A boss that doesn't listen

[SHJ68]

I am seeking advice on how to handle a boss that just doesn't get it! I started a position as Software Technician 6 months ago. The day I officially started the job I approached her with information regarding some training for Crystal Reports (that she already knew I needed to perform this job). She buried it on her desk (5 times!). So, I pursued trying to learn things on my own. It's been a hit and miss method at best! Now she's all over my team to come to her if we have issues or concerns about our job. Being the good little employee I tried that. What happened sounded like a really bad game of telephone. Everything I told her got turned around and repeated all over the company! Agh! So, here I am with half the company thinking I said things I didn't and still no training. I'd like to mention all of this in my 6 month review but have no idea when that will happen or how to accurately convey my concerns. Any suggestions about how to handle this?

Thanks
Sigried

 

[tanderso]

You definitely want to get on your boss' good side... don't go complaining about her to her superiors. The best way to get what you want is to explain to her how it is going to give her what she wants. Tell her that training will allow you to finish projects faster and with higher quality, and that this will reflect directly on her management capabilities. She probably distorted what you said before because she was under pressure for her group to perform, so she made up excuses.

Maybe she is concerned that training will take time away from your work, so perhaps you can offer to take night classes on your own time if the company pays for them. She might also be concerned about the budget, so explain that training now will provide the group with a resident guru so that future training costs are lower, and that knowledgable workers will produce faster and higher quality work resulting in more revenue. You could even offer to take a slight cut in salary to make room in the budget, contingent on a review in 1 or 2 months, and another 6 months afterward. So, find out why your boss is hesitant to go through with the training, and work with her rather than against her.

If you make your boss look good, then she will be much more likely to give you training, raises, promotions, etc. Your best route for success at your company is to try to get your boss promoted, not fired. Sincerely,

Tom Anderson
Order amid Chaos, Inc.

http://www.oac-design.com

 

[SHJ68]

Thanks for you input Tom. You and I are of the same thinking. So far I have offered to read books or do a cost saving on-line training while I was on maternity leave, discussed with her the benefits of obtaining training, I even told her about this website (which has been very helpful). The problem I run into is that she buries things and forgets about them. I have tried friendly reminders (checking status) and told her how more training would assist me with creating reports for her. So far the responses I have heard range from I'm getting to that, it's on my list, I was just about to do that, etc...

Oh well, I'll evenutally get what I need. It'll just take longer than it should.

Again, thanks for you advice.

 

[tanderso]

Maybe she's just very busy and considers this to be lower priority. Try scheduling a one-on-one meeting to sit down and discuss training options, with the goal of the meeting a decisive training plan that can be put into action immediately. Making a meeting where she has to be present and participate instead of just making a request to "do it sometime soon" forces the issue off the back-burner.

Ask her to give you at least an hour, and come prepared with different training options. Try to get her to agree at the beginning of the meeting that training is necessary and beneficial so that you can then work toward deciding which form of training to pursue, not whether to pursue it. Do a casual cost-benefit analysis to decide which is the best option. And before you finish, get a commitment to go forward with it, including what both of you are going to do as the next step. Then follow up to make sure she follows through. Sincerely,

Tom Anderson
Order amid Chaos, Inc.

http://www.oac-design.com

 

[MikeLacey]

Sounds as if your boss isn't working effectively, promising things to you but failing to do them etc. Makes you wonder what *other* promises she's failing to deliver within the company.

Watch your back; people like that flail around when they're in trouble and decide they need a scapegoat. Mike

Want to get great answers to your Tek-Tips questions? Have a look at faq219-2884

It's like this; even samurai have teddy bears, and even teddy bears get drunk.

 

[TomKane]

While you are waiting for this to be sorted out you might think about starting a system admin book (if you haven't already) - take a look at this thread - thread655-110689

 

[SHJ68]

I do watch my back (very closely). She has a history of letting you take the fall for her mistakes. I also have a reputation for stepping up to the plate and finding solutions. So...herein lies the delimna. I think the book idea will help though. I already keep copies of every e-mail I send and dates I request things. I think I'll just expand on that a little bit now (a kind of CYA thing).

Thanks for the advice!

 

[Skittle]

I've had a similar experience.

Training is non-existant and the new technology stuff my boss has kept to himself. Arranged meetings for discussions on almost every ocassion are forgotten or abandoned by my boss. One of my co-workers walked out without a job to go to over the training issue in the end. I decided to teach myself over weekends. Its been a long hard slog and personal sacrifice but I'm almost there.

No job is perfect. You just have to do the best you can with the situation you find yourself in.

 

[squash]

Yes a lot of the above may be true, but also it is possible what you say and what your boss hears are two completly different things. Yes this really does happen.

One easy solutions is to get in this simple habit.

After any verbal communication immediatly go to your pc and type up exactly .
I said
you said
i said
you said

Then send her an email confirming our previous conversation.
Do this tackfully however, do not sound condesending.
If this becomes a habit she will learn your communications as she questions what you typed and what she heard.

This worked great for me some time back and is now a life long habit with most of my boss's even if theere is no communication issue.
Most boss's like documentation and confirmation that YOU HEARD THEM correctly.

Good luck