What is OfficePolitics.com? Real People. Real Problems. Expert Advice.
|
"My
old boss retired (female) and I can't seem to
Dear
Office-Politics, Dear Clueless, A significant change in one's workplace, especially after 32 years, is difficult to adjust to. You don't mention how long it is since your old boss retired, but you may simply need to give this new relationship some more time before it will start to feel healthy and productive. When you are part of a relationship of any sort that is not meeting your needs, or functioning the way you think it should, I advise a three step process. First, talk to the person involved. Make an appointment with your new boss and tell him that you want to talk about your working relationship. Ask for enough time so that it won't be a rushed interview. Start by telling him about your shared commitment to providing good care and that you are hoping to enhance your ability to do that. Then tell him that you have some concerns and you would like his help in addressing them. Try to frame your concerns with "I statements" reporting your own experience and reactions, for instance "When you and your buddies were playing cards in the lunch room for over an hour I felt anxious because I was the only person monitoring the cardiac unit." Try to present the issues as matters that you can work on together. If you feel uncomfortable doing this on your own, then find a neutral third party to facilitate the conversation. Perhaps someone in human resources can help. If neither of these two options works for you, then you need to go up the line and speak to your boss' supervisor. If your comment that the 'game is taking care of the boss' buddies' is well founded, then your boss appears to be misusing his authority and this should be brought to the attention of senior management. Whatever route you take you need to be aware that there is a power imbalance here and your boss can lash out at you if you leave yourself vulnerable. Do what you can to protect yourself (i.e. by getting support from others) but you may need to prepare yourself for your boss to respond by going after your job. I wish you well
in this difficult situation. Dr. John Thank you email
sent by the letter writer 'Clueless' to Dr. John at Office-Politics:
Send your comments
about this article to: ceo AT officepolitics DOT com
|