Expected to start teams meetings?

Middle-millennial here, before anyone starts with the ridiculous generational tripe.

Your manager has said nothing unreasonable. You’ve just started a new job and need to make it a priority to be on the call and available at the scheduled start of meetings, especially meetings with someone more senior. You’ve also completely invented this idea that he was sitting there staring at his screen doing nothing instead of trying to wrap up a previous meeting (formal or informal) or squeezing in another task.

The word boss hasn’t gone away, neither has the word junior when discussing organizational/management structure. And nor has the expectation that the higher up in you get in an organization the more valuable your time is… that’s why the org pays you more for that time. This wasn’t a power play or meanness or whatever, it was a straightforward communication of expectations in this workplace to a new employee from the primary person in charge of communicating those expectations. Be in teams meetings on time and if the other party isn’t ready you can mute and keep working or checking email while you wait.

Posts on AIBU.
gets told YABU
argues with everyone saying YABU.

🤦‍♀️

Goodness. How dramatic. Its 'icky' and 'gross'? The guys her manager not a first date who picked his nose over dinner.

But it's another workplace's culture, so you just do whatever they ask and see if they prove annoyingly hierarchical in other ways, and if they are you look for a better job

It's basically this, isn't it.

Such a small issue to be worked up about and, if it proves to be symptomatic of a wider one then off you trot. In the meantime, it's also an easy thing to do so I'd so it whilst I was figuring out the lay of the land, at least.

Sorry OP, but I think YABU. You always join the Teams meeting at the start time, and wait for others to join.
You're assuming he's sat there waiting for you to start it (he's probably busy doing other things at the same time)
You're assuming it's a power play (it's most unlikely)
You've asked for opinions and because you don't like them you're twisting the narrative.

Dear God

Did you read the reasons you were given?

What was the point of this thread?

How do you know he isn't already on a teams meeting? OP says he has back to back meetings throughout the day?

If he's already in a meeting and it is running on, there's no point him leaving that one to sit waiting for OP who isn't ready yet.. he obviously realised after 5 minutes that she didn't know to start it.

His time is obviously in demand, so it makes sense to get people who have no such time constraint (of meetings) to let him know when they are ready so he can go seamlessly between the two.

If your manager is telling you to start the meeting, then if you don't want to annoy him, just start the meeting. Some things at work are worth reflecting on whether they're right or wrong and questioning if necessary. This really isn't one of them.

Plenty of people over 60 (boomers as you so pleasantly put it) are still in work.

I get it OP, and sometimes do the same if I'm meeting with a senior person. It's a 1:1, it can happen any time, you let them finish whatever their call is because it's probably more important. I don't want to ping up on their screen that I've started a 1:1 in the middle of them having an important discussion with the CEO or something. If we were both in the office I wouldn't knock on the door of the meeting room, I'd go back to my desk and keep an eye out for when they're actually free.

Different if it's another scheduled meeting maybe, but a 1:1 is trumped by anything.

But it's another workplace's culture, so you just do whatever they ask and see if they prove annoyingly hierarchical in other ways, and if they are you look for a better job.

Interesting AIBU reads mostly like my Facebook local community page which is most Victor Meldrew types

No one here can give an insight into your workplace culture, unfortunately. Your manager may well have a reason they don't "start" the meetings, which none of us are privvy to. Or they may not. Regardless, they've asked you to make sure you start the meetings, so I'd personally just let this one go. It's annoying if you thought you were doing the logical thing, but obviously your manager has a different approach they prefer. You've been given a clear, explicit expectation from your boss. Pick your battles OP, and take the easy win here 🙂

@surrpundedby OP, with all due respect you are a 'newbie' in the job / at the company whatever you've done before.

Of course you join the meeting at the set time. Doesn't matter if boss is a few minutes late every time. You still join on time, especially when you've just joined!!

I do worry about about your general attitude reading your posts. Have you ever been pulled up on lack of initiative or lost a job in the past? Or are you recently graduated and the world of work is new to you?

Is there a sudden shortage of arguments in the real world?

Is that why so many OPs seem to come here looking for one?

I just join a meeting when the start time is, occasionally I may be late but I usually message on teams saying coming/stuck on another meeting etc …have never thought about who started it or waiting for someone too.

Odd on both accounts him waiting and you waiting….& I’ve never heard the junior member to start it!

100%

also going to mumsnet so early in a work relationship to validate a stupid power tussle with a boss who has better things to think about = red flag

oh but of course, they’re so busy reading irrelevant training manuals (despite being able to thread sit an 8 page thread)

Unless I’ve had a message that someone is running late, I join the meeting at the required time. If they’ve sent me a message I’ll usually reply to let me know when they’re ready and join then. I don’t know why you would expect other meetings to overrun and just wait around for yours to begin

Same. Nowhere near a boomer either.

I am very much not a boomer, and work full time in a professional role.

I always aim to dial into calls on time, unless I am delayed for some reason. In those instances I will usually message the meeting chat to flag that I'll be a little late.

His time is more valuable than yours, because he is more senior and paid more.. He doesn’t want to waste time dialling in if you’re not available or late for whatever reason perhaps he would have continued his previous meeting. You need to log in when you’re ready and he will join when he is ready

Lordy! What a nightmare. This reminds me when I run my own business and don't have to manage anyone.

Good luck OP.

We're now 8 pages in so clearly it is a drama and a problem

No, this manager is reacting to the OP's general attitude, there will be a much bigger picture here.

Are you sure about that? The fact that he said "are you joining?" heavily implies that he was already in the meeting, waiting for you to join.

You could easily have missed the alert on your screen, but you don't seem to acknowledge this.

Also, if you think this is a power play - what exactly were you doing, if not also a power play? You were sat there, not doing anything urgent, knowing you had a meeting scheduled, but not dialling into it.