To think that good managers don’t ask colleagues to “look in my diary and book something?”

[ThisArtfulRobin]

I’ve had a few managers over the years who constantly say, “just look in my diary and book something,” instead of proposing a time or taking initiative. It feels like a small thing but in my experience, the best managers take more responsibility for their own time and don’t push the admin onto others, especially when they’re the ones asking for a meeting!

AIBU to think this is just laziness and a lack of basic leadership skills? Or is it actually standard practice now?

You sound lile a nightmare to work with. How do you get on with your manager and colleagues?

Do you think you have form for sweating the small stuff?

I'm a Manager and I ask staff to book in at a time that suits them, my diary is shared and they can see when I am free, they may have different deadlines, it lets them fit it around their commitments. I don't want them to stress that they have to fit a meeting in with me that I dictate if they are up against it

I super like this option (find a space in their diary & book a meeting) & encourage colleagues to do it too, it saves time if we are the ones initiating the meeting.

I have a set of collaborators, different dept, who used to tell us to "email Sally" to book a meeting. I could see collaborators diaries fine. Sally could take weeks to reply or never reply. WTAF. Of course I didn't want to go thru Sally. I felt like I was dragging my collabs in to 21st century.

It’s a lot easier than going back and forth asking when they are free or doodle polls or whatever. I comply when asked and ask other people to do look in my diary to arrange meetings, not a problem

I could understand slight annoyance if it was like a friend asked if you wanted to go for a meal and then said you book it. But this isn’t the same.

I'd judge a team member for not being able to use outlook

This 100%. You can now get Outlook to find the next available slot when you are trying to book a meeting with multiple people. But it doesn't work because people don't keep their diaries up to date, just write A/L at the top without marking as out of office or accept team members A/L requests into their own diary.

It seems completely normal to me and a bit odd that you'd take issue with it.

It surely rakes a moment and means you get to choose what's convenient for you.

IME senior staff diaries are a free for all, if there's a gap, it's yours, whereas more junior staff expect to be consulted/don't manage their diaries to the same degree so a gap doesn't necessarily mean they're available.

I think this is a sign of a good manager who has their diary up to date and has mastered the art of delegation.