Dealing with a lazy boss

sunshinew

Hey all,
So I've been 6 months in a new job and I'm finding my boss very frustrating. I don't mind him too much on a personal level but he's the biggest p*sstaker I've come across. He's probably in the office about 5 hours a week and half of that is taken up having coffee and chats with his matey colleagues. He's supposed to be there full time but either doesn't show up or comes up with more and more ridiculous excuses for why he isn't there or lies about being at off-site meetings. When he does show up he'll barge in with some new "creative" half thought through idea he has that he wants me to implement, meanwhile the current projects that I'm working on that require his input or follow through, stall. Its honestly like trying to get a toddler full of skittles to get him to focus on anything.
The first couple of months were hard for me as he had no idea how my predecessor had done my job. He covers this up by saying he's not a "details person" so I had to figure out things by actually ringing clients under the pretence of introducing myself and then working into the conversation basic questions i needed regarding their accounts. It made me look stupid and unprofessional but I had no other choice.
I've found my feet now though and for the most part can work independently and on the plus side, I'm definitely not micro managed but for things that I need his sign off, escalation or follow through, he's causing huge delays. It came to a head today at a meeting with other senior staff regarding a cross dept project that I had been asking him to follow up on continuously for the past five weeks, (that at one stage 3 weeks ago he pulled me aside and said I needed to watch my tone because my "frustration" was evident). The other managers and CEO were there today and basically ripped into us on why was the project not finished. I was so annoyed as it's not my work ethic at all but i was stuck on how to act. On one hand I wanted to defend myself and show all the work I had done and the stall was down to him but I can't throw him under the bus as he could make life unbearable for me. He's brilliant at meetings where he will just talk non stop - often presenting my ideas as his own - so it sounds like he's been working. I can see he gets agitated any time I go to speak at meetings which is rare as it's hard to get a word in edgeways and then he talks over me. However I think colleagues know he's a bull*****er (some like him as he's a funny guy on a personal level, and some seem to hate him) but with no HR and a CEO afraid of conflict nothing has been done.
Any advice on how to make my colleagues see that I'm not as ineffectual as I'm appearing? Or stop myself getting resentful that he's on twice my wage and "works" a tenth of my hours and is more of a hindrance than a help....
Thanks!

OMM 0000

Difficult situation.

I'm a bit of a prick, so I think I'd start doing something like this:

Every time you need something from him, ask him by e-mail and CC another manager who relies on your team. Ask that other manager a question, or say you're just keeping her in the loop. Then the other manager can see you're not the one delaying things.

I think I would also drop hints in meetings that things are moving slowly as you're waiting for your manager to do X or Y.

Because the guy is such a slacker, it shouldn't be too difficult to get everyone to see how bad he is.

You could also strategically discuss the issue "in private" with someone who is a known gossiper in the company. And let them spread the details to everyone in the company...

B.A._Baracus

Not a bad idea with CC'ing the emails. Gives you a chance to say hold on etc.
Just think of the paycheck. As you say you can't rock the boat too much as the manager may come down on you. So just stop caring. Do what a lot of people do and pass the buck cause it's not your fault. You are waiting on XYZ and what not.

I have a sneaky suspicion that the other people who work under your manager just play the game knowing full well what the craic is. Clock in, clock out, deflect why things take ages to get done and get the pay check rinse and repeat.

sunshinew

Thanks for the responses.
You're both right, I need to be a little bit more clever about how I present my work and also care a little bit less. Both hard for me to do. I'm very passionate about my work and take far too much of my self worth from it.
Boss emailed this morning to say he forgot he was going on holiday today...🙄 thought it was next week. You couldn't make this up...
Anyway really appreciate your feedback. I was up the walls yesterday feeling trapped in the situation. (It was a huge decision for me to leave my last job for this). But it's not my forever job so you've both given me good advice on how to survive it.

Postgrad10

Enjoy your break from him. Hope it's at least two weeks long! Keep plenty of evidence of what you do.

CeilingFly

He's on holidays - now is your chance to go over his head (not knowing of course ) and get things signed off by someone else, possibly the CEO of manager of another area that is connected with your area.

If its a path you want, think of the potential of replacing him at some stage.

The other option is to look elsewhere as its an employees market out there.

miamee

CeilingFly wrote: »

He's on holidays - now is your chance to go over his head (not knowing of course ) and get things signed off by someone else, possibly the CEO of manager of another area that is connected with your area.

If its a path you want, think of the potential of replacing him at some stage.

The other option is to look elsewhere as its an employees market out there.

Agree with this, time to get another manager to sign off on things or, if you think you can get away with it/it'd be allowed, take the initiative and sign off on them yourself. Depending on the company that may or may not fly though.

sunshinew

Thanks all,
I'm actually going on leave next week, first holiday since I started. Boss dumped that whole project on me to do for the last two days before I left while he went on his "forgotten" holiday. I was not fun to be around and have consumed a lot of chocolate and took up smoking again. I have one other colleague same level as me and she is in the exact same position. We've had a good rant and at least I have one ally that gets it.
Ive done a bit of what you've said, I "just happened" to run into the CEO and thought I'd casually update her on some projects... I've told people I'm going on leave and updated them on where things are at with a "boss will finish while I'm away"
With regards getting other managers to sign off, even that's difficult. Boss has openly told me what managers he doesn't like, if I went to them he'd crucify me as I'm supposed to be loyal to my dept. He doesn't even like me sharing info with them - mainly because they are on to him and will use it as a weapon. We also have very different roles in depts so it would really be straight to the CEO for sign off if my boss wasn't around. And she's afraid to rock the boat.
Ideally I would like to move into a more senior position, right now I believe I could do his job way way better than him. I'm actually more qualified than him anyway, I took a pay cut for this job - whole other story regarding bullying in my last job (not just me, about 14 staff quit the same year) which has resulted in me lacking in confidence. I tend to put myself down and point out my flaws as a way to ingratiate myself. I'm annoying myself!
However if he keeps stalling progress, my own reputation will be damaged so even if they got rid of him, they will probably think grass is greener and overlook me.
All in all though, your advice is helping though, I need to stay calm and play the game.
Thanks again, this holiday will do me good.

Sheep breeder

Work with two lads and in a similar situation as they do nothing, email is a good way,usually when work is done send an email and cc others to say it’s done and ask him to reply if got the mail as he only turns up for a couple of hours each day.
Have left a few mistakes on files that he is checking and his boss has no coped he is not doing his end of the work and when the boss rings the office the first thing is ask him is he looking for the other fella and he is not in yet or gone home.
The way to play is a slow game and these lazy ones get caught out after time.

i cant be the only one reading that OP and thinking you sound a tad high maintenance tbh

sunshinew

[Deleted User] wrote: »

i cant be the only one reading that OP and thinking you sound a tad high maintenance tbh

Op here, In fairness I read back over my recent post and could see the level of frustration coming through as it was one heck of a stream of words, so I see what you mean. Though I did say that I recognise I need to care less though and my leave will do me good!
I wouldn't say I'm high maintenance, my housemates think I'm half dead most of the time, but I cannot stand unfairness. He landed us in the mess after we warned him it was stalling, made us look incompetent and then went on a forgotten holiday for the last two days leaving it to us to fix. He also only manages my colleague and I...it's not like he has a team of 20 to mind.
Anyway I've a week in the sun to chill and hopefully I'll come back to him having done the bare minimum of work to not enter another sh*tstorm.
Else I'll be updating the old CV again...

Thanks to those that have given me advice and understanding... I've been a long time on boards but never actually posted before. It really helps when you've had a sh*t week to get an outside view.

beauf

You need to move away from this boss, sounds more like a manager. Make a lateral move to another team or change jobs. They will never change.

Document everything you are asked to do, and make sure you get it all done even if that's a decision not do something and why. It's a box ticking exercise. You need to be able to walk away as the good guy while not bad mouthing your boss. That's the end game.

sunshinew

OP here, years later with an update... Just to say I lasted about about another 8 months in that job while updating my CV in desperation. When i look back I believe my boss may have been suffering from mental health issues, addiction or maybe undiagnosed ADHD as he just couldn't concentrate on anything and would disappear for days when overwhelmed and then come back fighting his corner. I felt for him but it was so stressful to work around. When I handed in my notice I was told they were not renewing his contract and there was potential for my progression...but at that stage I was done with the place. Didn't want to work in a place that made junior staff work around senior staff issues and conflicts.

Anyway, I got myself a much better role and on about 20k more now. My colleagues are incredibly ambitious and competent and my only problem now is having to up my game myself!

Reading my posts back I sounded so stressed at the time so thanks to those that gave advice and understanding.

listermint

Nice one for updating. Was reading the thread and only realised it was 2018 half way down.

Good work. And smart decision to move on.

Flinty997

Appreciate the update. Glad it all worked out. Hopefully it will be helpful for others. Lessons in there for everyone.