Calling out new boss

[Lookonbright]

Hi I started a new job last week. I know the director of the company and he brought me in as he knows my worth.

I have gone in as middle management and noticed on Friday my new boss was breaking some fundamental rules in the field we work.

What do I do? Don’t feel it will go down well if I mention anything to my new boss, as they will feel undermined. Serious not to be ignored. I suppose I have no choice but to mention to the Director. Will I be seen as disruptive?

It never goes well in this scenario. Please advise 🙏

I'm not belittling your feelings but workplaces are a whole lot more difficult if you don't have the skills to manage working relationships effectively. Given that you're so new, it should be perfectly possible for you to raise this issue in a diplomatic and non-confrontational way... I'm not sure why you feel that you're unable to do this. An innocent question about policy would be a perfectly good starting point.

The fact that you have automatically leapt to the conclusion that this is going to cause "repercussions" when you barely know the manager well enough to judge how he might react seems premature. If you've only met him twice, what is it that has given you the impression that raising the issue will be unwelcome?

I also would start with talking this through with your manager.
You can raise your concerns that it is either outwith company policy or data laws and move forward depending on his response.
I agree that diplomacy is a good place to start.

The Manager would be fully aware that I am not asking the question in a manner that I would be suggesting I am just wanting clarification, no matter which way I spin this. They know I am fully versed.

The reason I know their reaction to bringing this error up is because of past experience with an ex-employee and said Manager. I am capable of dealing with professional situations, which cannot be said for all. I have no control over others responses or reactions even if I went in from a place of offering advice or support. Constructive criticism is not always welcome.

A fundamental error has been made by a member of the team that should know better. I don’t want to start my working relationship with this Manager on a negative, that’s my dilemma.

But going over the manager's head is definitely going to get things off on a bad note.

It sounds like you've heard some stories about this manager from former employees. Whatever you've heard may or may not be the full story, I'm assuming that you don't have the manager's perspective? Personally, I'd be inclined to make my own judgement rather than taking too much on hearsay from others.

You're clear that data protection is a fundamental part of what you do, so I'm assuming that you probably work in an area in which you're dealing with lots of sensitive personal data. So presumably your manager cannot be completely unaware of data protection principles. If it would so be blindingly obvious that you're not actually asking for clarification about how the company policy interprets the law, but simply highlighting an area of non-compliance, that suggests that you believe your manager is knowingly disregarding the legislation rather than simply acting in ignorance of it?

Reading between the lines, it seems to be your perception that you have been brought in to shake things up because you know what you're doing and your manager is incompetent. If that is what you've been told by the director that hired you, then by all means, go over the manager's head as you're never going to be able to have a good relationship with your manager in any case - your entire purpose is to undermine them. If that isn't the case, then I would not recommend going over the manager's head without discussing it with them first.

If you can't play the "newbie asking for clarification" card, just find a diplomatic way of having a straight conversation about it. The manager might not like it, but they'll like it a whole lot less if you go over their head with it. If you raise it and get a bad reaction, that's the time to escalate. Not straight away.

Going over the managers head is the worst thing you can do.

Speak to the manager, explain this isn't what you expected to happen (re the information being sent to phones) and do they have a reason for it.

It sounds like you may have some difficulties with the more nuanced aspect of social interaction in the workplace. Whilst you may know all the legal rules, there is also a formal way of communicating things like this and if you don’t feel confident to speak to your manager, could you ask a colleague or someone in HR to guide you?

Thank you for your responses duly noted, even though some are derogatory in nature. Please don’t make assumptions! I have dealt with the matter.

Riiiiighhtt.....

As I say don’t make assumptions. Have a good evening

Would be nice to know how you dealt with it. Just spent 3 minutes I'll never get back reading the good suggestions and helpful responses.

Goodness. MNHQ seem to be very click happy with the delete button this evening! Since when did a perfectly valid and politely phrased observation break talk guidelines?! Astonishing given how much blatant racism and misogyny is left to stand on other threads.

Anyway, OP. Best of luck with the new job!

Think you are sounding a little snakey to report the guy who is putting food on your table..... just let it slide. Other people got the message too, why is it your job to report it? Just keep quiet.

Also, you will burn bridges with everyone involved as no one will trust you going forward.

No, I think the OP is right not to let it slide. Compliance with the law is not optional and she has a professional duty to raise the issue if she has identified it.

But there are different ways of raising such matters, and there is nothing in any of the OP's posts to suggest that she would have the skills that would enable her to raise this in such a way that it wouldn't cause an issue.

Good luck to the OP......

@workoholic it is not snakey to make someone aware they are acting unlawfully. By raising it with the person you are giving them a discrete way to rectify the situation.

Like Health & Safety, GDPR is everyone’s responsibility and silence makes you complicit.

@Lookonbright you are doing the right thing and it’s shitty this has happened so soon into the new job. Given you have implied a subtle approach will be picked up on all you can do is be straight with your manager.

Honestly in your position I would absolutely approach your manager first and tell him you're uncomfortable with this and you believe it to be a breech. Yes he may very well take it poorly but you should follow the protocol. If you had raised in and he continued to do it , you'd have grounds for going about his head. As a senior manger if someone came to be first without raising it with their own manager , I'd be very disappointed in them. It feels like the parent who goes straight to the head without talking to the teacher when they have an issue . Reflects poorly on the parent regardless of what the issue is.