WIBU to 'grass on' this colleague?

[MotherOfBratz]

NC - I'm a long-standing poster, but this is rather outing. I'll try and keep it reasonably brief (and am willing to elaborate if needed):

Due to a recent restructuring initiative at my place of work, I accepted a transfer to a different department that came with a promotion - but of the five teams that used to work for me, I only took two along with me when I moved - which is nothing but sensible in terms of our post-reorganisation org chart.

There's just one small problem: several of the people in the teams no longer managed by myself have approached me in private and have complained about how much they dislike and (worse IMO, I've done good work for bosses I didn't love) disrespect their new manager, have directly asked me if I have jobs for them in my new department or have said that they're job hunting outside. So far as I'm aware, they've done this independently of one another (though if they've covertly organised in order to give that impression and are actually in cahoots with one another, I'd be one proud former boss at having chosen and trained them).

I personally know their new manager and actually quite like him on a personal level - but having had interactions with him regarding projects delivered jointly by my former and my current department, I can see why my former employees might not enjoy working for him. I know I certainly wouldn't (and have the privilege of not having to, so who am I to talk about personal likes?). There is nothing inherently wrong with how he approaches things, IMO - it's just that the way he manages is not particularly compatible with the type of team I have built. Colleague seems to be a 'standardise and industrialise' type of guy - I've always been a 'boutique type delivery of mind-blowingly excellent but correspondingly involved (and expensive) projects' kind of woman and have shaped my teams accordingly. The type of people I have put on these teams don't tend to gel well with the type of manager colleague is.

Here's my dilemma: I could speak up to my (and colleague's - we have the same C-level bosses) higher-ups about my concerns and I'm practically positive I'd 'win' if I did. My unhappy ex-subordinates would love me, as would my bosses (my style of management is much more in line with what the firm aims for these days - that's a purely generational thing). But if I do, colleague may be sanctioned. Colleague is also in his late 50s and his style (the one my former team members complin about) is not en vogue - so he may not have many options elsewhere. I don't think he deserves this. This is not a case of him being wrong - his style and background are just a poor match for the position.

Or I could keep schtum. This may lead to my ex-subordinates leaving one by one and the company I work for getting into dire straits in a critical business area. Much more importantly to me personally, it would mean washing my hands of people I have personally selected, trained and developed, and whom I care about on a personal as much as on a professional level, and leaving them to fend for themselves in a situation they are clearly trying to address by speaking to me. I feel responsible for these people and I'd hate to let them down when they put their trust in me.

So WWYD?

I don't think it's your place to get involved in this at all. He himself has a manager, presumably that person is capable of judging his (and his teams) performance and if they're not getting the results the company requires, addressing it. Frankly I doubt you'd be thanked for interfering and yes, that is what you'd be doing!

I've been in a very similar situation even down to having former team members come to me to complain or sound out a possible move. I'm not going to lie, I have occasionally had a moments thought of "ha, he's not as good at this as me" but I don't show it or comment as I wouldn't take the risk that anyone would use "and Coco agrees with us as ammunition.

Look these people are adults, surely if it's that big a problem they can raise their issues either with him or the next person up?

Well as a teenager said to me the other day “that definitely sounds like someone else’s problem, stay out of it”

Could you not approach it more in a way that the teams don't seem to be gelling and you're concerned he may need some support to get them all on the same page? So not saying he's awful and the employees want to leave, but acknowledging an issue the company could resolve proactively.

Can you not speak to the new manager directly? We had a new manager at work who refused to listen and likes to micro manage and invent spreadsheet tasks to faff with. The result is most of the team are gone and replaced with nice but slow workers who have very little experience to go on. However she is hideous and has been caught out trying to get rid of staff, laughing about it, and is on her final warning. If your new person is nice, surely he could be receptive to a bit of help?

He hasn't actually done anything wrong - he just has a style that your former teams don't like. Tbh I think they need to stop being such delicate little flowers and learn to adapt. That's an important skill!
You need to stay out of it - it's not your business because they are no longer your team! Let your own bosses manage him, if needs be because that's their job.
You can't leave and expect your successor to do it your way. That's unfair.

You are no longer their manager though, it's up to them to complain, which is what you should encourage if they come to you.
I don't understand what you hope to gain and what you would be winning.
Strange attitude, unless this is what the workplace is like these days.

I think you've probably given a lot of 'free rangedness' as a manager and he's far more autonomous in his management style.
This is more a lack of awareness on their part for not seeing that both are found in the workplace.
I'm the former and colleagues that have moved on have also found difficulty. I accept a modicum of responsibility for not striking mire of a balance between the two styles.
Oh, and I'd keep quiet too

Could you not approach it more in a way that the teams don't seem to be gelling and you're concerned he may need some support to get them all on the same page?

Could she not mind her own business?

When I read your posts OP, I just couldn’t help but roll my eyes. At you!

You sound like the kind of manager who likes to be everyone’s fwend. Stay out of it, this wont put you in good stead with your own managers. I would think that although you got a sideways (promotion?) there is a reason why your reports have been reduced. Get humble.

Don't be a grass. Even If I didn't like my boss I still wouldn't be impressed if my former boss grassed on him. This really is none of your business. If his working style really is that bad then his underlings can either leave or complain to HR (notice how, given that they ate directly affected by it their complaining about him would not be grassing). You could do the adult thing and have a word with him. But if you grass then a lot of people will assume that you did it to make yourself look better. Don't be a grass.

Tough one. You don’t have to speak up if you don’t want to. But it would be in the interests of the company if you did. It may not be your department any more but the company would no doubt suffer if an entire experienced and competent team all left at once, especially if they took their skills to a competitor. So on that basis, I personally would say something.

What rain said. Your OP is weird and wanky.

Yes Rainboho I'm scratching my head at the idea that someone who apparently was capable of boutique type delivery of mind-blowingly excellent across five teams now only has two .

I've worked a lot in the creative industries and the type of stereotype you're displaying about yourself is quite rare. People are quite pragmatic in their approach. The ones that swoon about the office feeling overwhelmed by their 'mind-blowing' excellence are usually regarded as twats by everyone else.

I think you’re behaving strangely. He isn’t going to get fired based on what you stated if you do raise your concerns. Likewise, your ex team has other channels to sit their grievances if valid.

He hasn’t even worked with them for very long. Dynamics could all change within the next few months

it's just that the way he manages is not particularly compatible with the type of team I have built.

And now he is going to build the type of team he needs and if your ex employees don’t like it they can go elsewhere.

It doesn’t sound like he’s done anything wrong and your ex employees are just having problems adjusting.

This is easy OP. You tell them, nicely and gently, that there is, unfortunately, nothing you can do but they should discuss their issues with the manager themselves. If this does not work, they need to raise their concerns through the appropriate channels. As you have indicated that you work for a large corporation there will be policies on raising concerns and perhaps even workplace mediators who can support them.

If a member of your team had concerns about their relationship with you, what would you hope your colleagues would say?

Btw is your name Nathan Barley IRL.

Hmm. I once got reshuffled in a restructure to managing a new team.

Within a couple of weeks about 25% of them had put in requests to move to their old manager's department. I was disappointed but reasoned that if they didn't like my management style, it was for the best.

In the event, they were all offered a move but all of them refused it. In the intervening 3 months I had had a 121 meeting with all of them, created a training needs analysis with all of them, instituted "Fuck Fitness Friday" (cake and biscuits) and took them all out to the pub twice.

I asked one of them "Why did you originally want to move to X's team?"

She said she was so unused to having a manager expect things from her that she panicked. But then she realised that actually she enjoyed being challenged to perform better and for someone to take an actual interest in her development.

I suspect that pretty much the opposite has occurred from your description of your situation. But ultimately if your previous direct reports leave, then they are voting with their feet. There are always more potential employees out there who will be more suited to the newer manager's style.

Bloody hell, you sound like you're auditioning for The Apprentice. Get over yourself.

Oh I dunno Not, it's quite likely imo that it's not at all the opposite though it certainly seems to suit the Op to think so . Rather, like your experience, the team are going through that settling in phase that comes following a restructure. It's perfectly normal.

Usually in larger companies, appraisals happen both ways and subordinates have a chance to appraise their manager annually. Doesn’t your company do this? I’d be telling them to wait a while and if they’re still dissatisfied, use this opportunity to say what they think. It isn’t your job to manage these people or advocate on their behalf anymore. You should encourage them to do talk to senior management themselves if necessary.

If these people somehow become part of your remit or if he ended up acting very unprofessionally then it would be your job. Is this guy approachable? Could you give him any tips or influence him?

After some thought.

I'm not sure that I would want to boast about people that are prepared to go behind peoples backs and approved complaints methods because they are upset at a new manager.

Have not read all PPs but could you not have a word with the new manager (diplomatically)? Inform him of the discontent and, perhaps, give him pointers on how to manage your old teams rather than "grass" him up.
Hope it works out.