Bit of an “AIBU” about my manager

[WestStone]

I am a manager. My manager is openly applying for jobs and seemingly has a strained relationship with his own manager.

I have an absence on my team that I have under control for now with advice from HR. I informed him of HR’s advice for awareness. He casually said he will start to “put the feelers out for “last resort action” for the person who is absent with his manager. I felt it is too early to raise last resorts with his manager as we’re not at that stage yet…we have to follow a process that may take 6+ months first, we need to consider wellbeing etc…

After he discussed with his manager, he sheepishly booked an urgent 3 way meeting to discuss the HR issue with his manager and I. apparently his manager wanted to see all the paperwork and comb over everything and ask why decisions were made, and was really concerned and wanted to speak to me directly. The meeting was booked in during my lunch. I felt interrogated and like I did something wrong!

Manager’s manager is happy with everything I did and agreed it was too early to think about last resort action. It came out that the situation was misrepresented to him by my manager.

aibu to feel annoyed with my manager for the unnecessary escalation, the waste of everyone’s time, the fact he can’t have a conversation with his manager without setting alarm bells off unnecessarily? I just feel he had an unsuccessful conversation with his manager, or that his manager took that conversation the wrong way, and it inconvenienced me as a result/made me look shit. He’s either bad at his job, or is purposely trying to make me look bad? Or am I reading this wrong?

It’s hard to tell as obviously you don’t know what was said in their previous meeting.

From your OP, it sounds like your manager didn’t understand the situation or didn’t report it accurately to his own manager. Personally I would be worried what else he tells him about your work and performance. It may affect how the manager’s manager think of you generally, and your future career prospects.
On the other hand, it also appears that your big boss doesn’t trust your manager to handle the situation on his own. So maybe it was a good opportunity to show him how capable you are.

Thanks. I definitely feel caught up in some drama and I don’t know how to respond. My manager has sent me some odd messages half backtracking and half apologising for not explaining the meeting to me (ie a non apology). I kind of just want to say, he always ends up causing more problems than he solves and this is another example so what can we do differently

I don’t really see this as an issue that you need give any more thought to. Your manager had a different opinion to you (I think I would too to be honest, six months to deal with an absence seems a bit laid back to me). Anyway a third person was brought in and they made a final decision. Seems like a fairly normal event in the work place, I don’t know why you want to drag it out.

@Aprilx HR policy is that 6 months is the standard attendance management timeline to reach last resort measures. There’s set deadlines, notice periods before action, time frames for improvement & review periods etc. I can’t immediately sack someone. Up to this point, I have done everything expected of me, so I’m not being laid back.

My manager brought it to his manager too early in my opinion, which unnecessarily caused concern. I’m not dragging it out either. But if it comes up in conversation, I don’t know what to comment!