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Dear List, Taking a slightly different turn I wonder if I might prompt a new discussion. I am experiencing some problems with a fellow staff member and would like to open the issue up to the floor, as it is one many of us will cover in our PDRs. Any advice would be most welcome or just a general discussion would be interesting. Some background: I work as a solo professional (full-time) and have one part-time non-professional assistant. The staff member in question has been at the college for coming up to ten years, some two years prior to my taking over as Librarian. They are self employed for the remainder of the week and this library job is purely a means of earning money. Despite this their work level has always been of a good quality and I have always been able to leave them pretty much to just get on with things. It has become apparent in the last few months that this is no longer the case. They are becoming increasingly distracted by students, personal issues, bringing personal life to work , etc. I have begun to feel that they are not pulling their weight and that perhaps when I am not on duty very little constructive work is being done. But its quite hard to put my finger on specifics which makes addressing the problem difficult. Confrontation is not an option (I know this much from past experience)it causes more problems than it solves. They have expressed an intention to leave work at the end of this summer and go travelling around the world, but this isn't certain and leaves the library in limbo until notice is handed in and there is always the possibility that they will change their mind and stay. The main problem is that I have no other professionals to discuss the problem with and feel very isolated/frustrated by the whole situation. I am trying not to count on the staff member leaving as this avoids the problem and makes it worse if they decide to stay:o Can anyone suggest possible coping strategies? As Lesha mentioned in her last pre mini-break posting (in reference to another issue) - you catch more bees with honey than vinegar... Any suggestions on how this issue can be constructively included in my PDR would be valuable! To the floor... Thanks Sam Samantha King Librarian NSCD -----Original Message----- From: Lesha Fossey [mailto:[log in to unmask]] Sent: 15 January 2004 08:01 To: [log in to unmask] Subject: I'm going on a mini-break Hi all just to let you know that I am going away on a mini-break for my birthday and won't be able to access my email until next Monday. So please don't think I've gone all haughty and am ignoring any messages (especially about recent list events!). I'll be back next week :-) Lesha Disclaimer This e-mail may contain confidential information. It is intended solely for the attention of the designated recipient(s). If you are not the intended recipient any disclosure, copying, distribution or use of it, or any part of it, in any form whatsoever, and any actions taken or omitted to be taken in reliance on it, is prohibited and may be unlawful. Please contact the sender immediately and delete the message. Unless stated to the contrary, any opinions expressed in this message are personal and may not be attributed to the Northern School of Contemporary Dance..