New Manager takes away from my role
I have a new boss who has come in between myself and my old boss. I am having my role and responsibility reduced and I'm unsure how to proceed.
I'm a Principal Consultant managing a team who do site based and office based tasks to ensure legislative compliance.
About 18 months ago my old boss left and I was promoted to run a team of 3 directs in the main office and 1 direct in a satellite office. I reported to a Director and was left to do things my way. In my first financial year I did well and delivered 10% more money than the target. My appraisal gave me exceeds in many areas and I was given ambitious targets for the next year. I was hoping to grow the team and take on a junior and allow the people working for me to grow.
At the start of this financial year the company took on a new Associate Director (AD) to sit between myself and the Director I used to report to. Before they arrived I was told they would be sitting in my office to give me support as my Director was moving up through the business. I was told the AD had been informed I needed a light touch and liked to run my own team. He now sits at the desk next to mine.
I'm having my role taken from me. I no longer work on tenders because my AD does it, I don't attend meetings with prospective new clients because my AD does it. Instead my targets have increased to cover the AD's costs and I'm out the office doing site work and reporting because my recruitment requests have been knocked back by the AD. I'm micro-managed and I know have to write all my tasks on a white board so my AD can see what I've got on. I've still not had my annual appraisal, (a waste of time according to my AD), and I'm pulling 50+ hour weeks just to keep my clients happy whilst to all intents and purposes my AD runs my team. They've just stopped one of my directs replacing some kit (which I trust him to do) so they can see if it really needs replacing and if he can find it cheaper.
As the last straw my lone direct in the satellite office had a meeting with the AD where he expressed his desire to report to him rather than me. Tonight my AD told me this had happened and he's given it his OK. So I now only look after one office.
My AD is a high D and obviously has his own ideas but I steered my team through difficult times and delivered good results. My reward is that my role and influence is being taken away and I see myself joining my directs as one of the team and we all report to my AD.
Where do I go from here?
That sucks. You didn't
That sucks.
You didn't mention anything about being passed over for the AD position so I guess that was out of the question. In my view the company has made its decision and you should at least start putting feelers out now. Is there a possibility of a good / acceptable role coming up in your current organization in the next 3 - 6 months?
Or....
I agree it sucks, but there is a flip side. Look at it as a growth opportunity for dealing with a bad boss (great skill to have, and there's a pod cast on it). Working for a bad boss is a great [development] experience, you're going to have quite a few of them in your career so the earlier you learn to deal with them the better.
Give it 6 months and if you can't make it better, then look elsewhere. At least you'll have had some experience dealing with those behaviours in a direct manager.
DISC: 7511
I liked the flip side of the coin
Wow, I was struggling to see a positive out of this situation Actinolite is facing and Smorison you got it. I agree 100%. Having worked for a short time with a difficult boss is really a great development experience. And much more if you can make it a challenge for the relationship to eventually work out. Not saying it is possible, but it is a good challenge. Are you a high D as well, and one that likes to be in charge? Much more so it is an interesting challenge for you. The only way out is to look at it as a challenge and have your resume ready. Just leave though for something better if you do decide to leave. Don´t leave out of resentment. Things could turn around where you are too. It is hard to tell what situation you are in, but I have seen so many times that the direct things they are ready for management, and the management don´t yet thing they are. Or the management have a higher plan for the direct but the direct wash´t communicated the plans to. This guy that was hired might have something you don´t have yet as well, see what you can learn from him. Remember each one of us sees the world through the glasses we have on and as a result we all see different things. And we tend to value in others the same characteristics we have. See what he has and you don´t like which maybe exactly what you need to do, or how you need to adjust your style a bit, to get your next promotion (as long as it is ethical of course).
When you say "my AD is a high D and obviously has his own ideas". Obviously the only reason his ideas are clashing with yours is because you yourself have you own ideas. That´s not a bad thing, don´t look at is a criticism, but don´t criticise him either. That won´t help you, on the contrary. Add to him, do not subtract. You can only change the way you do things and they way you take things he does not the way he does them.
Nara
Dear All, Firstly many
Dear All,
Firstly many thanks for the advice I received. I thought I'd give you a quick update. I went back and listened to some old podcasts. Here are the one's that really helped (not in any order):
- Disagreeing with your Boss Parts 1 and 2
- Is your boss a reader or a listener?
- Can I be friends with my directs?
- Influence through verbal commitments
- Anything on DISC - He's a high D I.
There are lots of other podcasts that have been brillianr for this siutation. This is the plan I'm working on:
1. The company has decided by new AD is a good and correct appointment. I am paid to support the companies position despite my personal misgivings. The decision has already been made, I'm either on board or history.
2. My boss needs everything backed up in writing and email. No problem, I summarise all conversations in email which I know may be pitfalls later, as well as others just in case
3. I'm here to make my boss' job easier. His core deliverables and targets should be mine. If he's here to change things then the compnay must think they need changing.
4. I'm meant to make my boss look good when he reports to his manager. He's moved from a company with £7m turnover to one with £174m. I need to smooth out the bumps as much as possible and advising on what he MUST do and what he SHOULD do etc is proving useful.
My appraisal is booked in and I've prepared the MT way. I'll let you know.
Thanks for the update
Thanks for sharing the update. I am truly impressed by the turn over in the way you feel by the whole situation and the frame in mind you put yourself in and the attitudes you decided to take to sort it out. Excellent 4 points summary of the contents and messegers-philosophy within manager-tools podcasts. Good luck! And please do post again when things change. I am sure they will. And you and your boss will end up being a great team!