What do you think?

[Millionairerow]

We acquired another company, more of them than us, so I have a new manager. I used to enjoy a good working relationship with head of dept though I'm not reporting into her. Unfortunately communication is not great and I manage staff but am not in 'team lead' meetings. So I made a suggestion to head of dept (of which we are apparently encouraged to forward ideas) but I suggested a monthly communication us sent to all staff with outputs from these meetings are communicated rather than it being piecemeal. Anyway, got a less than impressed response from her which I feel was uncalled for (so much so my new line manger suggested a 1 to 1 if I was stressed about the response), she said shed communicated x, y and z to everyone (of which I hadn't ie that we were recruiting for new staff, one who would report to me I heard, apparently)- now I'm scared of suggesting anything! I've now Been asked my new line manager to communicate everything through her! I feel really upset the suggestion was taken in the wrong way, but I feel I'm left in the dark. One to ones are regularly cancelled due to workload so I though this would help solve the lack of communication as I feel really in the dark a lot of the time.would you take the hump if a line managee suggested this? How would you approach this.

[MrsMargoLeadbetter]

Struggling a little to follow your post. But think you are saying new Head of Dept asked for ideas, you suggested one, they rejected it and you have now be told by your direct line manager that any communications to Head of Dept needs to go through line manager...?

If you don't feel your suggestion came across as you intended can you talk to the HofD directly? I appreciate you have been told to go through your LM but if you want to find out surely a direct conversation is best?

Or maybe talk to your LM about it? Was the issue the idea (ie they don't see the need) or was it how it was presented?

It could be that "they" (the managers) don't feel there is an issue with communciations. Could other colleagues approach them about it too?

Is there also an element of different cultures at work? Exisiting co v's purchased company?

I would try to understand why it was rejected and continue to suggest things.

[FishWithABicycle]

If you report to a team leader who reports to the HoD, then any skipping of that line will be seen as a bad reflection on your line manager's skills - maybe the implicit criticism is justified but the message will have been blaring loud and clear and so is possibly somewhat tactless.