tecoyah

I am disgusted with myself. As a retail manager it is my responsibility to build a team of competent and productive workers, and at the same time attempt to create an atmosphere that is enjoyable. I manage thru mutual respect and have always treated all employees equally in my career. Thru the years I have had to deal with unhappy staff and many terminations, usually with little in the way of problems. I keep full documentation on performance and am honest , but supportive when I see weakness.

Six times now I have had an African/American employee accuse me of racism when confronted about poor performance. I have never had an issue with anyone else. This has brought me to my quandry. I am at the point where it is no longer in the best interest of my store to recruit from this pool. I also fear that a complaint(valid or not) to an institution such as the NAACP would put my career in peril.

Please understand, I am not racist by nature, and interact with a very mixed ethnic social group in my private life, I am in fact deeply insulted when such a charge is placed against me.

Any thoughts?

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Holding onto anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one who gets burned. - Buddha