Remind yourself poor manager could be a lot worse
The head of our department is not a good manager. “Dave” has a short attention span, so our attempts to communicate with him, both verbal and written, often go nowhere.
For example, we have tried to advise Dave about problems with the administrative staff. Our clerical employees ignore proper procedures and show little concern for deadlines. When we come to them with urgent needs, they often refuse to help. Dave has never taken steps to address these issues.
Because Dave is such a poor communicator, we seldom receive information about business developments or organizational changes. He plays favorites with training opportunities, sending some employees to workshops while overlooking others.
Dave’s lack of leadership is frustrating, but complaining to upper management would create even more problems. Should we just bite the bullet and carry on?
When dealing with mediocre managers, it’s easy to see only their exasperating flaws. Unfortunately, however, the resulting irritation can drive the relationship into a downward spiral. So despite Dave’s frustrating inadequacies, keep reminding yourself that he could be a lot worse.
One way to make progress is to identify those issues that you may be able to influence. To obtain more information, for example, the group could suggest adding business updates to the staff meeting agenda. To equalize educational opportunities, each person might create a development plan that includes training requests.
On the other hand, addressing performance problems is clearly a management responsibility. To motivate Dave to act, you must connect the clerical shortcomings to something he views as important — department goals, customer service, upper management perceptions or whatever matters to him.
For example: “We’re afraid the vice president may be developing a negative opinion of our group. When she has last-minute requests, we frequently can’t meet them because the clerical staff refuses to help. Since they won’t listen to us, could you talk with them about this problem?”
Compensating for the deficiencies of an ineffectual boss requires a lot of effort, so perhaps this sounds like too much work. If so, then “bite the bullet and carry on” is always another option.
Some people want to avoid performance reviews, but I’m actually trying to get one. I clearly deserve a raise this year, and you can’t get a raise without a performance evaluation. The supervisor was supposed to complete our annual reviews three weeks ago, but he keeps putting them off. When I’ve asked about it, he replies that he’ll get around to them eventually. How can I make this happen?
If pay increases are tied to appraisals, then this process is definitely “owned” by someone, probably human resources. So if your HR manager is a helpful sort, perhaps you can explain your dilemma and request a favor.
For example: “I’ve been looking forward to my performance review because I’m likely to get a raise this year. So far, my supervisor hasn’t done them for our group. Could you remind him about the deadline without mentioning my name?”
Getting managers to complete appraisals can be like pulling teeth, so your HR folks may already be tracking a large group of stragglers. With any luck, this request will move your boss to the top of that list.