ANONYMOUS NOTE SHOULD BE JUDGED ON MERIT.

Byline: KEN LLOYD On the Job

Q I received an anonymous letter, presumably from one of the employees who reports to me, stating that another employee in the group is slacking off, particularly when I am out of the office. I consider the named person to be one of the better employees, and I'm not sure what to do about the letter. W.H.

A In dealing with anonymous letters, which can run the gamut from outright lies to downright truth, some managers take the approach that if there is no signature, the letter can be ignored. Other managers regard any written word as the Gospel, and jump right into the fray. Rather than such automatic responses, the initial determinant of any action should be the content of the letter itself.

In terms of the letter you received, one initial step is look for any possible reasons why an employee may have felt compelled to send a letter in the first place, anonymous or not. Are there adequate opportunities for the employees to openly express themselves? And, looking specifically at the anonymous issue, is there anything in the work environment indicating that there can be reprisals as a result of the employees' comments?

Whether you believe what's in the letter or not, its main point is going to stay in your mind for a while, and you are probably going to be more observant of the behavior of the named employee. As you manage by wandering around, and occasionally manage by dropping in, it should not take too long to determine whether the letter is fact or fiction.

Q I made a presentation in front of several member of senior management, and many told me that I did very well. However, all my manager said was that I did a ``pretty good'' job. This really deflated me. Should I say something to him? J.C.

A Since you are deflated because your manager burst your bubble, you should discuss the matter with him. However, before you do so, there are a few pointers to remember.

First, you obviously made a strong presentation, and the fact that some topside managers observed it clearly decreases the significance and impact of your manager's comments.

Secondly, is it possible that your successful presentation is distressing to your manager? A strong manager would be very proud if one of his or her employees performed well in this type of situation, while a weak or insecure manager would be unnerved by such performance.

It is also possible that your manager's feedback was off the top of his head, and he meant nothing disparaging at all. In fact, the idea of being ``pretty good'' may be the highest form of praise from him.

At some point in the near future, you should meet with him to discuss your presentation and tell him about the feedback that you received from many topsiders. At the same time, let him know that you are always interested in improving your performance, and if he felt there were some areas that could have been stronger, you would like to hear what he has to say. He may have some pretty good ideas.

Q The other day, one of the supervisors commented that she was surprised that I showed up for work on time. I was shocked to hear this, considering that none of the other supervisors nor my boss has ever commented on my being late. I always report on time, give or take a minute. Was it appropriate for one supervisor to make that comment? T.A.

A It sounds like this supervisor's comments were inappropriate, and more importantly, inaccurate. When this type of comment is made, the best approach is to say something at that time.

This does not mean that you need to engage in an embattled tirade. Rather, the kinds of comments that you made in your letter will suffice. You can say something like, ``That's a surprise. I always report on time.'' Then be quiet and listen to what the supervisor has to say. His of her response will tell you if there is confusion over your record, confusion over the policy, or if the supervisor is just plain confused.

At present, you may want to mention to your boss that you were surprised by the other supervisor's comments. And, if there are concerns about your hours, this discussion can be a good opportunity to clear the air. Since it sounds like there is no real problem here, you should ask your boss if there is anything that you should do to help clarify the matter with the other supervisor. More than likely, your boss will indicate that he or she will talk to the supervisor on this timely matter.