Help me manage up...or at least not murder

[akafred]

Poof

[covergirl82]

OMG, akafred, you are a saint for putting up with him for 2 months. What type of relationship do you have with this new manager's boss? If you are able to go to them, I would frame your concern, if possible, that it would relate to a quality and/or safety issue. After you set up that as the framework, then talk about the volume of work and how it unsustainable. I would also talk about the fact that you are not receiving the level of support needed in order to be able to do your job successfully.

I know you're already running on fumes from all the overtime, but document what you can about how your manager prevented you from being able to work efficiently and any impacts to quality/safety (or other important factor) and your ability to be successful in your role. I would especially document the part where he said the process was flawed, but it had previously been approved by him, his director, and the VP.

And I'm sorry for all you're missing out on because your manager is a douche.

[akafred]

Poof

[mommyatty]

Yes, he’s a douche. And I have nothing. Maybe ask your old boss for advice? Or if she is willing to talk to him?

[xctsclrx]

Man that sucks and you know he is never going to have your back when you need it too.

I would start communicating with him through email. If you don't get what you need start going above his head. Ask his boss if it would be ok to start bcc him on email.

I would also go to the next line supervisor and request a meeting. In that meeting have your stuff documented and ask him how to proceed from there. That person might be able to help. If not it's might be time to start looking for a new job

[akafred]

Poof

[shakinros]

Ugh I’m so sorry. He is clearly a douche.

Time to move to another company if internal transfers are a no go.

[akafred]

Poof

[2chatter]

He sounds like a tool - but it also sounds like he isn’t focusing on your communication even when you are in the same room. My guess is that he doesn’t care about the technical details of what you are doing - he wants to hear that it will be done on time. I’d change my approach substantially. Reframe as risks, with suggested remediations, in a table you send before you discuss. Print copies and bring them with you.

Also, lose all expectation that work will be the way it was. If you can figure out what the new org values and why they chose not to backfill, you may be able to locate some rationale and satisfaction.

I went through a reorganization in 2014 and the hardest part was actually opening myself to growth. It was a lateral kind of growth and I didn’t feel like I needed it, but I have in the end learned a lot and am now more well rounded from an interpersonal perspective. If you can view this as a challenge that results in growth it might be easier to slog through. I’m black and white and reward oriented so I need to see real benefits to putting up with BS. Also try to step outside and view things - without emotion - to do this I leveraged a colleague on an adjacent team who was also reorged. She helped me see where protocols, for instance, seemed draconian but weren’t a net increase in effort - I was just annoyed by everything.

Management changes suck. I hope things improve!

[HeartofCheese]

I don't have the sweetass response that 2chatter has, but I would suggest putting all communications in writing, being clear about how something will fail due to lack of resources - just so it doesn't blow back on you. Once the shit hits the fan, then people will have time to solve the problems you've been trying to communicate.

[mustardseed2007]

I agree with trying to cover your ass as much as possible, but I would seriously look for a new job. Your situation sounds terrible. I'm sorry because I know that is not any kind of answer, but I would take 2chatter's advice to try to survive until you find something else, b/c your boss is a total ass.

[akafred]

Poof

[kimberlybb]

I don't have any constructive advice to offer but wanted to say that would be beyond frustrated too if I was in that situation. I'm glad that the senior manager took the time to listen to your concerns today!

[twinmomma]

akafred, As part of the "cover yourself" strategy, could you send calendar invites for important deadlines, in addition to calling them out in emails? Then it's in two places and it would pop up with reminders to the recipients. I used to just force myself onto my old boss's calendar that way. Even if he blew off the meeting, I showed up for it and he had to acknowledge that he was blowing me off, over and over and over.

[waverly]

No advice except to just hang in there. He does sound like a jerk. I hope after this project is done, things go better for you.

[akafred]

Poof

[kimberlybb]

I would address his behavior in the moment like with what you suggested above but I would also have a conversation with him (at a neutral time) about how his behavior affects your productivity- with concrete examples- and what he could do differently. It may not change his behavior but at least you know you tried. It sounds like getting thrown under the bus is another issue. I had a very toxic boss six years ago. One CYA tactic I used with her was to follow up every in person conversation we had about something of substance with an email saying something like per our discussion on (date)… I saved all of these emails in a file folder and had to pull them out on a few occasions.

[mommyatty]

Ugh. I would probably go with eyebrows raised and an “I’m sorry?”

But at a neutral time, I would go to him and just say “It’s obvious that I’m having trouble figuring out how you want me to handle this process and how to communicate with you. I would appreciate your help with that.”

[2chatter]

When I have had to manage people peripheral to what I am doing, I often haven’t understood what they are doing or why and when. But i have assumed that their workload and projects are the norm for them when I first start managing them. I would set a meeting to discuss your role on the team, your understood objectives, standard timelines and risks. I’d ask him for his thoughts and help where needed - I always do this with new stuff i inherit, and I don’t immediately change anything. At that time I would also address your working relationship and ask him about preferred communication. I’d be direct and cite the Christmas Party example “I think we have gotten off on the wrong foot - when you said we won’t cancel the Christmas Party because I have work to do - I realized that we haven’t worked together before so you don’t know that I am hard wired to meet deadlines and contingency plan to ensure that reviews happen on time. I raised the risk that people might not be around to review because that would impact our delivery. The more we work together the more you will see that I (insert whatever you want to describe yourself - for me it would be am an includer who solicits feedback and engagement, while sticking to a detailed timeline).

This is so a hard core managing up situation! I’d ask for him to review the process if you think he might be able to make any improvements - like the data pull.