Raising the Bar
CHAPTER THREE
AMBUSHED IN PLAIN SIGHT
Back to Reality
It had been a great day with Coach.
Intense. Eye-opening. And for the first time since taking the job, I’d felt genuinely important.
I walked out of that boardroom motivated, determined, and optimistic.
But the real surprise came when I got back to the office.
Waiting in my inbox was everything we’d covered.
Not just notes but clarity.
The critical objectives we had identified:
Critical Objectives
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Appoint a second-in-command
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Reduce absenteeism
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Resolve the long-term sick issue
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Manage new employees through their probation period
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Multi-skill the team
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Introduce continuous improvement
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Address and resolve the poor-performance issue
Alongside them were the learning points from the day.
The slide pack.
The flipchart notes.
Even the Bar Audit, laid out in clean, simple language.
And then there was something I hadn’t expected at all.
An objectives plan.
A drafted document listing every objective we’d agreed, with a set of practical actions for each one, shaped directly from our discussions and ready for me to start immediately.
For the first time, I had a clear direction, a structure to follow and a plan I actually believed in.
But more than anything, I had real support at last.
I remember thinking:
This is what proper management development looks like.
This is what I should have had from day one.
Trouble Afoot
However, when the team came into work, I knew immediately something was not right.
The atmosphere was tense.
A few team members looked up, caught my eye, then quickly looked away. Conversations stopped mid-sentence. Chairs shifted. The usual buzz of a positive team had vanished.
Word soon came out. Alan hadn’t enjoyed covering the department the day before. In fact, he’d apparently spent most of the day moaning, criticising and nit picking. His favourite line being:
“We didn’t do things like this in my day.”
But that wasn’t the part that worried me most.
What worried me was what I’d also heard.
Alan had called Peter into the office and the two of them had been talking in hushed, closed door tones.
That was not a good sign.
The Summons
I’d barely sat down when the phone rang.
Alan.
His tone was cold. Formal.
“I want to meet you at two o’clock,” he said. “We need to discuss what I saw while covering your department. There are a lot of serious things we need to talk about.”
Then he hung up.
No context. No explanation.
Just serious things dangling like a threat.
My stomach tightened. This didn’t sound like a review.
It sounded like a reprimand.
Calling Coach
I rang Coach straight away.
“I think I’m being fired,” I said and explained why I thought so.
Coach didn’t sound concerned.
“This is not a formal interview, Joe. Alan knows the procedures. If it were formal, it would have been in writing. Did he give you notice?”
“No.”
“Exactly. Then it’s not formal.”
He paused.
“Take your objectives and the action plan I sent you this morning. It’s a good opportunity to present them. Show that you’re thinking and that you’re working to a plan.”
“OK,” I said, though not fully convinced.
“Stay calm,” Coach replied. “Focus on your objectives and plan. Call me afterwards.”
He paused again.
“What time is the meeting?”
“Two o’clock.”
“Good. That gives you time to sharpen the plans. Add detail. Tighten the actions. Make sure everything that needs Alan’s support is clearly highlighted. Go in prepared, Joe. Structure is your best approach.”
When the call ended, I sat still for a moment, then pulled out the objectives plan and started refining it. Adding detail. Highlighting everything that required Alan’s support or sign off.
By the time I’d finished, I felt more confident about attending the meeting.
I felt ready.
I wasn’t.
The Ambush: Two Against One
At two o’clock, I walked into Alan’s office and stopped.
Justin, the HR Manager, was already seated at the table.
No one had told me he’d be there.
Two on one side.
Me alone on the other.
My stomach sank.
This wasn’t a discussion. It was an ambush.
Justin had a notepad open, pen poised. No smile. No greeting. Just the blank HR face that says this is formal and it is not going to be pleasant.
Alan launched straight into criticism. Fast, sharp and relentless.
Everything he “noticed” while covering the department.
Issue after issue, fault after fault.
No positives. No balance. No fairness.
Every time I tried to respond, he cut me off.
“Don’t interrupt while I’m talking.”
I sat back, silent and slowly getting angry.
When he finally stopped, he folded his arms.
“Well? Do you have any explanation for all this?”
I opened my folder slowly and deliberately and slid over the updated action plan, the one Coach and I had built the day before.
He flicked through it without expression.
The Assault Begins
Then the questions began. And the digs. And the criticisms.
“Second in command,” Alan said, tapping the page. “You can’t just appoint someone. You’ll need to advertise. Justin?”
Justin nodded.
“Yes. There must be an internal advert. Otherwise, we could be accused of discrimination.”
Fine. I noted it down.
“Attendance,” Alan continued, shaking his head. “It’s your fault. There were no problems before.”
A lie.
A blatant lie.
I bit my tongue.
“Long term sickness,” Alan said. “Still unresolved.”
Justin shrugged.
Alan jumped in.
“Have you given her a ring?”
“Is that my job?” I asked. “I don’t even know the person.”
“You should know,” Alan snapped. “Give her a ring. It’s your department.”
Another hit.
“New employee probation,” Alan went on. “No reviews carried out. That’s a breach of contract.”
Justin added, “They’re past the review point. You should have carried out the reviews. They’ve automatically become permanent. You can’t extend them now. They could claim compensation.”
Another blow to the plans I’d spent the morning preparing.
“Multi skilling,” Justin said next. “Not in their contracts. You can’t force it. You can’t just go around changing contracts on a whim. There’s a procedure.”
“Continuous improvement,” Alan scoffed, rolling his eyes.
I tried to explain it addressed the repeat issues problem, but he cut across me.
“Textbook nonsense. Stick to the basics.”
Poor Performance: Peter
Alan leaned back, arms folded.
“Poor performance,” he said. “Have you got it in for Peter, Joe? Are you trying to get him to leave? Because that’s what he thinks and frankly it’s what others are beginning to think as well.”
I remembered exactly what Coach had told me.
“I’m not trying to get Peter to leave,” I said steadily. “I’m trying to get him to perform. There’s nothing subjective here. He’s letting the team down in several areas and I’m simply doing what the job description requires of me.”
I pulled out my notes, the BAR notes Coach had helped me structure, and placed them on the table.
“These are the facts.”
Justin’s hand shot out immediately. He practically snatched the paper off the table.
“Do you have one of these for other employees?” he demanded.
I had to admit the truth.
“No. Not yet. But I will. I’m planning to use them for everyone as part of appraisals.”
Justin leaned back, triumphant.
“Well then,” he said, “this proves you’re singling him out.”
It was a cheap shot, but technically he wasn’t wrong.
A lesson learned. An uncomfortable one.
But I bit my tongue and stayed silent.
Alan jumped in, eyes narrowing.
“Peter isn’t the problem,” he said firmly. “The problem is the way he’s being managed. He worked perfectly well when he worked for me.”
I couldn’t help thinking:
Of course he worked well for you.
You set the bar low.
But I kept that thought to myself.
Then Justin delivered the sneer.
“And these objectives. They’re not SMART. You know. Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Time bound. Were these part of your training yesterday?”
It was a question laced with sarcasm.
The Accusation
After a pause, Alan looked at Justin and gave a nod and Justin took over.
“Joe,” Justin said formally. “We’ve had complaints about your style. People say you’re aggressive. Intimidating. Your approach is causing issues with engagement.”
So now I was the problem.
“May I ask who made these complaints?”
“I’m not at liberty to tell you,” Justin replied, thrown by the question.
I exhaled sharply.
“Fine. Then I’ll tell you. Peter. Definitely. Probably Jim. And a few others he’s encouraged.”
Justin froze.
He hadn’t expected that.
Justin continued. “The reason they’re complaining is that you make them feel uncomfortable and threatened.”
“Yes,” I said. “Probably when I give them feedback on their performance.”
Alan cut in, smug.
“Well, if they feel uncomfortable, Joe, you’re obviously doing something wrong.”
My Breaking Point
My blood rose even higher.
“You’re an experienced manager, Alan. And you,” I turned to Justin, “are an experienced HR professional. So tell me…”
I leaned forward.
“How do you give feedback on poor performance without someone feeling uncomfortable?”
Silence. Absolute silence.
They had no answer.
Then something snapped.
“So you don’t know either,” I said. “What hope have I got, being a first-time manager?”
Alan’s jaw tightened.
Justin’s pen halted.
“There’s no smoke without fire,” Justin muttered.
“Yes there is,” I said, surprised by my confidence. “Peter creates smoke to make you think there’s a fire and you’re falling for it.”
Barry’s voice echoed in my head.
Don’t go out with a whimper. Go out with a shout.
The Line Before the Push
Alan leaned forward, voice low.
“Maybe you’re not ready for this job, Joe.
Maybe you’re just not experienced enough.”
And here was the moment I had been expecting.
My hand went to my pocket.
The resignation letter was still there.
No point waiting for the mafia offer. Resign or be fired.
I reached for my resignation.
Just as I was about to pull it out of my pocket and shove it straight into Alan’s smug mouth, the door opened.
And the cavalry arrived.
In walked Ray Wilson.
Backtracking
Alan froze mid-sentence.
Justin stopped writing.
The atmosphere in the room became tense.
For a moment, I genuinely thought this was it. I’m finished.
Then Ray smiled.
“Afternoon, everyone. Had a meeting nearby. Thought I’d pop in.”
He dragged a chair across the floor, not opposite me but beside me, and sat down.
A power move. A message.
You’re not alone.
Ray Takes Control
“This looks interesting,” Ray said lightly. “What are we discussing?”
Alan stammered something vague about reviewing objectives.
Ray looked at Justin.
“And why are you here?”
“Taking notes,” Justin said, stiff as plywood.
Ray nodded once.
“Ah. Looked like a formal meeting was going on when I walked in.”
Instant panic.
“No, no. Nothing formal!” they protested.
Ray let it hang.
He didn’t argue.
He didn’t need to.
He just held the smile. Calm. Controlled. Dangerous.
Then he turned to Alan.
“So how’s Joe doing?”
To my surprise, Alan admitted the department needed improvement but said I hadn’t shied away from the problems.
If he’d said that ten minutes earlier, I wouldn’t have felt I was sitting in front of a two-man firing squad.
Justin shifted, clearly uncomfortable, muttering about having another meeting to get to.
Ray didn’t even look at him.
“Stay,” he said pleasantly. “If HR support is needed, you should hear this.”
Justin stayed. He had no choice.
Ray turned to me.
“So what’s the plan?”
Alan slid the objectives across. Ray skimmed them with quick, practised confidence.
“Impressive,” he said. “Coach help?”
“Yes.”
“Good. Let’s go through them.”
Deputy Appointment - We started with the second in command.
“Anyone besides Lesley who can step up?” Ray asked.
“No.”
Ray looked at Alan. Then at Justin.
Neither spoke.
“Don’t advertise,” Ray said. “Appoint Lesley if she wants it.”
Justin objected. “It’s fairer to advertise.”
“How long would that take?” Ray asked.
“Three weeks.”
“Too long.”
Justin tried again.
“But—”
“No law says we must advertise, does it?”
Justin paused.
“No… but—”
“Then appoint Lesley, if she wants the job that is.”
Case closed.
Attendance - Next came absenteeism.
Ray looked directly at me.
“How long has this been an issue?”
“Long-term,” I said. “The previous manager struggled with it too.”
Ray turned his head slowly towards Justin.
“Is that true?”
Justin hesitated, then nodded.
“Yes.”
Ray’s jaw tightened. His face reddened.
For a moment, I thought he was going to explode.
“So this has been a known issue. For how long. And no one’s dealt with it?”
Silence.
Ray inhaled sharply.
“Unacceptable.”
Long-Term Sickness - Ray moved down the page.
“Update me on the long-term sick case.”
Justin’s answers were vague. Too vague.
Ray cut across him.
“Investigate. Report back. This week.”
Then he turned to Alan.
“You could’ve used a temp. Why didn’t you?”
“Budget.”
“And how much productivity has this cost us?”
No answer.
Probation Decisions - Next came the two new starters.
“If this were your company,” Ray asked me, “would you keep them?”
“One’s worth keeping. One isn’t.”
“Done,” Ray said. “Terminate one. Extend the probation of the other. Justin?”
Justin straightened.
“There’s a risk of breach of contract. No reviews were carried out. They’ve technically already passed probation.”
“How much would that cost us?” Ray asked.
“A week’s pay.”
“A week’s pay?” Ray repeated. “For the wrong person in the job? Cheap. Pay it.”
Justin nodded, defeated.
“I’ll sort it.”
Ray turned to me.
“Ever dismissed anyone before, Joe?”
“No.”
“You’re about to. You’re the manager. HR doesn’t dismiss people. Managers do.”
Multi-Skilling - Ray scanned the next objective.
“Why isn’t multi-skilling in place already? It’s basic efficiency.”
“It would require contract changes,” Justin said carefully. “Could cause problems.”
Ray didn’t blink.
“Then change the contracts. If there’s pushback, we’ll deal with it.”
Continuous Improvement - “What’s this?” Ray asked.
I explained how recurring errors were costing time and the department’s bonus.
Ray nodded.
“Clever. Fix it.”
The Bad Apple - Finally, Peter.
“The grievance specialist,” Ray said dryly.
He tapped the page.
“Try to improve first. If that fails, remove.”
Word for word what Coach had told me.
He handed the plan back.
“Good plan. Off you go. Plenty to do. Keep up the good work.”
I stood. Still tense, but something had shifted.
I felt supported.
For the first time since taking the job.
Alan and Justin stood to leave too.
“Sit down, gentlemen,” Ray said mildly. “We’ve more to discuss.”
They sat. I didn’t envy them.
I stepped out, shut the door behind me and exhaled like I’d been holding my breath all morning.
Contacting Coach
Back at my desk, I rang Coach.
“Ray dropped in,” I said.
“Lucky timing,” Coach replied. “Or maybe not.”
“I thought I was finished.”
“But you weren’t. And now you’ve got backing. Start moving. Fast. Ray’s given you the green light.”
I leaned back, letting the day settle.
Today had been a turning point.
The moment the tide shifted.
The moment I realised:
I wasn’t fighting this alone anymore.
Behind Closed Doors
Joe never heard what happened after he left Alan’s office.
The moment the door clicked shut, Ray turned.
Not rushed. Not angry.
Just controlled, the kind of controlled that makes other people nervous.
Ray faced Justin first.
“I’ve a few questions,” he said, voice low but razor-sharp. “Did Joe come to you for the absence records?”
Justin shifted in his chair. “He… did.”
“And you refused?”
“I thought it would breach data protection.”
Ray didn’t blink.
“Rubbish. Legal has already confirmed it doesn’t.”
Justin dropped his gaze.
“Joe also asked you for details about the grievance Peter filed against the previous manager — so he wouldn’t repeat the same mistakes. You refused. Why?”
“I didn’t think it was right to disclose confidential—”
“Spare me,” Ray cut in. “When Joe asked for support dealing with Peter’s poor performance, what advice did you give him?”
Justin hesitated. That was enough.
“You told him to tread carefully because you didn’t want a tribunal. Correct?”
Justin nodded weakly. “That’s true. But my job is to keep us out of tribunals—”
“No,” Ray said, leaning forward. “Your job is to support managers to tackle poor performance — not scare them away from it.”
Justin sat in silence, small, cornered.
Ray continued, voice cold but even.
“Let’s discuss the grievance you investigated. Why did the previous manager lose his temper?”
“I… can’t remember.”
“You can’t remember because you never asked.”
Ray’s tone sharpened. “Peter undermined him. Deliberate mistakes, backchat, ridicule. There’s a name for that, Justin. Know what it is?”
Justin shook his head.
“Upward bullying,” Ray said. “Peter made that manager’s life hell — and now he’s doing exactly the same to Joe.”
Ray let the silence stretch — the kind of silence that makes a person confront themselves.
Justin swallowed. “I’ll step up the support.”
“See that you do,” Ray replied. “From now on, you support Joe fully. He’s raising the bar and cannot do it without you.”
“Yes,” Justin murmured.
“I’ll follow this conversation up in writing,” Ray added. “You can go.”
Justin gathered his notes and left .
Ray turned to Alan.
The colour had drained from his face.
“Were you aware of the problems in your department?” Ray asked.
Alan hesitated. “I… did know. John — the old manager — hid them.”
Ray didn’t move.
“That’s why I was against giving Joe the job,” Alan added quickly. “I didn’t think he was ready.”
Ray looked up at last. “You recommended Peter for the role. And Peter was part of the problem.”
Alan shifted in his chair. “I didn’t know that.”
“Did you warn Joe what he was taking on?”
“No.”
“Did you set him objectives?”
“No. I thought I’d wait until the end of his probation.”
“Any training? Guidance? Induction?”
“No.”
“Any reviews?”
“I’ve been busy — strategic work, clients, shareholders—”
Ray raised an eyebrow. “Strange. Whatever I ask, you’ve got an excuse. Why do I get the impression you don’t want Joe to succeed?”
“That’s not the case,” Alan muttered.
“My impression,” Ray said calmly, “is that the meeting I walked into was designed to intimidate him. What exactly has Joe done to deserve that?”
Alan had no answer. Just a faint shake of the head.
Ray didn’t raise his voice. He didn’t need to.
“Be careful, Alan,” he said quietly. “What I’ve seen today — no support, no guidance, no communication unless it’s negative, and now an ambush, looks uncomfortably like an abuse of power.”
Ray continued, steady and controlled.
“Bullying accusations. Grievances. Hostility.
All of it happening in your department. That ends now.”
Alan stared down at the desk, shoulders heavy.
“Do you understand?”
“Yes,” he said quietly.
Ray stood, opened the door, and walked out without another word.
Behind the Scenes
See the email exchange between Ray and Coach, related to this chapter in Appendix 3, page 196.Top of Form