God damn office politics

quarky

So the CIO (head of IT) asked me last week to come up with some personae for typical workers in the organisation for a project that I am working on. Nothing major, "just spend a few hours on it, and send it over". So I did. I put together about six different personae/roles, stuck them in a PowerPoint presentation, and sent them across. 

The CIO writes back saying "Great, those are a fantastic start", etc. and copies in about six people including my boss (who is between the two of us on the org structure) saying that we need to build on these for this project and others. So my immediate boss then writes to me saying "Quarky, I would have appreciated a discussion and review prior to sending..."?

WTF? 

Am I in the wrong here? Should I have to copy my direct boss in on every email to my boss's boss? Is there some rule here that I need to ask for clarification on? I mean, this isn't the first time and I think she is just being incredibly controlling and paranoid, but am I missing something?

We (my immediate boss and I) typically have a meeting once a week to "catch up", where (to me) this might have been mentioned, but she hasn't bothered to attend the last three so there was no meeting to even mention it at..

Axe_meister

Sounds like a middle manager feels she's being undermined or sees you as a threat.

RandallFlagg

She's insecure. It's a corporate treadmill rat race, filled with bullshit. Suck it up until you can afford to unplug from the Matrix. I find stuff like this irrelevant in the real world and not worth getting het up over.

Modulus_Amps

Some member of management are very insecure, especially if you are competent and get recognition from their bosses. You could be an arsehole about it and create a 7th personae based on her and get her to check it before sending it.... or don't let it upset you and enjoy the work you do.

Teetonetal

I would have discussed with immediate boss first out of professional courtesy.

Maynehead

I would have done the same, you did as you were asked. Your boss should be asking her boss (the CIO) why he didn’t give her the task, rather than asking you why you didn’t involve her.

Having said that I’m very weary of passing judgement on these types of threads, as you never really get the full picture.

stickyfiddle

If my boss's boss asks for something I just do it and expect my direct manager to be fine with it as long as it's not taking time away from something urgent for a client. Equally, I'd have no issue showing the document/file to the manager if they wanted to have a look.

I wouldn't worry about it, but it might be worth a chat with the direct manager to confirm expectations for the future rather than letting it become "a thing"

duotone

Don’t even give it a second thought, you haven’t done anything wrong imo.  

randella

I often wonder about moving to a new job, where I could reasonably expect a pay rise of around a few grand, based on what I see advertised and an honest awareness of my own skill levels.

But then I never do - my boss catches up with me every six weeks or so, and otherwise leaves me to it.  Doesn't give a crap who I do or don't speak to as long as things get done around the place.

This sort of bullshit the OP is suffering is reminiscent of another boss I had once who controlled me to the point where I never met her boss.  Just wouldn't have happened.  She wanted to filter out every bit of credit she possibly could from every damn thing I did, like a whale hoovering up plankton.  If she'd insisted I do something her way to the letter and it went tits-up (as it did from time to time) she wanted to make damn sure that wasn't on her either.

Office politics bollocks.  Don't let it get to you.  If your gaffer says she wants in, let her in on it.  Just jump around a bit when she says jump and crack on with your job. 

Some people treat work like they're at war, I suspect because they have very little going on in their personal lives.  Just let it wash over you, collect the salary, go home and play your guitar.  At least that's what I did with the aforementioned horror boss.

quarky

Maynehead said:

Having said that I’m very weary of passing judgement on these types of threads, as you never really get the full picture.

Yep, great point, which is why I really appreciate all comments, especially those that go against my instinct (like @Teetonetal ;
above).

There is history, and she has been annoyed with me before over something like this, but it just seems like such a normal way to work to me. If someone asks me to do something, and I can do it, I will. Especially when that person is the head of IT and it is directly related to a project I am working on. She has been my boss for about a year, and I think she fostered a fortress mentality in the team, and it is so strong that it verges on groupthink. It is a lot different to how I used to work.

If I am in the wrong here, I guess I need to know what the rules are. Next time the CIO asks, do I ask him to go through my boss instead, even though that was never the way we worked in the past? Do I just ask her to sort it out with him (or the reverse)? Do I just copy every single email I send to the CIO to her?

stickyfiddle said:

I wouldn't worry about it, but it might be worth a chat with the direct manager to confirm expectations for the future rather than letting it become "a thing"

 It is kind of difficult to ask what her expectations are without coming across as an arsehole, but I think you are right, that is probably what is required.

Emp_Fab

Just be honest with her...  point out that her boss asked you to do something and obviously you did as you were asked.  Ask her what else would she have had you do ?  Question her bosses instructions by running it past her first ?  Tell her that the real issue is not you not consulting with her but why her boss didn't go through her to pass the instruction to you.

randella

quarky said:

If I am in the wrong here, I guess I need to know what the rules are. Next time the CIO asks, do I ask him to go through my boss instead, even though that was never the way we worked in the past? Do I just ask her to sort it out with him (or the reverse)? Do I just copy every single email I send to the CIO to her?

I'd ask her what she wants - be pleasant about it, just see what her expectations and ground rules are.  I don't think it's an unreasonable thing to ask out of curiosity.

But then I don't know your boss, so caveat emptor!  Don't give it the Bruce Willis in Die Hard on my account for god's sake

cbilly22

Had similar a while back. I started CCing in half the company's upper management every time one asked me do look into something for them. I had a few ask to be excluded from emails who I then told not blame me when they are out of the loop. Never underestimate the insecurity of those in management, they usually know they are out of their depth and are already aware of who will take their place in the near future. There are certainly good ones but they wouldn't give you grief over something like this as they wouldn't need to.

randella

Emp_Fab said:

Just be honest with her...  point out that her boss asked you to do something and obviously you did as you were asked.  Ask her what else would she have had you do ?  Question her bosses instructions by running it past her first ?  Tell her that the real issue is not you not consulting with her but why her boss didn't go through her to pass the instruction to you.

True though it may be, I'd frame it a bit more delicately than that. 

Quite a bit more delicately, in fact. 

I'd also probably miss out the bit where you imply she's shit because her boss skipped her out.

p90fool

She must be young, bless her. The years I spent in management taught me it's best not to know anything at all, ever. 

stickyfiddle

quarky said:

stickyfiddle said:

I wouldn't worry about it, but it might be worth a chat with the direct manager to confirm expectations for the future rather than letting it become "a thing"

 It is kind of difficult to ask what her expectations are without coming across as an arsehole, but I think you are right, that is probably what is required.

You'll note I didn't say it'd be an easy conversation! But much easier than having worse fallout in 6 months. 

I'm lucky to be in a (generally) very good team. Most other teams where I am are far more divisive and/or backstabby

menamestom

The trick with work is to care enough to do any tasks your are asked to do, as well as you can.

Then don't care about the consequences or what people think too much.  Caring about what people think -  boss, bosses boss, MD, cleaner, office junior - whoever, is pointless.  Ignore the criticism, equally ignore praise, do what you do as you see fit.  All I'd say in this instance is 'I'll copy you in next time.' 

So care a lot, then don't give a fuck.  People learn to know you are somebody who can get the job done, but not somebody that can be ruffled.

Funkfingers

Emp_Fab said:
The real issue is ... why her boss didn't go through her to pass the instruction to you.

^
Precisely this.

Good reasons for the manager two levels above to request your input and effort include you being considered the staff member best suited to the task.

Bad reasons include the manager two levels above suspecting that you do not have enough other work to be getting on with. If your immediate manager is any good at her job, one of her functions is to guard against extra tasks being dumped on her team.

The most likely explanation is that the manager two levels above needed the task doing and could not find your immediate manager for her to delegate.

quarky said:

the CIO (head of IT) asked me last week

By any chance, did this happen on a Friday?

Musicman20

randella said:

Some people treat work like they're at war, I suspect because they have very little going on in their personal lives.  Just let it wash over you, collect the salary, go home and play your guitar.  At least that's what I did with the aforementioned horror boss.

Great words there. I hate it when people have no personal life and work is their life, (unless they have a cool career like a band).

LuttiS

Especially when that person is the head of IT and it is directly related to a project I am working on

Is your direct boss directly related to the project (other than being your boss)?

To me, i wouldn't see you as having done anything wrong. 

I work quite autonomously in my job - i'm the only person who can do the stuff i do, and so i regularly get asked stuff by my bosses boss, as well as other managers and such around the business. Majority of the time i don't go through my boss for anything really.. we work well together

 

Sassafras

Tell her she was kept out of the loop because the boss has no confidence in her abilities and anyway she's getting the sack any day now.