I worked at one location but spent every Saturday morning at a branch in a different town covering a colleague who was sick for a month. The assistant manager of my weekday branch would ring me on a Saturday demanding to know about something that had gone wrong that week, ending the call with ' I'll see you about this on Monday ' thus ruining the rest of my weekend as l spent it worrying, and that clearly was his intention as on the Monday the problem had cleared up.
It was the last straw as I went to the most senior manager l could and unburden myself of this and other examples. I didn't realise how much l had been effected as l felt powerless as l was so long down the chain.
However the senior was lovely, l was told my colleague emerged from the seniors office white as a sheet and I never had anymore problems.
The "I so desperately want to be your mate, except when..." boss archetype. Aside from the Brent-esque cringing nature of a manager who is overly keen to be involved in your personal life, spend time with you outside of the office, think its acceptable to make "banterous" comments that only those who have known you for 15+ years of life can make (and even then, only after they have gone through stringent approval processes). Aside from all of that, the worst part is that they demonstrate all this mostly over-friendliness except when they decide to draw and use the "I am your boss" card and try and pull rank over you. Can often be linked back to when you mistakenly fool yourself into thinking the relationship is truly two way and dare to make a joke at their expense.
Interesting subject Jack. I was part of a team employed to help a large government owned bank be listed and corporatised. The old bank was built on a command and control system and we came in with base salaries, bonuses and profit sharing. My boss was from the old bank and when we met he told me that people usually only lasted 3 years with him and then moved on. You new blokes aren’t as smart as you think you are and we plan to have you out of here in a year. I thought Jeez. What have I done! I stuck to my guns and we had a furious argument about autonomy and that cleared the air.
I worked at one location but spent every Saturday morning at a branch in a different town covering a colleague who was sick for a month. The assistant manager of my weekday branch would ring me on a Saturday demanding to know about something that had gone wrong that week, ending the call with ' I'll see you about this on Monday ' thus ruining the rest of my weekend as l spent it worrying, and that clearly was his intention as on the Monday the problem had cleared up.
It was the last straw as I went to the most senior manager l could and unburden myself of this and other examples. I didn't realise how much l had been effected as l felt powerless as l was so long down the chain.
However the senior was lovely, l was told my colleague emerged from the seniors office white as a sheet and I never had anymore problems.
Good grief, the "let's talk about this on Monday" should be criminalised. Pleased you got it resolved!
The "I so desperately want to be your mate, except when..." boss archetype. Aside from the Brent-esque cringing nature of a manager who is overly keen to be involved in your personal life, spend time with you outside of the office, think its acceptable to make "banterous" comments that only those who have known you for 15+ years of life can make (and even then, only after they have gone through stringent approval processes). Aside from all of that, the worst part is that they demonstrate all this mostly over-friendliness except when they decide to draw and use the "I am your boss" card and try and pull rank over you. Can often be linked back to when you mistakenly fool yourself into thinking the relationship is truly two way and dare to make a joke at their expense.
All. Of. This.
Interesting subject Jack. I was part of a team employed to help a large government owned bank be listed and corporatised. The old bank was built on a command and control system and we came in with base salaries, bonuses and profit sharing. My boss was from the old bank and when we met he told me that people usually only lasted 3 years with him and then moved on. You new blokes aren’t as smart as you think you are and we plan to have you out of here in a year. I thought Jeez. What have I done! I stuck to my guns and we had a furious argument about autonomy and that cleared the air.