A Bad Manager 16

[casseopeia]

I have a bad, bad manager. I have decided that I will most likely leave the company as soon as I can, but need to survive until that is possible. This senior manager is almost 70 years old. I've worked with people older who were quite competent, but this one is not. The only reason I even mention age is because he uses it as an excuse for 'being forgetful.' I have been told because he is an old man, that it is my duty to make sure he is doing his job, even if it means I have to put aside production work needed to provide a work product to a Client. I am not the only one to notice that this he is having some serious difficulties, resulting in behaviors that are nothing short of shocking. This affects most, if not all of the Project Managers, of which I am one. Over the past three months or so this manager has;

completely forgotten entire conversations occurring sometimes only minutes before;

made highly inappropriate comments including ridiculing another Project Manager at a staff meeting about her accent (she is Asian), saying he thought she said, "I need a f*ck" when she said, "I need a fork;"

has made statements, or jumped to a technical conclusion, without first checking his facts even when I have diplomatically tried to stop him doing so;

claimed I did not follow company protocol for 'senior review of technical specifications' when I had;

taken credit for research or work that I did, much of it to correct or provide future reference for several of his mistakes caused by a rush to judgement.

This has lead to some very bad feelings and has put the company at risk. I have pled my case and provided proof to HR and my Boss that I am in fact doing my job properly. The bad manager makes claims that I did not do something, or did not follow protocol and I have provided emails and other proof that I had. One difficulty, however, is that this supposed 'company protocol' is not written anywhere, changes day to day, person to person and situation to situation. I have asked for a written policy only to be told that I need to be more flexible. I've tried to keep Clients happy, but find I am sabotaged by the Senior Manager's turmoil-inducing back-stabbing and by HR's reluctance to go against this individual, and by a Boss afraid to take him on himself.

So what are my options?

Give up, suck up....and get out.

Fight openly and continue to document...and get out.

Fight subversively, enlist support, and then get out taking some clients with me.

Hide from the Senior Manager as much as possible, and blast the Company's competitors with my updated resume.

The sad thing is I really like the work and all of my co-workers, with the exception of Mr. Bad Manager.

"Gorgeous hair is the best revenge." Ivana Trump

 

[JedClampett]

It sounds like this guy has a medical issue. I kind of feel sorry for him.
My advice is to help him out until he hangs himself. And if he's a bad as you say, it shouldn't take much time. This is a temporary situation.

 

[jmw]

As always, you wonder what the rest of management and the owners are thinking of.

If, when he criticises you Cass, you have to defend yourself to other managers and HR, then clearly the company is not accepting that he is a problem otherwise they would be saying "Its OK Cass, we know the situation, just ignore him."

If this is the case then while this manager is obviously a problem, it should alert you to the fact that the other managers are no less a problem themselves.

At 70 years old and going ga-ga, the fact that he hasn't been put out to grass and that no one seems to acknowledge there is a problem let alone explain how the propose to handle it or why they are not handling it, either suggests he knows where all the bodies are buried or the rest are just as much a liability.

Definitely get out of there.
Sooner rather than later. The danger is that this company will hit the buffers and if you are still with them, tarnish your rep as well.

The biggest danger we face at work is when we start to think we like the people we work with and we like the work and that this is a good enough reason to put up with crap - poor pay, being over worked, bad managers and indifferent HR.

While you are busy worrying about letting co-workers down, they are probably just as busy trying to find new jobs.

You don't say but presumably they don't let this nightmare loose anywhere near clients and if that is the case it suggests some awareness but not why you have to defend yourself and not why they don't take more active measures.
If they do then sooner or later some client is going to be a victim and will start to spread the news about town; the start of a loss of respect or credibility for the company or its employees.

From other of your posts, including being asked to change your reports, this sounds like this is a company that is destined to collapse at some point for one of a number of reasons from having its reputation blackened by unhappy clients or because some one at some time will not catch one of his mistakes and it will cost badly. It may not be a slow collapse giving people a chance to get to the lifeboats, it may sink suddenly and with no survivors.

Best guess then is that the old guy will prove a past master at laying off blame onto some one else, a skill no amount of mental degeneration will weaken since it is a primitive brain stem function, not one of higher intellectual powers.


JMW

http://www.ViscoAnalyser.com

 

[zelgar]

#1 First and foremost, Cover yourself. Continue to document the event, CC your boss for any e-mails that you're sending to the manager.
#2 Review your company's policy about Sexual Harrassment. The rules for sexual harassment cover a lot more than sex (e.g., Hostile environment)> If you can't find a company policy, check with your State government's website.
#3 Try to limit your contact with this person. Make a request to your boss that you have difficulty working with this Senior Manager.
#4 Decide if you really want to work for a company that will not support ALL of their employees.
#5 Good Luck

 

[casseopeia]

I had originally included that, but took it out of my OP. Two months ago I went to HR saying that I thought this person had a medical issue and possibly had experienced a TIA (mini stroke) based on my experience with my own mother. I volunteered to take some of his work load and was given one of his projects. To maintain the Senior PM's dignity, he was told I was going to 'help out.' I was told to take it over as much as possible, but keep the Senior PM in the loop. I did that, but the Senior PM thought I was overstepping my role and caused a huge rukus, sending a highly insulting email about my lack of respect, lack of following company protocol, etc. This lead to numerous closed door meetings and bad feelings all around. I never revealed the medical issue discussion in any of these meetings but I did produce printouts of emails back and forth that documented that I had kept him in the loop at every step.

He tried to deny that he had seen the emails, but I countered that he had in fact responded to the emails. The problem is that he did not address any technical issues and instead launched into a personal attack. That was when I was told by HR that I should be flexible and understand that some people work differently and that the Senior PM does not like emails and to give him a hard copy. I said I did and showed an email requesting his review on a hard copy I had put on his desk. He then claimed he gave me the hard copy. He hadn't and there was ample evidence he had not, so then the argument was that I should know he gets busy and forgetful and that it was my duty to bird dog him until he got his review done. My argument back is that I was not about to excuse myself from a meeting with a Client on site to make sure he got his work done.

I'm usually fairly easy going, but this has gotten so heated I think there is permanent damage to a working relationship. It's partly my fault. I felt hopeless and out numbered. The company accountant said she could hear much of the last meeting and thought it was one of the most entertaining she's heard in awhile. She liked my "I will not let you turn me into a scapegoat by changing the protocol to suit your needs" and "if I wanted to hold someone's peepee while they made tinkle, I would have become a daycare provider" as two of my better comebacks. The thing is, it did not diffuse the issue.

"Gorgeous hair is the best revenge." Ivana Trump

 

[jmw]

Are you entitled to see your own personnel file in the US? You are in the UK. If so you may need to see what is written there after your earlier attempts to do something. I don't know whether you can have your complaints documented somewhere so the company cannot later say they knew nothing about any problems...

Re-reading:

I have been told because he is an old man, that it is my duty to make sure he is doing his job,...

this is by management?
If so then they know what the problem is.
You definitely should not therefore have to defend yourself but it suggests that this being so they are not prepared to officially acknowledge or document any problems and certainly not honestly.
There is no "most likely" about it Cass, be very earnest in your search for a new job.

JMW

http://www.ViscoAnalyser.com

 

[mauricestoker]

Maybe you could alter your behavior to make him hide from you. Stuttering five minutes to say hello may work, if faking Tourette's is too far over the top (which would probably eliminate eating cabbage soup with egg salad sandwiches before paying a social visit). Start mouthing words when he is just in ear shot to make him think he's losing his hearing. Give him the Grandpa Simpson treatment a few times, that's my personal favorite (state something evocative, then rapidly go off on a tangent to an unending stream of pointless and boring stories, though that might not work on people Grandpa Simpson's age). Find out what irks him and you can make him go away. Any time he asks you a question, say "Depends", then follow with a joke about old people and incontinence. Buy him astronaut pants as a gag. Bring out a really stupid idea, then keep enforcing it with "remember when you suggested that, good idea".

If the usual fails, then maybe get more drastic, like NAMBLA bumper stickers on his car. After 70 years, people don't change real quick, no one else seems to notice a problem that can fix it, so get a few laughs before you head out the door.

 

[cvg]

sounds very much like the early signs of Alzheimers

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/alzheimers-disease/DS00161/DSECTION=symptoms

 

[jmw]

Maurice, the only trouble is he is a manager. You can't risk playing games with people like this because they are likely to lower the boom on you before you have somewhere nice to go to lined up.


JMW

http://www.ViscoAnalyser.com

 

[casseopeia]

mauricestoker, do no encourage bad behavior. I already have to work at curbing that stuff. The only 'mean' thing I've done is keep the theme music from the Twilight Zone playing on my laptop and unplugging the earphones (so it plays through the speakers) as Mr. Senior PM walks by. But you better believe I am making a few mental notes of your suggestions for future use.

"Gorgeous hair is the best revenge." Ivana Trump

 

[TheTick]

Young @$$holes eventually become old @$$holes, if they live long enough.

 

[jmw]

Of course, if he claims to forget things, start doing things for him he didn't ask for .... if its a scam he can hardly claim to remember not asking for stuff when he happily claims not to not remember other stuff he genuinely asked for and should remember.

On the other hand, if it isn't scam, and its your word against his, you have a great way to exaggerate his problem to management.
This is the justification. He gets help early rather than later.

Either way, he is in no position to deny it.

All you have to do now is think of suitable "tasks" to do for him. A new company car for you won't get by I'm afraid, but re-doing (or claiming to have redone) lots of drawings (you just change the date and issue number and something safe into something questionable so long as it takes no real time) for example will only set the company back your time....I'm pretty sure that with some imagination you can work this to perfection.
You can always try it once and if it doesn't fly, put it down to a misunderstanding.

Note, you don't want to actually do any extra work, just appear to. Management won't know what's been done nor how long it really took.
Plus, if you then have to do the work again to correct thee mistakes, you just revert to the earlier drawing, with a new date and issue number, and make them wait for it.
This gives you plenty of explainable computer time looking for a new job.

JMW

http://www.ViscoAnalyser.com

 

[FACS]

You know, I had a similar situation so I left. Not long after, the problem retired. Then I was sorry I didn't stick it out.

Remember it's a temporary situation. Those that act accordingly will benefit the most. By that I mean, mind your manners, do your job well and be patient.

That's only if he is the ONLY problem. So think about it.



Charlie

http://www.facsco.com

 

[FSS]

Run, and don't walk, for the door and leave. Money can't be a consideration here, your well being comes first. Just think of all the mental strain you have here. Flipping burgers on an 80-hour work week in the hot summer sun would be better for your health (and yes I flipped plenty during my earlier days).

I once worked for a similar sounding manager (although not as bad as your issues). I called in sick more times in that one year than the rest of my 20+ years combined. And that was from real illness. The stress / anguish can just eat you up without you noticing.

Learn your lesson and move on.

 

[mauricestoker]

You're probably right Cass, but I think TheTick has already zeroed in on the issue. I used to be a young a-hole, now I'm older.

If it's worth the effort, getting the best of bad managers can be lots of fun. I'm rather lucky, in a way, where I'm at, because I hired most of the upper management while I was a Bad Manager, then went back to being an engineer. I was having too much fun with Bad Management toys, like the perpetual sanitary vent inspection used for Bad Engineers. Bad Managers need to be weeded out, just like Bad Engineers, or go back to what they were best at. Good Engneers need to be supported and protected from Bad Managers, which is much of what I did as a Bad Manager.

I'm having lots of fun with one middle manager now, Buffalo Bob. I didn't hire him, but two of the upper management that I hired did. One of his first acts was to blast me for bad engineering economics and design. Five months later, when project is finished early and on budget and beats performance requirements, Buffalo Bob goes to the job site to have his picture taken to show the good work he is doing. Job started years earlier, back when I was leaving Bad Manager position to do this particular job (because it was the most fun mechanical engineering job available, as "senior" I have right of first refusal on most projects)and hiring my replacement. Buffalo Bob shows off his accomplishment to his managers. His managers ask me if it bothers me he's taking credit for my work. I really don't care about credit as long as the paycheck clears, and decide to give him even more credit. I discuss a potential project with him, which was discarded in favor of the one he just took credit for (primarily for engineering economics), and Buffalo Bob runs back to same management to show his brillaince. The laughter was still going on when he left the front office. He no longer stops by the office, and when he does I like to play the excerpt from Joe Dirt where Buffalo Bob gets arrested, or just play "Buffalo Girl".

Along with lowered expectations, if someone is going to be hurt, I'm not going to be the last one. One small step above the "pictures with farm animals" method, but it has worked for me.

 

[MacGyverS2000]

Sounds like a junior engineer has not learned to respect a senior engineer...









;-)
Sorry, Cass, I couldn't resist, given one of the earlier threads...

Dan - Owner

http://www.Hi-TecDesigns.com

 

[MikeHalloran]

I had a Bad Bad Manager sort of like that once.
He wasn't old, but he was crazy.
The company was an ESOP, and he must have taken a big piece of it; it was apparent that they couldn't get rid of him.
I was happy to leave.

I'm not seeing any upside whatsoever to you staying where you are, Cass.


Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA

 

[lacajun]

I had a similar situation with not one but a gang of five men and management did nothing substantial to correct the issue. I worked really hard to right the ship but it was not going to happen. These men were young thus not likely to leave.

Management was ineffective even after I backed them into a corner. BTW, the same corner I had been backed into through their ineffectiveness in handling those five men. They responded with platitudes and intentions. I waited to see their plans unfold.

Their plan was teamwork training and that was it. I learned the first day the two main problem children had been two and three times prior. The instructor remembered them and brought the subject up! The instructor sized up the crowd immediately and accurately zeroed in on the political relationships. In talking with him, it became obvious that he knew I was the real target for those five men. I was their target for a lot of reasons one being management's ineptitude in handling them initially and over the long haul.

I began looking for another job and continued to do my best for them, which included correcting mistakes on hundreds of drawings subversively created by one of those five. If I hadn't, the project would have fallen behind because those were construction drawings. If management cannot make the hard decisions about bad employees, they are not qualified to make good decisions about me.

They've shifted those men around often but they are still there. Shifting them around indicates there are problems to this day, which is exactly what I would anticipate.

 

[MintJulep]

If helping him isn't helping you then stop helping him.

If you need something reviewed send it to him. If a review doesn't come back, do nothing further.

If someone asks "where is that thing?" reply via e-mail that "I'm waiting for BM's review." Copy BM.

In your new found free time, look for a new job.

 

[jmw]

I guess since you used up your reserves looking for this job and had to take a cut in pay to get it, it is really like getting the black marble all over again to face this situation and I guess you really don't have the luxury of quitting or risking being fired without you find a new job.
You really need to be looking and you really don't want to have to take whatever comes so your objective has to be to survive long enough so that you can find a good job that not just gets you out of there but lets you also claw back some of the distance lost from the last job.
I'm afraid that means sucking it up as best you can for a while.

JMW

http://www.ViscoAnalyser.com