDU (ravena) writes:

>  I don't think it's fair to fire someone for health problems or for being 
> "different."

You are completely right in saying this.  Every employee has a certain
"probation" or "grace" time during which they "prove" themselves to be
competent for the position you have hired them into.  The important
issue that you should address are PERFORMANCE goals.  A motivated and
efficient individual can make up for time lost by illness or personal
problems; however, if they are so severe that the individual cannot
perform the job, you have do not have to keep this person on.  You and
Duke should draw up a schedule of objective experimental goals for a
specific period of time (eg., to become proficient at ---; to plate and
assay -- cultures). If she repeatedly fails meet these goals, then you
should replace her.  

The issue of "being different" can be complex. You are right, you
cannot fire someone for "being different".  However, if "being
different" interferes with her ability to get the job done, or
alienates others to the extent that they do not work well (or hate to
work in the lab), then you have to deal with it. My experience is that
this has to be done on an individual level.  In some cases the behavior
is so inappropriate or nasty, that you can legitimately ask them to
leave.  In other cases, where it is more subtle, you may have to talk
with them (and the others in the lab) to come to some agreement about
what is acceptable and what not.  If the person is just "odd" but
doesn't bother anyone, then you should just leave them be.  No one has
to be best buddies with everyone in the lab....

Rae Nishi, PhD
Professor
Dept. Cell & Developmental Biology
Oregon Health Sciences University
Portland Oregon 97201
**that's Orygun, NOT Ora-Gone**