2 bosses who don’t care for each other

Q: I seem to be caught between two high-level managers who really don’t like each other. One is a director, the other is a vice president, and I am an assistant to both. Whenever the director stops by my desk to chat, she makes critical remarks about the VP.

The VP doesn’t talk about the director, but he often forwards her emails with a comment like “Isn’t this ridiculous?” I usually just respond with an LOL, but I’m not sure if that’s appropriate. How can I handle this so that I get along with both of them and keep my job?

A: How sad that these childish executives have trapped you in the middle of their silly spat. But since you’re not in a position to correct their conduct, you must master the art of being responsive without taking sides.

Your VP’s snarky emails are the easier task, because it’s probably safe to ignore them. When he shoots off these caustic little messages, odds are that he doesn’t expect a reply.

The director’s conversational zingers present a greater challenge. While you needn’t reply to every comment, remaining silent will sometimes seem rude. In those instances, just acknowledge the remark with a brief, neutral response, and then change the subject.

Let’s say, for example, that the director criticizes a presentation made by the vice president. You might simply say “Well, that’s interesting. By the way, I need to ask you about this expense report.”

Should either of these juvenile managers push you to take a stand, calmly point out that your job is to assist both of them to the best of your ability. Perhaps that will encourage them to reflect on their behavior.