Q. I had a very rare (first ever) one on one conversation with my boss’s boss, by chance. I was walking by his office and he asked me to come in and answer some questions about a project. I have met him before of course but we’ve never talked without my boss being in the room.
I answered his questions and then I said, can I get your advice on something? I told him that our department is overworked and everyone is frustrated with our boss, who reports to him. She doesn’t listen to us, doesn’t value our opinions and basically treats us like underlings.
He said, in your career you will work for easy bosses and difficult bosses. Working for a difficult boss is harder but it teaches you valuable lessons you will use throughout your life. I went back to my desk very deflated. Why did he say that? Does he want to avoid the issue?
A. Yup. “Working with a difficult boss will teach you valuable lessons” is true and it is something a parent, aunt or uncle might say to cheer you up when you find yourself in that situation.
It is a perfectly reasonable thing for a friend or relative to say – but not your boss’s boss, the one person who could address the problem! It is a pathetic, weaselly thing for your boss’s boss to say. With those words, he told you everything you need to know about him.
He is a garden-variety toad, someone who does not want to do his job or lift a finger to help his employees get their job done. He does not care if you quit. He does not care how you or your coworkers feel. It is jarring to get that message, but it is clarifying, too.
Now you know. Now there is no confusion. He will not help you. You took a risk talking to him, and he told you to go jump in a lake.
With that information, you can plan accordingly. You can take your time deciding what kind of job you want next.
With that information, you can plan accordingly. You can take your time deciding what kind of job you want next.
You can brand yourself for the jobs you want. You can create a target employer list. You can roll out the entire stealth job search protocol, carefully and with intention.
God bless that guy & your boss, too – they don’t deserve you, but the silver lining is that now you know it for sure.
It’s onward and upward from here!
It’s onward and upward from here!
