Curious: WWYD with a boss who fails to get the job done.

[wendibird22]

Come and play WWYD with me for a second.

Pretend that you have a new boss, on the job 6 months, who is failing miserably. The boss is majorly disorganized, has hundreds of emails in the inbox that have not been responded to, can't keep his/her schedule straight despite having a secretary review it with the boss at the start of every day, misses or is late to meetings often because the boss gets hung up on menial tasks or less important work, responds to a work crisis in a knee jerk reaction instead of by a clearly written protocol, involves him/herself in work/tasks that should be done by someone else and therefore doesn't get done what s/he is actually responsible for, cannot be located in the building frequently and is rarely ever in his/her office even when scheduled to be. Now also understand that this boss has a great personality and is liked by the customer and the staff want to like him/her but are growing increasingly more and more frustrated by the above. The boss's boss does not work on site and so isn't aware of any of the above and it's really too soon for the boss's boss to see a negative impact on work product. As the next in line below the boss who has been a long time employee who values the company and the product, you find yourself continually jumping in to save the boss's behind and to make sure what has to get done gets done. You were willing to give the boss the benefit of the doubt initially because you understood that there would be a learning curve, but it has been long enough now that you are certain that these are issues of work style and personality that aren't going away. You've tried several times to have a meeting with the boss to discuss the above issues and the negative impact they are having on the work, but these meetings are either missed, cut short, or otherwise interrupted. You like this boss, but foresee that this Titanic is going to sink.

As a loyal employee with the skills and ability to keep this ship afloat WWYD?

[minnie-zb]

I just read this article:

http://finance.yahoo.com/career-work/article/112282/how-to-get-your-boss-fired

And saw your poll.

[Smillow]

I think that you need to have a conversation with the Boss's Boss. If you have attempted to discuss this with the culprit and been rebuffed - I think as a loyal employee you should take your concerns up the chain of command. Good luck!

[marymoo86]

this is me.rightnow.

went to the boss' boss and it was useless - seems to be more vested in the ineffectual lemming as it was his hire/mistake

i'm looking for another role in the company to get away from this mess - exactly #5 from the article above:

"5. Be prepared for nothing to change. The manager's manager isn't taking care of the problem. One of the reasons why this happens is that this person made the hiring decision. If she acknowledges that this manager is an idiot, she also has to acknowledge that she made a poor hiring decision. People don't like to admit their faults, so they tend to ignore this type of problem for as long as possible."

[JElaineB]

I would go to the boss's boss with the concerns. I would hope they would welcome input from a valued long time employee.

[momm]

I didn't vote in the poll because this is what I would do

1. document, document, document. Keep a record of every single thing going wrong, he doesn't do, and the impact. Make a neat organized file.
2. if you can have other co-workers back you up, document their stuff too.
3. When you have 3-4 weeks worth of stuff, go on record. Go to the boss's boss. Make it an official meeting, not just a conversation in the break room.
4. Submit a copy of the folder to the HR.


This ensures couple of things
1 You will have proved that this is not just spite or office politics. This is a legitimate complaint with proof.
2 You will have covered your a$$. When the s*** hits the fan, as it no doubt will, this boss will try to blame anyone who is within sigh. you and your co-workers will be in the clear.
3. The folder will show that it's not a random mistake but a pattern

Good luck.. I know it sucks. Hope you manage to push through.

[hillview]

Sorry this is a CRAP situation. What happens to YOU if you let her sink? For example would it be OBVIOUS it was her and not say the team? Given the off side boss boss I could totally see it being a team thing and not out her per se. If this is likely I would consider some options (not totally knowing the dynamics and politics) if you know the boss boss I would reach out to him/her and take the temperature and send up a flare that you are concerned. If this is not workable, I'd go to HR and send up a flare. You need to be as specific as possible so it is not emotional but more here is what happened and how it was handled etc. I would also document YOUR role clearly with your boss so it doesn't roll back on you. I would also keep a LIST of what happens with dates and emails if you have them. That way when it comes to a head and it will you have the documentation.

GOOD LUCK
It is lousy.
/hillary

[wendibird22]

This is all interesting feedback. The situation does not involve me personally but someone I know. Would it change things for you if the boss was a school principal and so the boss's boss is the district superintendent? This is a pretty large school district so it isn't unusual for the superintendent to not know the day to day goings on (or lack there of). It is unusual for an employee to take personnel issues to the superintendent. You also have the dynamic of a union (the person isn't in Wisconsin!), tenure, and a school board that make hiring/firing decisions so it isn't as easy as employment decisions in the private sector.

[smiles33]

I went through this 2 years ago. 3 months in I knew it was a BAD hire. Went to boss' boss, but he said to me, "You're a rock. You can handle this." Went again 6 months in when boss had major financial improprieties (e.g., using employer credit card for personal expenses, taking card out of subordinate's desk after being told boss could no longer use for personal expenses, etc.). Finally, about 15 months after the hire when I was ready to quit, I wrote a detailed 5-7 page memo (I have it somewhere) outlining every single instance of wrongdoing (I kept a detailed log). I explicitly said that we were at a crossroads and I saw no future at the employer for me if the boss stayed and they finally moved. Boss' boss went to HR, the head of the entire unit, etc. It took them a while to "encourage" boss to leave (major severance package, which upset me immensely but whatever, they are so scared of being sued).

Suffice to say, document, document, document is EXCELLENT advice.

[Laurel]

I am on a school board. These are my thoughts:

An ineffective principal should absolutely be reported to the superintendent, and documentation is a great idea. I actually don't think of a principal as the teachers' boss. They are more like the supervisor/leader of the school site, if that makes sense- but not the boss. There is not the same chain of command that you would find in a business environment. The teachers and the principals are managed by the district (superintendent) who then reports to the local board of education. Principals are also not generally protected the same way teachers are- it is much easier to get rid of a bad principal than a bad teacher.

Oh, and it doesn't hurt to have parents make a complaint either.

[ThreeofUs]

I would document, document, document.

But I'd also "manage" my boss: I'd have a meeting with said boss and tell boss how -very concerned I am,
-rumors are starting to go around about Boss, and
-I know Boss wants to be successful and
-I want to help Boss.
And then I'd draw up a plan with Boss to help him/her.

Failing that, I'd document, document, document, and foment rebellion among the parents (just kidding on the last!)