Would you go above your boss?

[LabRat]

Hi,

I am in an awkward position.

My Boss is a control freak. Instead of running the company he runs all the major departments. Those that were running these departments have given up the fight.

I have been with the company nearly 3 years. I am the most senior person in the department i am in.

Part of my job involves trips to the states. I meet up with senior personnel from our american head office and get on with them very well.....Part of the problem.

Last time i came back from a 2 week visit from the states i got the evrything you are doing is wrong speech. Had it before - will get it again - he does it to everybody. He stopped me having weekly video conference meetings with my american counterparts saying they were a waste of time. He basically said that i was not to worry about the department i was sort of managing and he would sort it out.

When i say sort of managing............ I was being continually undermined by him and critisized all the time. I was also waiting from stuff from him that would give my department some direction so i had something to manage towards.

You should know that he is from sales and i am an engineer - we are poles apart but need each other.

He can go months without realy speaking to me and he is my line manager.

The company is in a rut and because he has to manage everything it all gets stuck with him and nothing much gets done.

I am not victimised - he is not just picking on me - i am just the latest to rise and now he is breaking me down.

My delimma - and yes i am looking for something else - but I could go above him. I believe I have an allie in the states. He is a director - not one of the owners - but he is the big cheese over there and only asnwers to the owners. He is not my bosses boss but has great influence.

I am thinking of asking for his advice off the record. I know that off the record means nothing but i have some trust in this guy. What he can do i do not know he is 5000 miles away. It is risky but it is that or crawl under a rock until i find a new job.

This is not just about me - the company has 120 emplyees here.

I must add that in a recent conversation my boss say to me "do not go against me you will not win". This was after a converstion with my allie.

So i am in the same boat as others in the firm but with more options.

He got his poisiton by climbing over others -he is now paranoid that is what i am doing. He may have actually forced it upon me.

What do you think?

 

[silvermusic]

Ah good old office politics, remember it well. Simple answer, leave.

 

[intheshipping]

i really hate that kind of boss ,if i were you ,i will do my best to go above him.

 

[Esk247]

As above, you can just leave and not get involved in a 'who's got the biggest balls' contest, quit a sinking ship and take your talents elsewhere.

Or you can try and win the captaincy and steer the ship out of stormy seas...<< that takes effort though and you might end up being sacked.

your call of course, but we're only here to offer advice from our own views in life, i'd leave personally, can't be bothered with in-fighting and disagreements, causes an atmosphere.

 

[Sarah Harvey]

You risk a lot by wanting to go above your boss. If there are procedures and policies in place that can look after every employee, then sure take it to someone that has a more senior role.

But in a typical situation, it is best to look for a job elsewhere. If your boss decides that you are too much trouble, then you will end up in deep waters when you were only trying to fix the problems in the company. Take a hint and go elsewhere where your ideas, thoughts and contributions are welcome.

Alternatively, you can stay, do a great job and when your boss makes a mistake, you will have nothing to do with it, because in the end he will make a mistake. Make sure you protect yourself in other ways. I cannot tell you how you should do this, but I was sort of in a similar situation once a long time ago. I was lucky enough that I was a fantastic worker and everything I did was spot on. I always have a habit of recording what I do and in my role back then, I recorded anything and everytime a customer complained. I kept up-to-date records and when management could not blame me for their mistakes, I realized that I should leave before I end up in deep waters.

You see sometimes, people just cannot manage others. Problem is when the 'idea' will enter their mind that they can blame you for something small, and make it into a big thing. You don't want that because 9 out of 10 times, it ends bad.

The sad fact is it will undoubtedly happen when you least expect it. Or when you need to keep your job the most.

---I always enjoyed movies where disgruntled workers took the face of their boss and place it on the wall with bright, red target rings around it. It is always funny, and perhaps you can try that. )

 

[Lime One]

He is bad and the business is not functioning properly, there is a history of this behaviour with others and yet so far the US have done nothing? It does not take too much working out to see what effect going over his head will have, for whatever reason the status quo with his superiors has been worked out, he has as much as told you this. Keep a detailed day to diary of all the ways he does this, who was present etc and the exact details. Look for a new role and consider taking legal action if it is the major cause of your going. Sounds like time to move on to me.

 

[Kernowman]

At the moment you are fighting only skirmishes and battles with your boss, but the real victor is the one that will win the war and you have about as much chance of that as pogo sticking on the moon - naked.

What has always puzzled me is that if an employee is working below par, all sorts of systems swing into place to show the employee the exit, but managers and directors think they immune. Business owners and shareholders know it full well and rather than do what's best for the business, they bury their heads in the sand in fear of the consequences. But hold on a minute here, even a Director is only an employee of the company, they can be dismissed and the mechanism for that is contained within the Companies Act. You as the junior employee however cannot do that.

As others have also advised you based upon their own experiences, it is best to take on a defensive posture for yourself right now and keep a record of everything that occurs, especially if your boss screws up and you played any role no matter how minor, in that action. If he tells you to do something you know instantly will be a disaster, use the ploy they do in the Forces; "Is that wise, Sir" and make a note that's what you said.

Look out for a better job that isn't infused with angst and stress, where your contribution will be recognised and rewarded. However distasteful, be nice to your boss, because come rain or come shine you may need that person one day for a reference, so there isn't any issues on that front if you leave.

 

[CraigieDD]

Hi,

I am in an awkward position.

What do you think?

As zig ziiglar notes..

"You can get to the top by stepping on others, but it won't keep you there."

I'd have a go with your allies in the States. You've got nothing to lose. You're leaving anyway.

 

[sellickbhoy]

Have you actually had it out with him face to face?

Tell him your frustrations with his involvement and lack of management - tell him he either runs the department or he doesn't, and he can't come in and tinker here and there and leave things waiting for him to come back to.

If your job is to run the department, then you need to have the authority and responsibility to run the department. If he doesn't want you to have that responsibility, then he needs to do it himself or appoint someone else - but make it clear in writing who is responsible for what.

Then just work to within your remit

If he says the responsibility is all yours but you must run everything by him, then speak to HR or off the record to another senior employee/manager.

It could well be that a number of other people at your level have the same issues with him, so pool your resources and make similar noises to senior directors at the same time - a concerted effort to raise awareness of the issue. Also if everyone does it, it'll make it harder for him to take action against you all as he is fighting on many fronts.

but, wherever you go, you will have office politics. Is it gonna be better at the next place?

Do what I did - just enough to get by and started my own business from my desk!!!

 

[Gord]

What you havn't said is whether the big noises in the USA are satisfied with the company performance or not.
Unless they are asking serious questions and driving for change and improvement, then the chances are you will be wasting your time and opening yourself up to a more difficult working environment than you have now.

Without any pre-existing motivation for change coming from the US, my advice would be to live with it or leave.

 

[Bri]

..the posts I have given thanks to. Sound advice and advice I would advocate pursuing.Horse and Jockey spring to mind. The grass isnt always greener etc.

I would add make this guy your friend, hard in the long run, but give him the opportunity to dig his own grave.
eg:compile a report on where the dept could go with his guidance and your input smoothing his ego a bit, however leave out the more important details as he will obviously not give you any credit for it when he presents his ideas to his superiors.After a short period of time when it hasnt worked re appraise it with him giving your reasons, leaving out the way forward. Stress that this is your dept from the outset and it is your responsibilty for its smooth running. When you still get short shrift from him, then go above him and present your findings to the hierarchy in a friendly business like way so as not to call your colleague useless and controlling.

If this doesnt work then its time to look for another job.

I hate working for people, UGH!!

 

[ADW]

Without knowing your bosses situation with his superiors it is very hard to make meaningful comments on this. He might have been steered that way by his superiors to be more involved in running the departments and not just to sit back. He is likely to be under constant pressure himself. Employee's often don't agree with what their superiors are doing at every level.

I think an open discussion with your boss is required first with the aim of you and your fellow department managers look at how they can better support him. You are not being obstructive but constructive and if he is a git then there is little he can complain about if you take it from this angle. Try and steer the discussion the way of the Dept Managers taking a bit of pressure of him and ultimately taking back the control bit by bit for your own department. If there are any reasons why he is being so controlling then hopefully these should come out in the meeting.

If the director can give you any feedback in the meantime on the situation then great.

 

[Cloughie]

The very short and only answer is that your buggered lol.

Good bosses coach, delegate, provide opportunities, let people learn from their mistakes (providing its not the same mistake time and time again) and will feed successes through to their own boss. In a way they want you to take their job as they plan to move onto better things anyway.

If you have a boss like that and work for a good company, the skys the limit.

if you have a bad boss, theres just no hope and you NEED to leave. Thats the only way.

Now, if you make the decision to leave anyway, what have you got to lose by going above their head? You may find that they are unaware of the bad boss (although this in itself should set off alarm bells about the company). Just make sure you have another job lined up before you go in hard!