Episode
How to Manage an Employee Who Always Says I Already Tried That
- Published
- Jul 9, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 486
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Summary
This episode of The Manager's Hour tackles the frustrating employee who shuts down suggestions with 'I already tried that.' Using the real-world case of a product manager at a mid-sized SaaS company named Priya, Lucas and Luna explore why this phrase often signals a mix of learned helplessness, incomplete experimentation, and a desire to avoid failure. They contrast a failed attempt (trying an A/B test for two days) with a proper experiment (running it for two weeks with a clear hypothesis). The hosts offer a specific three-step framework for managers: first, ask for the specific conditions of the 'try'; second, reframe the ask as a low-risk experiment with defined success criteria; third, create psychological safety by celebrating well-run experiments regardless of outcome. They also discuss when this behavior might actually be a sign of burnout rather than resistance. Listeners will walk away with a practical conversation script to use in their next one-on-one. #Management #Leadership #TeamBuilding #PeopleManagement #EmployeeBehavior #ResistanceToChange #LearnedHelplessness #Experimentation #PsychologicalSafety #OneOnOne #Coaching #Feedback #SaaS #ProductManagement #Business #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast #TheManagersHour Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo