Is this outrageous behaviour or a massive over reaction on my part?

[ElderAve]

I have a fairly senior position in the public sector.

There are some performance management issues with one of the staff members who isn't my line report but I was asked to pick it up because the big boss wanted to be able to distance himself, for perfectly legitimate reasons relating to something else going on in the organisation. We discussed what needed doing, in line with the policy and he asked me if I'd mind being the bad guy on this occasion.

I was happy to step up and take that responsibility.

I had the meeting and did it exactly as we discussed. Staff member has sent big boss a long email of complaint, with some quite personal criticisms of me, which were actually me doing what the boss asked me to do and also in line with policy.

I'm not upset that he's complained, that goes with the territory, but I am outraged that boss has decided that in hindsight it could have been handled differently and he isn't going to back me. IMO, this leaves me with no credibility to deal with other staff who are my line reports.

I don't expect never to be criticised and consider that I'm actually pretty good at taking constructive criticism but in this case, I did exactly as I was asked/instructed and the plan of action was agreed in advance.

Now boss is going to tell difficult and gossipy staff member that I got it all wrong and he would have handled it differently. I also happen to believe that the original action was correct and would be happy to justify my actions even if I had acted without consulting boss and I'd still expect to be backed. Boss is now going for a much softer line which bears no resemblance to the policy.

I'm not often upset by things at work, have a fairly thick skin and am able to let things go but this has really got under my skin.

@ElderAve - you are focussing on what this situation has done to your reputation and credibility. But it has also fundamentally changed your perception of the Big Boss (BB) and he has lost credibility. May make no difference to you now but in the long term (if you plan to stay in CS) it will. Things have a way of coming out over time.

For now - is there a way to limit damage to your reputation? By the sounds of things, regardless of the extent to which BB has stitched you up, you followed policy. That stands you in good stead. Can you stick to the line that you were following policy - both because it is the policy and because you agreed with it. That is a position you can maintain with integrity. I don't see how that would make you lose credibility with other staff. There is a certain amount of sucking it up you have to do with more seniority. But you shouldn't have to go against your values.

He set you up, and the cynic in me thinks he planned it this way all along. Not only you're the OTT bad guy, but now he's the magnanimous rescuer of the person he was supposed to manage and sort out to begin with.

I guess the "complicated backstory" might not be what I imagine, but it still stinks to high heavens.

I don't see how that would make you lose credibility with other staff.

He's set a precedent that OP's decisions, even when following procedures can be over ridden if someone complains loud enough. Not just that, but that the way to do it is bypass the OP completely and go straight to him.

He’s properly pushed you under the bus hasn’t he. Sounds to me like he was too cowardly to deal with the performance issue in the first place, then too cowardly to back up the agreed approach in the face of a disgruntled employee.
You’re right, there is no point making a formal complaint. I would say have a frank conversation with him about how undermined you feel, but as you have already done that I think your only options are to swallow it, or start looking for another job.

Big Boss doesn’t know you didn’t make notes about your instructions. I would make them retrospectively, and email them to him, to clarify what you were told to do, with a note saying “following our discussion, please find enclosed the process you wished me to adopt. I understand that you have since changed the course of action, but I felt it was important that we clarified what had originally been agreed on, to avoid any confusion”. Copy it in to staff member.

This is grievance territory. Hang him out like he's hung you out.

@PanicAndRun I can see some people may think like that, but is there not also a likely reaction tlfrom staff that OP dealt with this in the right way and BB is a soft touch for caving to the problem person's complaints? It's all a matter of perception. If you describe the facts of the case, OP comes out looking fine. It would be different if BB had persuaded her to go against her principles or policy. But he didn't. OP's actions align with her values AND policy. BB is being a people pleaser/succumbing to nagging.

@ElderAve at the end of the day, you can't control anyone else's views or actions. Try to focus on what is within your control. It is truly shit but I don't think it reflects badly on you. In general, people like your Big Boss get a reputation for not letting shit stick. People see it and note it, even if they don't comment.

Just catching up on this thread. Tbh it sounds like such a specialist environment at work that most of our advice may be completely irrelevant. Do you have a mentor, formal or informal, who would have enough knowledge of the context to advise you?

In a general sense I would agree with those who have said that it is hard to see how you can have a future in your current role given the way your boss has abused your trust. So sorry OP. And yes I agree with those who say that it is often women who get shafted by this kind of cowardly behaviour by male bosses.

If he was a decent boss he would have just fronted up to it and said ‘I asked for official policy to be enforced but I have changed my mind and that is on me, not on her’.