Would you be annoyed if your deputy did this- I'm fuming!

[Terfmeout]

I have a deputy manager who is quite new in post. He's doing okay but is very ambitious (great) but sometimes a bit cavalier about some of the steps he will need to take on the way up.

I've let him know this but also given positive feedback where warranted and arranged for him to assist in a project he was particularly interested in that wouldn't otherwise have come his way.

On Friday he sent an email to our department strongly urging staff to get involved in a project another manager from another department is trying to get off the ground. he said he'd done xxx and other manager would appreciate volunteers. He CC'd in the other manager like he's our line manager FFS. He's not, he's the same level as me. Deputy had not discussed it with me at all and I feel it's massively over stepping the mark. Staff will see it as an order, or be confused and I don't particularly want them involved in this project as we have our own stuff to be doing. Other manager is favoured by upper management, but that's not the point and I feel deputy should remember who his boss actually is.

I want to have words to that effect tomorrow, but is it just me who would feel this way?

You are his Line Manager so you should define the limits of his responsibilities and clearly define for him when he should report to you about any intended action.

I agree, Terf, he may be using the word "volunteers" but your staff are going to assume that they need to help out with this other project. Your department's work must come first and it's up to the line managers (you and the other line manager) to discuss whether your teams can help each other out.

If your deputy has a bright idea, he definitely needs to bring it to you first before mentioning it to the rest of the staff.

I'd be nice about it, say you think it's great for teams to help each other out, but he needs to discuss any future ideas with you first/always keep you in the loop. I'd make it a friendly chat and then follow it up with an e-mail reiterating what you've said to him.

If he tries bypassing you again, you then have written proof that you specifically asked him not to.

Yes it is annoying. Be passive aggressive about this - let you team know that they need to prioritise your work first and keep them accountable for that.

You can let your deputy know that you appreciate his initiative and support the cross department project but he needs to check with you first so that you dont come across as disjointed to the team.