How do I bring a male ego down to size without seeming like a shrew?

Question

I work for my Dad doing industrial lawn maintenance. He's hired a new guy. However, he's very aggressive and needs to be told to be careful, mindful of safety, and to be gentler on the machinery. However, some guys I've worked with consider me condescending and shrewish if I give them directions (I suspect it's because I'm a woman). Many guys haven't and are fine with my authority. Of course, any new employee needs to be directed as their new tasks

How do I tell this guy to lay off without offending his male ego. We're short-staffed now now and afraid that he'll quit. My Dad doesn't give me any special priviledges because I'm his daughter and I only run the crew because I've been working for him for four seasons.

Answer 1

I suggest that you tell him that you will start docking his pay a certain amount if he abuses the equipment or puts his fellow worker's safety in jeopardy.

And, you could also introduce an incentive plan for everyone which would reward a person when he achieves specific goals, such as x number of days without breaking a piece of equipment or being injury free.

To me, the wost thing you can do is to attempt to establish some sort of dominance over the guy.  Instead, treat him with complete respect and dignity, but make him feel it in his wallet if and when he screws up.

Answer 2

Depending on the guy their may be nothing that you can do to not seem like a shrew, especially if the other workers have told him that about you. Just try to be as nice as you can, like try giving him a compliment before you criticize him. use their stereotypes against them by appealing to their ego before you point out how stupid they are.