New Boss is an Arrogant Know-It-All 6

[MadDogMcDurmott]

Hi All,

My new boss is younger that me, has less experience, and has the biggest chip on his shoulder. What do you do in this situation?

Mad Dog McDurmott

 

[Ashereng]

Nothing.

Why?

"Do not worry about your problems with mathematics, I assure you mine are far greater."
Albert Einstein
Have you read FAQ731-376 to make the best use of Eng-Tips Forums?

 

[MadMango]

It's been my experience that people give those types of people all the rope they need to hang themselves, and within 12-18 months you'll get a new boss. Of course getting the department/company upright and productive/profitable again is a topic for another thread.

[green]"Art without engineering is dreaming; Engineering without art is calculating."[/green]
Steven K. Roberts, Technomad
Have you read faq731-376 to make the best use of Eng-Tips Forums?

 

[fndn]

If you were bypassed for that position, look for a new job.

 

[zdas04]

What's remarkable about that? Aren't all bosses like that?

The real question is "how does the chip manifist itself on his sholder"? Does he belittle staff to pump himself up? If so, get HR to sit in on staff meetings.

If he is smart enough to just push you around more or less in private, use the technique we used to call the "cotton covered rock". In short, yeild on all the small points, don't appear to resist the important stuff but don't budge either. When he asks you to do something stupid, just go off and start doing it, at the top of your priority list and don't worry about "important" deadlines (if the company is stupid enough to put this guy into your life how can their priorities be important?).

And if it sucks too much Oil & Gas is always looking for a few thousand good engineers.

David

 

[GregLocock]

McDurmott, stop goofing around on the internet, get back to work, and do it the way I told you.

Sincerely

Your Boss.

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

GREG!!! You really DO have a sense of humour.




Helpful SW websites FAQ559-520
How to get answers to your SW questions FAQ559-1091

 

[ctopher]

Greg,
Stop goofing around on the internet, get back to work, and do it the way I told YOU.

Sincerely

YOUR Boss

Chris
Systems Analyst, I.S.
SolidWorks/PDMWorks 05
AutoCAD 06
ctopher's home site (updated 06-21-05)
FAQ559-1100
FAQ559-716

 

[epoisses]

Why should the boss be the oldest and most experienced person? Wouldn't it be a pity to take the real work out of the hands of the most experienced guy and let him manage the team instead?
Just give your boss some time, he may turn out not to be as hopeless as you thought.

 

[SomptingGuy]

I take it this is an example of the "Bungee Boss" first mentioned in a Dilbert strip, c. 1994?

 

[jmw]

Mad Dog,
how long have you had him?
Is this his first management role?
Maybe he is just a bit nervous in his new position; some one probably told him to "go in there, show 'em who's boss and don't take any bull***t." which means he comes across as arogant and a jerk.

Why don't you see how he "matures"...

You can always get rid of him later.


JMW

http://www.ViscoAnalyser.com

 

[MedicineEng]

What are you all doing, palying around in the internet??
GO BACK ALL TO WORK NO

http://WWWWW!!!

McDurmott:
To the punishment room for distracting the others.

BIG BOSS

 

[geoffthehammer]

I'ma stockholder/shareholder in your company. Is this internet goofing the reason why my annual dividend was so low. I'm going to write to your boss!!

 

[ewh]

By the way, we're going to have to move your desk down to the basement.

 

[tygerdawg]

Years ago there was a wonderfully insightful article in Machine Design magazine entitled "How To Sack Your Boss". It was tongue in cheek, directed towards managers. It described the passive-aggressive tactics used by employees to retaliate against bad boss behavior. In summary, it stated that bosses need employees and their support to keep from stepping in the glops of manure that inevitiably occur in a managerial position. If the employees are reluctant to provide accurate, complete, timely info to the boss, adivse of upcoming trouble, and so on, then ultimately the boss won't be very successful running his department and will either leave or be replaced (ummm...generally, that is). Over the years, I have seen this actually happen. The challenge for the employee is to try to outlast the situation without grinding your teeth down to nubs or causing yourself heart trouble.

But if the boss is genuinely abusive in a work environment, then you should complain about the **behavior** to the HR department (if it exists) in a professional manner. My experience is that tactic works very well, too.

I suppose that the bottom line is that we are all weak and stupid humans and we should try to deal with each other in a good way as much as possible. That goes for bosses and employees.

TygerDawg

 

[ziggi]

"I told them, I said, if they move my desk one more time....I'll, I'll, I'll burn the place down"

Ahhh I love that movie

 

[whyun]

Milton Waddams: The ratio of people to cake is too big.

 

[CSLufkin]

Now Milton.....Just pass

 

[UcfSE]

Don't jump to conclusions, even if you have a mat for it.

Your boss may be nervous or trying to put up a good front, or he might just be exactly what he seems. Time will tell. All you can do is the best you can with what you have, and don't take crap that you don't deserve.

 

[GregLocock]

"My new boss is younger that me,"

Shouldn't be a problem


" has less experience,"

yes, younger people are like that

" and has the biggest chip on his shoulder."

about what?

Cheers

Greg Locock

Please see FAQ731-376 for tips on how to make the best use of Eng-Tips.