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comment by kleinbl00
kleinbl00  ·  2983 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: Ask Hubski: Being Managed

Tell her first.

I'm guessing she manages more than you. I'm guessing she has a long list of bullshit to take care of that doesn't have your name on it. I'm also guessing that considering the robust structure of the typical Fortune 500 company, there are wheels within wheels within wheels whereby you accomplishing something makes her good, and her piling more shit on you and have you looking like a power-lifter illustrates her acumen.

So the question is this: are you satisfied being managed? If so, keep waiting for someone to ask you if you've done X, Y and Z so you can tell them "I already did X, Y and Z." If not, say "So here's what I'm working on this week. I clobbered X and Y, Z was kind of a pain but it's done, or will be as soon as Louie gets me the TPS reports. It got me thinking that A and B probably need revisiting because they're slowing Joe down but I'm kind of more interested in the possibilities of digging into C because I have my suspicions that we aren't doing it as efficiently as we could be. What's come up in the past week that I can help you out with?"

She's telling you where you're at because you aren't telling her first. You know what's useful? Someone who solves problems before they get to you. Know what's tedious? Someone who solves problems only when you point at them.

Don't be tedious.





goobster  ·  2983 days ago  ·  link  ·  

    Tell her first.

YES. THIS.

Although, I'm going to come at it from a different direction than kleinbl00.

Instead of looking at the meeting as her lecturing you, turn it around and make it a meeting of you reporting to her about what you have accomplished. Then she can make suggestions or ask questions about what you have accomplished, rather than wondering if you have done X, Y, and Z.

Flip your understanding of what a meeting is. Meetings are not where you discuss things. Meetings are where you report on the progress of the projects you are working on, and ask for specific help on specific sticking points.

This is a more efficient use of everyone's time, it makes you into a leader, and it will have the added benefit of making your meetings extremely short.

My weekly meetings with my manager are about 5 minutes long. "Project X is here, Project Y is waiting for ____, and Project Z was completed and delivered."

Manager: "Great. Need anything from me?"

Me: "Yeah. Can you get on Lonnie's case and tell him that I need a response to my email this week? He's been putting me off."

Manager: "You got it."

Meeting over.