How do you cope with a difficult boss?

[MamaChocoholic]

I will try and briefly describe our work setup. Our head of group, is retiring, and I will be new head of group. I am already responsible for three people - and will now be responsible for three more, one of whom is also about to leave.

There is some work to be done for which person A in our group has the best matched skills. Outgoing head of group suggests he do this work with a temporary member of staff who has relevant experience according to his CV, but whose ability was rather oversold. I agree, and think this is the best (only) solution, given current workloads.

Now the Big Boss (BB) has said no. He has a problem with person A, and has recently told him he needs to start looking for a new job. His work is of a good standard although output is down due to illness in the last year. He has 3 years left to run on his contract and head of group and I have both said to start looking but not to rush into anything; apart from anything else he will be very hard to replace. Big boss also wants the temporary member of staff off the project, even though this is exactly what he came to do.

BB proposes another member of our group who does not have the right experience/knowledge to be able to do the project without very close supervision from me, for which I do not have time. Person A is more experienced and would not need close supervision. BB is not experienced in our group's fairly specialised area and this decision only makes any sense if I assume it is based on personal prejudice.

BB has been upsetting lots of senior and respected people recently; this is not an isolated incident.

If you're still reading, thanks. I have no idea how to handle this. I can't start a row with BB, but this is a really bad decision. I have tried setting out the reasons carefully, but he just says no without explanation. On top, I am not sure how I am to build a cohesive group if I cannot make decisions about who is the most appropriate person to do the available work. Outgoing head is seriously pissed off and threatening to take unpaid leave till retirement, which I completely understand, he doesn't need this, but which is not at all helpful for me!

Are there other groups, whose heads could band together to protest against their authority's being undermined? That would make an impenetrable layer below him (a shield against interference), rather than the layer of support a BB ought to enjoy.

Solidarity and putting your protest, about interference in your responsibilities in writing, seem the safest way to proceed.

Is it a privately held company?

That's a good idea pluto. I can talk to the two other group heads, who have been in the role with the same big boss a lot longer than me. I think they will be happy to have an off the record chat; we were talking last week about what we could do to upwardly manage his craziness him.

Not sure about putting things in writing though. This is not a private company, but within a larger organisation, our section is funded almost entirely by external grants, almost all in BB's name. I am the only other group member with my own funding, and one of my group is also on my grant. Having my own external funding secure for the next 3 years gives me some more security than others, but being in BB's bad books means your daily life can be a bit miserable.

The outgoing head of group has washed his hands and decided to take as much leave as possible before retirement in three weeks. I don't blame him, but had hoped he had enough personal responsibility to me that he would find time to have a chat with me about how to handle BB.

Are the "senior and respected people" he has pissed off within the organisation, or in the community? If the latter, the larger organisation you mention could be interested (as in : it would be in its interests) to be aware that BB is pissing people off... and even potentially endangering funding, by (a) annoying people and (b) sabotaging projects by putting inappropriate people on them, and keeping the best-qualified people off them.

Again, such an approach gives you lots of coverage for your own position, longer term.

Day to day, though, he sounds like a bastard - sympathies!

he's not really a bastard, he's very bright, very driven, has little time for others who can't keep up. he has some fantastic ideas, in amongst hundreds of rubbish ones. the recent problems relate, I think, to his fear that we are not producing enough good output and he has mentally assigned blame to the wrong people while trying to micro manage when he should be setting the agenda and letting the group heads manage. or I could believe the rumours he's having an affair with the biggest shit stirrer in our section

the senior and respected people are the other group heads and others; externally he's still viewed as ok, afaik.

That's more difficult, then.

Still, the scattergun nature of his "fantastic" ability to have ideas is something upper management could and probably should try to control. After all, aren't "brilliant mavericks" traditionally kept out of management roles? Is there anyone in the bigger organisation with whom you could have an off-the-record talk, about how to manage him? They may not be aware what he's up to, if your organisation is a separate entity within the bigger one.

Depends on contact - if he is a whisk in, shout directions then piss off BB then say 'yes I will do as you say and make the project work' then allocate as you see fit. This is also called the 'pat on the head, tummy rub' yes sir technique. or the 'have a ' in MN-speak.. If he is a dick trying to put a favourite in and constantly on your back stay firm, disagree and say 'sorry its a deal breaker, I cannot closely supervise your guy when my guy is a perfect match - overrule me if you like but I can't guarantee the project will work - if you want me to be accountable, then let me choose my men.

Just an opinion, as you know personalities (including your own) better...

actually I have just more deeply considered what you say above - I think you are right about his guidance on the agenda, not micro managing - have a coffee with him and say that to him - perhaps 'I think I need something like you overall vision, then ask what it is and to describe it (active listening and reflecting back!) and then say 'don't worry I can fit the team in around that, thank-you very much = leave the day to day to me I'll make what you want to happen happen, just keep me inspired like that - it suits me.

or something - he sounds like me a bit - when I am insecure I try harder and harder until I get a compliment or understanding - if it doesn't come I piss people off with more and more direction and ideas which lessens the likelihood of me getting what I need to stop! make sure he knows you have heard him, and reward him for vision, big agenda and ideas, and then suggest he sets agenda with others (or work it through with him - eg 'so you see x as handling the customer service agenda and y the finance angle at least as regards income and me as the fulfillment of x - that sounds good to me!) etc.