Unresponsive manager

[Perimenopausal42]

I'm about to start in a new more senior role at my current workplace but have already had a few dealings with who will be my new manager. She doesn't respond to emails ( I emailed asking for something to be reviewed a few weeks ago. Emailed again after 1 week, printed it off and left it in her desk with a note a week later and have chased in person again today ), how do you manage this if your in this situation? She invited me to a meeting a couple of hours before it was due to start and ever since treats it like it's my project deferring to me in meeting with externals. I haven't even actually started the job or signed a contract yet.

Your post is a bit confusing. What are you asking her to review? Something you need in the current role you’re leaving? Something to do with you changing job?

You probably need to discuss communication styles with her and how you like to work, and see if you can reach a comp.

However, if she doesn't respond, you'll not get to meet her to have the discussion...

I'm trying to take on something that's been rumbling on for ages that's part of my new role from September but could do with sorting beforehand but a bit difficult when I'm asking for input but not getting a reply for 3 weeks ( and counting)

Can you find out who her manager is? Or someone slightly above her, and ask them what to do in writing? Then do that. Eg if it’s ’escalate to Sarah in three days’ then do that exactly? Just kind of do it, then point out to whoever complains (probably Sarah!) that that’s what you were told to do.

Or can you phrase it like ‘I’m going to do this on Wednesday, please let me know by Tuesday if that’s wrong’?

*I am clueless about these things, don’t follow my advice unless you’re desperate.

Printed off with chased in person is hardly going to get a positive response

What else should Op do if they’re not getting a response? Carrier pigeon? Morse code? Charades?

It’s unclear on what you need from this person, but is it the type of situation where you can say:

”I need to know if we should proceed in direction A or B, if I haven’t heard from you by 5pm Tuesday, I’ll assume that option A is fine and proceed with that.”

That way you may elicit a response, or if not you can crack on with the project and if anyone says “why did you go with route A?” You can say that you ran it past your manager first and she raised no objections.

Not perfect, but a possible work around.

Common sense approach would be to speak to them directly