Manager just creates chaos (employee, apply, analysis, interviewing)

[wallbuilder]

Going into the office Monday-Friday feels like entering chaos zone. I have to use my weekends to actually concentrate and get things done. My team's productivity goes through the roof when my manager is gone on a business trip or vacataion.

[gus2]

How so? Micromanaging? Pointless tasks? Poor communication?

[katie45]

I can relate OP! The manager I had created a very hostile work environment within our department.

She would pit one employee against another; make up lies about those in our group; verbally attack one or more of us in our weekly meetings; and unjustly criticize us of wrong doings, etc.

As one member of our staff accurately described how it is to work for her: "Watch your back!!"

[Suburban_Guy]

Step 1: brush up resume
Step 2: apply to jobs
Step 3: practice interviewing
Step 4: accept new job

[turkeydance]

"She would pit one employee against another; make up lies about those in our group; verbally attack one or more of us in our weekly meetings; and unjustly criticize us of wrong doings, etc."

had one of those, although it was "he".
"do you know what X said about you?"
"i heard you were out late last night."
"this job allows you to afford your wife."
"even if it was not your fault, you could have prevented it."

left after 18 months of that.

[ExpertAnalysis]

Originally Posted by Suburban_Guy

Step 1: brush up resume
Step 2: apply to jobs
Step 3: practice interviewing
Step 4: accept new job

I don't care for the passive approach. The manager will still be there for the next honest worker to encounter and slowly develop bouts of depression and angst. You need to be more considerate of the workforce and do your part to help weed out problems.

If my management was making things difficult for me you can damn well bet I would be documenting accordingly and escalating with their management regularly until the chaos is gone. I do not tolerate managers making my life difficult because of their own stupidity. Proving it can be difficult - it requires understanding from the higher management audience - but it should be pursued.

I've always worked on a "us against the world" team so I've rarely had this problem as managers were heavily depending on us to resolve a sizable workload of issues while they tell stories and keep customers off our back and thank us profusely when we take care of it. But there was one time where some snot out of college was made my manager and he tried put me on a PIP even though I was the SME and handling a majority of the workload. I got his ass shipped out somewhere else and haven't heard from him since. You should confront these problems instead of running from them, in my opinion.

[selhars]

I don't care for the passive approach. The manager will still be there for the next honest worker to encounter and slowly develop bouts of depression and angst. You need to be more considerate of the workforce and do your part to help weed out problems.

If my management was making things difficult for me you can damn well bet I would be documenting accordingly and escalating with their management regularly until the chaos is gone. I do not tolerate managers making my life difficult because of their own stupidity. Proving it can be difficult - it requires understanding from the higher management audience - but it should be pursued.

And if you don't have that??
Trying to fight or rectify it, is all well and good....IF it's a hill you're willing to stake your job on.

Personally, I DO take the passive approach. I'm a brown-noser from way back.
-- assess the situation

-- will this manager be here long, HAS this manager been there for years, have they bounced from dept to dept, company to company? ARE THEY well liked by higher ups? are the higher ups in tune, or out to lunch? Is it well known how this manager is and it has already been allowed to continue? Have I seen this manager back down when a worker sets him or her straight? Is their negative attention targeted to the weak? or does everyone get it?

-- and maybe first of all do I even plan to be there long -- regardless of that difficult manager. Because if I was looking to get out anyway, I really just might just try to keep my head down....

-- if I want to stay with the employer, then maybe:
-- I try to move/transfer departments or managers within a department
-- change days off or work times to avoid the person as much as possible

Failing all of that, I try to suck it up as much as possible. In the worst situations, ultimately a fight it or leave decision just may be to be made.

[DorianRo]

Sadly the only action today has to be on the employee's part. (Ie: start brushing up your resume and get another) Because you know. The comapany/Trouble maker's boss isn't responsible for ANYTHING. Theres probably already been 100 complaints lodged against the guy and it was all swept under the rug. Been in this situation too many times. Managers who are rotten to the core and nothing is ever done or completely incompetent and nothing is ever done. The company will be a revolving door of employees and the root problems of the turnover (Generally the management/Work culture) never get dealt with. Companies will gladly see themselves go bankrupt or bought out before they actually deal with their own stupidity and problems. Sad indictment on a silly/shameful/pathetic society we live in,

" You have a problem? Or you better start looking and leave". yea god forbid the troublemakers that create a hostile work environment , useless deadwood, rotten sociopaths are ever dealt with in this country you know?

The only answer these shameful organizations have is "Just leave the situation". Ummm... No!!! How about as an organization ELIMINATE Your root problems to improve things at your company? Try that for once. Before you have to close the company

[veuvegirl]

Originally Posted by ExpertAnalysis

I don't care for the passive approach. The manager will still be there for the next honest worker to encounter and slowly develop bouts of depression and angst. You need to be more considerate of the workforce and do your part to help weed out problems.

If my management was making things difficult for me you can damn well bet I would be documenting accordingly and escalating with their management regularly until the chaos is gone. I do not tolerate managers making my life difficult because of their own stupidity. Proving it can be difficult - it requires understanding from the higher management audience - but it should be pursued.

I've always worked on a "us against the world" team so I've rarely had this problem as managers were heavily depending on us to resolve a sizable workload of issues while they tell stories and keep customers off our back and thank us profusely when we take care of it. But there was one time where some snot out of college was made my manager and he tried put me on a PIP even though I was the SME and handling a majority of the workload. I got his ass shipped out somewhere else and haven't heard from him since. You should confront these problems instead of running from them, in my opinion.

I tried this several times throughout my career. It didn't work. It is ideal, maybe the field you are in allows for that. Frankly, mine doesn't.

I have escalated issues and concerns, and the blow back has fallen on me. Every single time.

[Rowan123]

Originally Posted by veuvegirl

I tried this several times throughout my career. It didn't work. It is ideal, maybe the field you are in allows for that. Frankly, mine doesn't.

I have escalated issues and concerns, and the blow back has fallen on me. Every single time.

Agree, in my experience escalation rarely works and comes back to bite you. I've seen it happen numerous times and for that reason, I've never done it myself.