You Must Be Proactive

Situation:

My boss has never seen a deadline he respects. He leaves critical requests for reports lying on his desk until just before the deadline, then hands them to me to complete. His correspondence and voicemail are backed up for weeks and then there is always a crisis because of it. I can help but he doesn't trust me to take care of anything. I take the heat when people phone and try to get their answers through me. But when I have tried to get him to make a decision, he blows up at me. I'd look for another job but I believe he's convinced everyone that MY incompetence is the cause of his not meeting deadlines. I'm afraid I wouldn't get much of a recommendation from anyone now if I did look for another position. Help! I feel trapped and ready to check into the local psychiatric hospital!

HR TIP:

You are definitely in a danger zone, not only for your career but also for your health. Although your boss will eventually be exposed as incompetent, it may not be in time to save your reputation. You must be proactive. Consider the following strategies to gain control of the situation:

1. Start documenting everything. Keep a log of the date requests are made, the date they require action, and when you are given them to deal with. Date-stamp all letters and memos when they come into his office, and place them in file folders with due dates clearly marked. Keep a diary of the dates and the gist of your interactions with your boss in which you ask for a decision and he procrastinates or blows up at you.

2. Without complaining or badmouthing your boss, ask others at your level in the organization for tips on how they organize their bosses, at the same time sharing what you have tried. This is a backup strategy to make sure the office grapevine knows you are not solely responsible for the missed deadlines.

3. Calmly confront your boss and tell him why you feel frustrated and unable to help him adequately. Use the tried and true assertiveness formula: Behaviour, Effect on you, Consequences, Proposed solution, and Feedback. It might go something like this:

Mr. Brown, yesterday when you handed me the X report to fill out, I noticed it was due last week and that it would take me at least two days to gather all the information for it. This is not the first time you've put me in that situation (perhaps describe another, painful one briefly).. When you do that, some people blame me for getting the report in late and it puts me under a lot of stress. I've been so stressed at times that I couldn't come into work the next day. And then your work falls even further behind. I'd like to help you meet the deadlines and I'm afraid we both look bad when this type of situation happens. I'd like to propose a solution that would help us both (describe it). Do you have any suggestions? Would you like time to think it over?

4. If all else fails, go to your boss' supervisor and ask for a transfer, explaining your dilemma without whining, just citing incompatible work styles. Take in your logs and diary as proof that YOU are an organized person. This is a last resort, but better than losing your and your sanity.

Carol Beatty
Queens University

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