They say
“You always take their side.”
Your response
“Tell me which decisions made you feel that way. I’ll explain how I reached them, and I’ll look seriously at whether I’ve been applying different standards to the two of you.”
01
First, check this
Have you repeatedly accepted one person’s account, excused similar conduct, or expected this employee to make most of the adjustments?
02
Why this works
A claim that the manager always takes one side cannot be resolved by declaring neutrality. Specific decisions can be examined. The employee must identify the pattern they see, and the manager must test whether comparable behavior received comparable treatment. That leaves room to correct real partiality or explain decisions that were different for relevant reasons.
03
Don’t say
“That’s not true. I’m completely neutral.”