Annual appraisal & new boss,how honest should I be?

[Lightsareonnobodyshome]

Have been in post for almost 4 years, my role has always been hard to define, which I have struggled with as in my head everyone needs a role and a purpose so they know how they fit in the team/org. Last year a new boss started and we haven't gelled, communication is very stilted and more often than not I am either left out of discussions or am the last one to be told/asked about xyz. Old boss involved me in everything so I had a good oversight of what was going on/what was on the horizon etc and I was pretty much the team buffer if the boss wasn't in I pretty much had the answers they needed and was able to deal with anything that arose. New boss doesn't see the need for a role and purpose for the admin person as 'admin is just admin', but clearly really likes the admin side of things and I feel effectively side-lined as she is doing a lot of admin stuff that is not needed at her level. I get that she if trying to establish a role for herself but we had a boss for some 10 years who had more important things to do than admin tasks. We seem to spend a lot of time chasing our tails, picking up the same tasks. I have tried to broach the subject with her but she gets quite defensive, I have my appraisal coming up and thought this might be a good opportunity to discuss my role and how we can ensure that I am being utilised fully. Never ever had this before and it is zapping my confidence, a non work friend thinks she may feel threatened by me..? but I am quite open and share everything I know and ask what I can help with, is this anything I can do etc etc. How can I broach this, without upsetting the apple cart..?

That's difficult. I would say that sometimes people get defensive for their own internal reasons regardless of whether you're doing anything to give just reason to feel defensive, so all you can do is be mindful of their reaction.

To me, asking to define your role, where you fit in the team and how your manager sees you in the team over the coming year are valid discussion points for an appraisal.

Could you try approaching it less from angle of work duplication (I wonder if she gets defensive as feels like her management is being criticised?), and more along the lines of "what's your vision of my role in the team? How can I best support you / be most useful to you?" . Same thing but different framing.

Personally, I think a good admin team is invaluable, but that might not be most constructive angle to approach things from. I wonder if she's just not used to having the level of admin support you offer and is struggling to adapt? I've worked with people moving from environments with more/less admin support and it can take a surprisingly long time for people to adjust.

There might also be an element of loss of control in giving work to you that she's used to doing herself. Only thing you can really do there is focus on building a positive working relationship so she feels more confident trusting you through experience (no judgement of you, just human nature).

I think the appraisal should set out what your objectives are over the coming year, therefore you will get that clarity over where your job ends and where hers starts.

I'm in a very similar position with a new boss. She is defaulting to what she is comfortable with (ie my job) which is making me feel sidelined. She also excludes me from important updates so I am chasing for information and duplicating effort. I have raised that with her directly, she apologised but it still continues. I am job-hunting - not having years of this malarkey.

Could you use your job description as the basis of the discussion, as this should define your role and specify tasks / outcomes or whatever.

Fulfilling your job description is what you have been employed for after all, and she can't really argue with that!

Ask her what you can for her such that she can do her job better? I haven't put that well, but if you know what her objectives are, if your help her achieve hers, things are good.

I have one reportee always ask me at the end of our 1:1 if there's anything she should be doing, or not doing, to help me. Sometimes there's nothing, but sometimes she hits the nail on the head and helps me a lot being able to give her something.

I would be very careful - my experience of this was that the appraisal was the first message that all was not well.

Wait and see what is said, take some time to respond.

Play politics. Use it as an opportunity to describe your achievements and development needs but while complimenting her. Butter her up you don't need her redefining your role, avoid giving her free rein to do so.

There are some danger signals here that your boss is not a great appointment (defensiveness indicating insecurity, side lining, lack of respect for admin whilst concentrating on admin to the detriment of managerial tasks).

Before going on to the appraisal have a list of your achievements ready. Also have a think about areas of her job within your capacity that she dislikes. Can you offer to help?

If she becomes critical it’s time to ask her how your role could help her and the team to achieve their objectives.

And start lining up your old boss as a referee and quietly look for another job.