A reader writes:
I recently left my company to take a similar role at a larger, more well-established organization. One of my former employees, Adam, left about six months before I did. He had started in an entry-level job with me and after a year we promoted him slightly into a different role, so he no longer reported to me. When he left, he moved to a slightly higher role at a similar organization.
I ran into Adam’s new boss at an industry event a few weeks ago. I expected to hear they were excited to have Adam on the team, but instead I heard that they were having problems with him and his new boss implied that he was on a performance plan. This was shocking to me. Adam was a rising star at my organization, which is why he was promoted so quickly.
I’m so thrown by this news. I’m planning to reach out to Adam to check in. We were very friendly and I believe he views me as a mentor. Not knowing the details, I’m wondering how much of this is a culture or personality mismatch and how much is Adam not being ready for the move into a bigger organization. What, if anything, should a former boss do when you hear that one of your star employees isn’t working out at a job you felt they would be great at?
I answer this question — and two others — over at Inc. today, where I’m revisiting letters that have been buried in the archives here from years ago (and sometimes updating/expanding my answers to them).
Other questions I’m answering there today include:
- My coworker asked for a reference and I feel like I’m in an impossible position
- When a job candidate responds to a scheduling email with their calendar link
The post I heard my former star employee isn’t working out at his new job appeared first on Ask a Manager.
