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Question for managers and bosses of OT
Posted on 7/31/15 at 2:37 pm
Posted on 7/31/15 at 2:37 pm
I'm currently a retail supervisor (sucks, I know) but I have a manager above me who is a complete airhead. Nice guy, but absolutely terrible at his job. He knows what feels like next to nothing about our department, is constantly asking me question after question about the department and it's stuff I'd imagine a manager should know. The other major problem is that I went ahead and did a project which the store director ended up loving, but my manager took the credit for it. I guess what I'm looking for is what's the best way to deal with these kinds of managers? Should I talk to the store director or just deal with it and move on?
17
Posted on 7/31/15 at 2:38 pm to xxKylexx
work hard and take his spot
Posted on 7/31/15 at 2:39 pm to xxKylexx
frick his wife and steal his house and car. Then he'll know you're the alpha in the office and he can up the beta roll you currently occupy.
Posted on 7/31/15 at 2:39 pm to xxKylexx
frick his wife and unseat his position then fire him and marry his wife.
Posted on 7/31/15 at 2:41 pm to xxKylexx
This job is going to get worse before it gets better. Best thing to do is probably arson. Just burn the place to the ground.
Posted on 7/31/15 at 2:42 pm to xxKylexx
quote:
I'm currently a retail supervisor (sucks, I know) but I have a manager above me who is a complete airhead. Nice guy, but absolutely terrible at his job. He knows what feels like next to nothing about our department, is constantly asking me question after question about the department and it's stuff I'd imagine a manager should know. The other major problem is that I went ahead and did a project which the store director ended up loving, but my manager took the credit for it. I guess what I'm looking for is what's the best way to deal with these kinds of managers? Should I talk to the store director or just deal with it and move on?
If you talk to the director, it will almost certainly work out poorly for you.
I have some advice. I'm being sincere here.
Rather than think about this manager's incompetence, take it upon yourself to make him better? Why? Because it's your job? Nope. It most certainly is NOT your job to make him better.
But, I can tell you this from many years of experience. If you take my advice, it won't work out in your favor every time. But, over the course of your life, it will A LOT more often than it won't.
The bottom line is, good organizations want people who try to make the ORGANIZATION better. And, while I've found that junior people rarely believe it, it's pretty darned common that those of us higher up the food chain know when a guy is kind of skating by and a great underling is carrying him.
Posted on 7/31/15 at 2:43 pm to xxKylexx
90% of people think they are better than their boss at his job. Most of them are wrong.
Posted on 7/31/15 at 2:44 pm to ShortyRob
Thank you, that actually makes a lot of sense and gives me some hope.
Posted on 7/31/15 at 2:45 pm to xxKylexx
Hide his stapler in a jello mold.
Posted on 7/31/15 at 2:47 pm to xxKylexx
quote:
gives me some hope.
Pft....
Let me tell you something my friend. Hope is a dangerous thing. Hope can drive a man insane.
Posted on 7/31/15 at 2:47 pm to WDE24
quote:
90% of people think they are better than their boss at his job. Most of them are wrong.
Well when "90%" of anyone claim to be something, I'd imagine you'd have a lot of them that are wrong. Is that even an accurate number? I mean, seriously are you just spitting that shite out because you wanna "stick it to me" or what?
Posted on 7/31/15 at 2:47 pm to ShortyRob
quote:
ShortyRob
Terrible advice. I've had a wealth of experience with good managers and bad. I've enjoyed a career as a guy who could move around and learn on the fly and bring different perspectives to the unit I operated in because of the understanding of the moving parts around us I had familiarity with. I also get along with almost everyone I've ever worked with, which I understand is a rarity.
I taught plenty of folks to fish. I always viewed the organization as bigger than any of us or my job, and put our customers and the public first. But do not-EVER-expect to be rewarded for that. There are many ruthless, petty people who will use every single bit of your ability and treat you like an absolute mushroom (feed you shite and keep you in the dark). Some are entrenched. Some hire friends and let them deadhead. Some scapegoat you while your output and quality is attributed elsewhere.
Some are amazing, inspiring or quietly see your worth. You run into all kinds in your work life if you're good and keep moving forward, if not up.
Having that mindset you advocate in those bad situations will have you in the unemployment line when you deserve a promotion, in more instances than you would like to admit.
OP: Try to see take the temperature of your surroundings as best you can. If it's a suboptimal situation, begin to document all of the praise you personally receive. Develop a habit of using your chain of command and abiding by it to document your own work and shortcomings of others when necessary. Protect yourself while learning everything you can and never work afraid by not doing what's right.
After all this, keep eyes in the back of your head, cultivate relationships in your organization that are friendly and both up and down the food chain.
Above all else, know that no one is at work looking out for you except for you. If you are blessed to work with the goals of the company's best interest at heart, recognize how few people are blessed similarly. Which means most are working with their own goals and best interest in mind, which may not and often don't match your own.
This post was edited on 7/31/15 at 3:05 pm
Posted on 7/31/15 at 2:48 pm to xxKylexx
quote:
constantly asking me question after question about the department and it's stuff I'd imagine a manager should know
Or he just wants to know your viewpoint or how much you actually know.
quote:
I went ahead and did a project which the store director ended up loving, but my manager took the credit for it.
I'd like to know his opinion of what happened.
quote:
I guess what I'm looking for is what's the best way to deal with these kinds of managers?
Be a man and talk to them directly.
quote:
Should I talk to the store director
And sound like a whiner complainer about a superior? If you're all that, you will get noticed.
Posted on 7/31/15 at 2:48 pm to xxKylexx
A good manager, coach, leader, etc surrounds himself with people that are as smart or smarter than himself if the option is there.
You sound like a great employee, he sounds like an asset as well, because he either hired a good employee like yourself or has done enough to keep you on board.
A managers main function is to get the right people in the right place, to the point a store runs itself. Like cruise control on the interstate, he's just there to keep the car going straight, the parts under the hood are doing all the work.
I wouldn't go over his head and whine about how much better you are than him, insubordination isn't necessarily a redeeming quality. Just keep up the good work and it will be noticed. Nothing is preventing you from filling out applications elsewhere to be in a position of more authority
I manage a branch for a Fortune 500 company. Obviously just managing a branch in a company that size means I am way, way down the ladder, but I have 12 direct reports and we have a large customer base. I have daily tasks to complete, yes...but my main job is to make sure everyone under me is doing their job. It sounds like your boss is doing a good job at that, which should in turn mean the store is succeeding
You sound like a great employee, he sounds like an asset as well, because he either hired a good employee like yourself or has done enough to keep you on board.
A managers main function is to get the right people in the right place, to the point a store runs itself. Like cruise control on the interstate, he's just there to keep the car going straight, the parts under the hood are doing all the work.
I wouldn't go over his head and whine about how much better you are than him, insubordination isn't necessarily a redeeming quality. Just keep up the good work and it will be noticed. Nothing is preventing you from filling out applications elsewhere to be in a position of more authority
I manage a branch for a Fortune 500 company. Obviously just managing a branch in a company that size means I am way, way down the ladder, but I have 12 direct reports and we have a large customer base. I have daily tasks to complete, yes...but my main job is to make sure everyone under me is doing their job. It sounds like your boss is doing a good job at that, which should in turn mean the store is succeeding
This post was edited on 7/31/15 at 2:54 pm
Posted on 7/31/15 at 2:48 pm to xxKylexx
quote:70% of statistics you read on the Internet are made up.
Is that even an accurate number?
Posted on 7/31/15 at 2:50 pm to Riseupfromtherubble
quote:
A good manager, coach, leader, etc surrounds himself with people that are as smart or smarter than himself if the option is there.
You sound like a great employee, he sounds like an asset as well, because he either hired a good employee like yourself or has done enough to keep you on board.
A managers main function is to get the right people in the right place, to the point a store runs itself. Like cruise control on the interstate, he's just there to keep the car going straight, the parts under the hood are doing all the work.
Hmm, never thought of it like that. Albeit he wasn't my hiring manager, that's still a really good POV. This is why I come to OT
Posted on 7/31/15 at 2:51 pm to xxKylexx
quote:
Thank you, that actually makes a lot of sense and gives me some hope.
Here's another thing to think about.
I don't know your manager, but, you didn't say anything negative about how that person treats you, so, I'm going to assume that while you think he's incompetent, he isn't an arse.
On THIS I can speak from definitive experience. I once had a supervisor who had a surprising lack of knowledge regarding the job in our section.
Someone gave me similar advice to what I gave you. So, I made it my mission to basically carry the dude's water. And, wherever possible, supply him with the knowledge to carry the water the next time.
I don't know had happened in prior years to that guy. Maybe those who promoted him just didn't give a frick. But, that dude absorbed EVERYTHING I did. Within 12 months, he was carrying his own water and kicking arse.
And, while he never officially said, "hey, ShortyRob, thanks".........his actions said it. He helped my career greatly. And, his career went very well too.
Had I chosen to sabotage him instead, I suspect neither of the above would be true.
Posted on 7/31/15 at 2:52 pm to WDE24
quote:
90% of people think they are better than their boss at his job. Most of them are wrong.
Posted on 7/31/15 at 2:53 pm to xxKylexx
Your job is to make your boss look good. Once you are in the other position, you will expect the same from your underlings
Posted on 7/31/15 at 2:53 pm to Riseupfromtherubble
quote:
Riseupfromtherubble
Solid points.
I would add that I ask my subordinates questions ALL THE TIME that I know the answer to.
I mean, I could hold their hand, but I find that they absorb it a lot better when they solve shite using their own brainpower.
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