My Boss Skips Me

Submitted by mauzenne on Mon, 11/16/2009 - 07:13.
in

This cast describes how to work with a boss who repeatedly skips over a manager and works directly with your directs (his or her "skips").

We hear from managers all the time who tell us they, "work for a micromanager". We almost always demur. When we ask, "okay, what does this micromanager DO?" we're told that "he goes around me and talks directly to my directs. He totally undermines what I'm doing with my team, and he doesn't consult me, and I think he's going to fire me."

What do we tell them? Here's what.

  1. There Are All Kinds Of Reasons Why Bosses Do This – Careful of Your Assumptions
  2. Don't Tell Your Boss Not To
  3. Start One on Ones
  4. Don't Tell Your Directs To Push Back
  5. Tell Your Directs to Ask If You're Aware
  6. Tell Your Directs To Inform You
  7. Close The Loop With Your Boss And Start Reporting


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elsa88's picture
Submitted by elsa88 on Thu, 11/19/2009 - 02:27.

thank you !!

Thank you, Mike and Mark,

You provided great insight on boss relationship.

One of my direct loves going to by boss and bashing about how bad I was. (she was late over 50% of the time.) She refuse to have one on ones. and my boss supported her. So now, she basically does whatever she wants in my department.

My boss pulled me to her office later, and told me not to micromanage my staff.

What do you take on this?

 

 

 

Doug's picture
Submitted by Doug on Thu, 12/03/2009 - 15:17.

What does the direct report do?

Thanks Mika & Mark for the great cast on "My Boss Skips Me"

What would be the recommendation for a direct report when requested by his second level up boss to report on the performance of both his (the direct report) boss and also the peers of his boss?

Doug's picture
Submitted by Doug on Thu, 12/03/2009 - 15:18.

What does the direct report do?

Thanks Mike & Mark for the great cast on "My Boss Skips Me"

What would be the recommendation for a direct report when requested by his second level up boss to report on the performance of both his (the direct report) boss and also the peers of his boss?

jjbuckster's picture
Submitted by jjbuckster on Thu, 12/24/2009 - 20:28.

Reply to thank you !!

If one of my directs has a cozy relationship with my boss, and that direct also has performance problems (such as lateness), I would document those problems all the more. Especially if they are quantifiable like lateness. It’s very hard for my boss to get around something as black and white as not arriving on time (though she has tried to argue it anyway). As long as I have good strong facts, she either has to make an exception to enforcing the firm’s policy for this one individual (which it is of course her prerogative to do, if she chooses), or she allows me to consistently enforce the policy across the entire staff.

-Jeff