Don't Let A Bad Manager Wreck Your Career
As anyone who has worked for even a short time knows, the
list of career hazards is extensive and loaded with potential trouble. One of
the worst of these is a "bad' manager. A manager who doesn't support you
at all or one who micro-manages your day in 15 minute increments. One who
barely communicates and when he or she does, it is only to give negative
feedback. One who doesn't share information and then blames you for making the
wrong decision.
Sound familiar? Of course it does because most of us have
had at least one "manager from hell" in our careers. Here are some
suggestions for what you can do if your manager resembles the "pointy
haired boss" from the Dilbert cartoon strip.
First, analyze what you like and don't like about the way
your manager manages and note how this affects your work performance. The first
key to solving the problem, if it can be solved, is to get away from
generalizations and down to specifics of behavior.
Next, examine your own expectations. Are you asking your
manager to be something he or she is not and can't be? It is a common tendency
to ascribe superior characteristics to those who rank above us in a hierarchy.
But becoming a manager does not turn a person into an all-powerful, all-knowing
demi-god and if that's what we want, we are bound to be disappointed. Managers
remain completely human even after their promotions with a human mix of
strengths and weaknesses.
Also evaluate your own behaviors and take responsibility
for anything you may be doing to provoke the negative (to you) managerial
response you are getting. I once had a client who complained that her manager
avoided her. In truth, however, my client was a highly independent worker who
valued her autonomy and the manager was just being over-respectful of this characteristic.
All too often, we, as employees play "read my mind" with our managers
instead of taking the initiative to communicate with them.
In an ideal world, only those people with a deep
understanding of human nature and a natural preference for leading them would
be promoted to management positions. In the actual world, at least in my
experience, managerial promotions are just as likely to be based on such
criteria as seniority, level of technical knowledge, desire for advancement or
political factors. The net consequence of this is that many people who become
managers have neither a real aptitude nor a real interest. They may not like
managing and they may not know how to do it. Unfortunately, the result may be
that you have to to initiate some protective measures to ensure your career
doesn't go down in flames because your manager can't manage.
Specifically, you should document all instances where
poor management is affecting your job performance. Keep copies of emails,
memos, meeting summaries, etc. If push does come to shove, you want to be able
to demonstrate that a pattern of mismanagement has contributed to the problems
you're having. You also want to be able to document what steps you pro actively
took to try to improve the situation and what resulted from your efforts.
You should also make sure that you maintain relationships
and visibility with your manager's peers. If you do decide to leave your job,
you will need a reference from a manager who knows and respects your work.
Plus, maintaining such relationships can help you get the positive feedback you
may not be getting from your own manager.
Finally, pro actively manage your career, in good times
and bad. In particular, don't wait passively until the situation is desperate
and you feel backed into a corner. Make your best effort to change what you
can, but also recognize your limitations and the limitations of the situation.
Realize when the best option is to move on and take that step voluntarily
because ultimately your goal should always be to maintain control over your own
career destiny.
