I meet with "the top dog" of our company tomorrow morning. He is the boss of my entire department. I do not report to him directly, my immediate boss does. But the top dog is new to the company, so he is meeting with everyone to hear what they do, get to know them, etc. I really need some advice as to how to talk with him.
Since I have worked for my company, they have been REALLY not nice to me as it relates to my illness and a plethora of other things. I won't get into the details, but I am NOT a whiny baby worker (you all know the type I am talking about). I am a successful attorney, have worked very hard to get to where I am, and am confident in my abilities.....well, until now. This place makes me feel very small. I have never had this issue before - all the judges and attorneys I have ever worked for cannot say enough good things about my work/skills. So this is really hard for me. I don't feel like my confident self anymore and I am currently doing a lot of work that is the SAME thing, every day, and extremely taxing work that was previously done by two people, not just one. I know I will end up being burned out - but I have a type A personality as well so I plow through.
I am SO thankful to have a good paying job - but I have worked other places before and have been happy - not here. So what on earth am I supposed to say to this new guy when he asked me questions about how I like it, etc.? Lie? Of course there are things I like, but not nearly as much as I don't. I am treated VERY differenlty than a lot of the other people here, and anytime I have ever said anything to somone higher up than me (ie, hey susan, can you help me navigate this issue I am having with mulptiple people giving me conflicting orders), I get nothing in return execpt how hard things are for THEM. My issues really are overlooked and made to be minimal, so I just have learned to not say anything as it just turns to the other person's issues.
I am at a total loss as to how to discuss anytihng with this person. I really don't want to cause a problem, but my husband says that is my problem - that I never stick up for myself and that I get walked on. Hubby thinks I should tell the GC how I am feeling, in a very polite and professional manner of course. I think it will backfire and the politics of the company will completely overrule anything I say. Help me through this talk........
ETA: Tracy M. Of course I am not behind on my work, or anything of the sort, or else I wouldn't at all question why my work has such an issue with my illness/absence. I am an attorney - I didn't get here being "behind". I am extremely good at what I do, and my clients love me. We don't have billable hours - we aren't a firm, we are a company. If my client gets his contract reviewed, he is thrilled. If I get my work done, which I ALWAYS do, and well I might add, that is all that matters. My clients never come to my office - all communication is done via telephone and email, so me being present in the office is simply not necessary (which is why another attorney here works from home frequently.....). My boss is very aware of my health issues, including letters from my doctor explaining the issue and asking me to be released from work for important doctor appointments. I missed a total of 8 days last year (hourly people are allowed 10, I should be given 8!). This year, I have only missed 4 days. And my doc appts occur about once every three months, and I scheudle them over my lunch hours as much as possible.
Fantastic advice everyone - thank you so much. Love the pros and cons list and the option of another meeting if necessary.
ETA: Pam R - agree - but he will never "see my work". I am like nothing to him. Not trying to be rude at all - he seems like a very nice guy. But I matter so little to him bc he has such big issues to deal with he really would have no reason to see anything I ever do. It is so not on his radar.
ETA: I agree with both of you (I should have added although he is new, he has been here about 4 months. My "get to know you" meeting has been delayed as I was out the week he started and when everyone else had their sit down - I think my husband is advocating more because he is frustrated and not thinking about the better time. Also, as far as my contributions - I think that is my issue - I don't feel like I can contribute - I am SOOO micromanaged it is silly, so I feel like what I do is so non worthy - I hope that makes sense......I have asked over and over again to be more involved with bigger ticket items - my requests fall on deaf ears. So, I think that is part of my nervousness as well - articulating well enough what I do without sounding like a secretary instead of an attorney (NO offense to secretaries for the love of GOd, I was just making an example=)
other examples - I worked from home about 8 days last year (we are salaried so we really have no set time off, they just expect everyone to act as adults and get thier work done, which I do. I got "in trouble" for working from home - and they were NOT nice about it. And I was very ill, with a doctor's letter asking them to excuse me. Didn't matter. And they allow other employees to work from home on a regular basis - and yet another is getting to work from home for 6 weeks after her original 6 week maternity leave. I am not changing the facts here - that is exactly what happened. No other explanation. I know better than to ask why......It will only backfire on me and I will get treated worse.....imo. I could give a long list of other examples, but let's just say my husband has on multiple occassions told me to say or do something because he thought I was being treated poorly. those who know my husband know he NEVER agrees with me!! =)
I refer to this as "I'm really important but have to make it seem like I care about you little people" meetings. He needs to make it look like he's getting to know everyone and wants to know what they do but in reality nothing you say is going to matter unless you are negative. If you are negative then you will be labeled as someone he needs to keep an eye on and nothing good will come of it.
Sit, smile, be friendly, and don't complain.
No way would I "complain". He's new. I'd want to get to know him first and have him see my work. What I would say politely and professionally is you enjoy working there and you're working very hard doing what two people used to do (but put it more artfully than that using specifics) and you hope that's recognized. I would use the opportunity to point out your contributions in a low key, humble manner but still make the point. I think someone two levels above you does not want to hear specific, individual complaints from someone he's just meeting and he likely has a long list of other people coming in after you. General suggestions for improvments are probably ok but he's doing this sit down to be nice for now. As time goes on, hopefully you get to know him better.
After your ETA: then if you're not on his radar at all, I don't think complaining to him at this meeting is going to do any good and likely has more downside than upside... If anything, he unfortunately might have a negative impression from your boss already if your boss doesn't like you. I'd want to counter that by being very positive and illustrating what you do and how you want to do more. Use the time then to ask for more high level work based on your experience level. And I agree with MandaM that in a couple of months you could request another meeting.
This is not the meeting to discuss your issues with your boss.
From a managerial perspective, your new department head is trying to understand roles/workloads/responsibilities. He/She is trying to get a handle on how the department is functioning and if it needs to be restructured for efficiency.
At the risk of sounding cold, this meeting is not about you. It's about him/her.
I do think that it's OK to end the meeting requesting ANOTHER meeting to discuss the relationship with your direct boss. You can reference that you have had some challenges with your boss and you'd like a fresh perspective on how best to address them.
But you have to give this new person a chance to form an opinion and working relationship with your new boss as well. Otherwise, you're never going to get a fair judgment or resolution. Thus, setting up a different meeting where the sole focus is on the issue you're having.
Be honest, but diplomatic. Lying isn't going to get you anywhere and this is your chance to get a good start with the new top dog. Don't complain, just lay out a problem and ask how to work together for a solution.
Maybe you can say something like "I'm having a hard time making my voice heard. How can I get what I need from others without feeling like I'm complaining or asking for too much help?" That way, you put the problem on you - not on your coworkers - but make it clear that they aren't listening to or hearing what you're saying. It spells out that there is a communication problem without placing blame on anyone else.
Keeping quiet will get you nowhere.
I read thru the other answers and just want to add that I agree this initial meeting is not likely the time to raise specific complaints. At a possible follow up meeting you could address the issues, but I caution you to make aure you are 1) addressing the issues at the right level - can it be handle at a lower level? And 2) be clear in what outcome you are seeking. Neer bring an issue without offering some possible solutions too!
Best wishes!
Start by being very cordial, that you love your job and want to make a difference. As far as the negative stuff , I think I would gently imply that there is lots of opportunity for improvement, starting with the way people treat people in the office, you're ALL on the same team for heaven's sake! And then let it go, and see if interest sparks from that statement for the new person to pursue more detail. (don't expect it in the same initial conversation though). I'd be careful about naming names, as this can bite you ! But, you will have shown you are a Team player, you like what you do and you care about other people. Best of Luck , C. S.
If you have already tried to address these issues with your manager and have had no resolution, then this is the guy you have to address the problems to. I would list out the issues in order of importance and be ready to talk about the top one or two.
Go into the interview with a positive attitude. Somewhere in the middle of the meeting tell the new boss that you have had some issues that have not been resolved despite previous attempts and would like to know if you can address them now or if you need to set up a meeting at a later date. That lets him know that you are unhappy for some reason but gives him a chance to lead the interview in the direction he wants it to go. Take your cues from what he says next, it will let you know how proactive he plans to be.
I would explain that you do not feel challenged and used to your potential. Explain that you are used to doing more and having more responsibility at previous jobs and that you feel under utilized. I am not sure how to bring in their treatment of you and your illness. It is wrong, but I am not sure how to bring it up without coming off as negative and I think you want to do that at all costs. Don't be negative. Good luck.
I know the market is really tight right now, but I would be looking to change firms. Sounds miserable. Hugs to you!!
If you want to stay where you are (or if you really don't have another option), I would focus on developing suggestions for what you want/need. Try to incorporate the interests of the firm in how you present your suggestions. I feel that my productivity could really be improved if..., I think my clients would respond well if I could...
You may be able to work it from general to specific. You mention that if you ask for help, the others complain about their work load. What you are seeing as just affecting you may be a department/branch or even company wide thing. If that is the case, they need to know.
Your husband may be right. But you can always try to approach things less from a complaining side and more from a "how can I help the company" (and by extension, myself).
Perhaps write out a list of pros/cons. Pros being what you see working in general, and for you. Same for the cons. If the cons that aren't working well for you are also things that you see not working in general, THAT could be the best way to approach it. State the GENERAL issue that you've seen, then give YOUR specific example, perhaps even referencing others who have spoken about the same issue.
Doing this might help you clarify exactly where the breakdown is for you and enable you to strategize to fix it or just deal with it.
Either way, approach him as a fellow team-member that has the same goal - the best for the company.
Good luck!
Please read up on the Americans With Disabilities Act, especially if your illness is a chronic illness and is Federally considered a disability. Your employer, no matter how large or small, is legally bound to make reasonable accommodations for you as they relate to your illness and your job. Please document everything. If you need to, get an advocate. You can contact an Independent Living Center/Center for Independent Living that services your area. The CIL's are non-profit agencies and can help with issues such as what you're dealing with... advocacy for disability rights in the work place and helping you keep your job. It's an "overcoming barriers in the work place" thing.
Check this link out and find the CIL nearest you. Then call them. Tell them that you were referred by an advocate in another CIL that's out of state (in CT).
Be careful...be very careful. I don't believe he is looking to hear all of your complaints about the company. I would focus on how much you love being a lawyer.
Since you are not giving details about your medical problems, it is hard to tell how it is being perceived. I have found that being open with my boss about absences has really been beneficial. Do you clam up and refuse to tell your boss anything other than you are missing work? No matter how legitimate, lots of missed time will end up working against you in a firm that values number of billable hours. How did you go about working from home for those 8 days? Did you just do it without discussing with your boss first and not show up? If so, I can see how a boss might have a problem with that. How often are you gone for medical issues? Does your time off often conflict with the due dates for big projects? If so, your boss might be frustrated even though your excuse is valid. My DH has a woman that works for him that seems to have a medical issue EVERY year right around the time of their year end when everything is due. It is a different medical problem every year and usually way overexaggerated. She typically is way behind on her work and folks have to step in and complete it along with their own work...every year. You can bet that it gets old for everyone else in the office. As others have said, you might have some rights under ADA.
Anyway, it sounds like you might not have a good fit with this Company. You should go ahead and put feelers out if you are that unhappy.
At some point in the future you will want this person to write a letter of recommendation or give a job referral so you do not want to burn any bridges. You DO want to come off as a positive addition to the staff. Just in case anyone has said you're a whiny employee or implied you don't pull your fair weight in any way. Make them a liar. Come off as supportive, nice, and willing to do the best job you can.
I remember an attorney at a Habitat meeting one time standing up talking about how to represent a client's needs. She said that client had a need, they needed her to represent them, this case was not personal to her in any way so if she thought about it from their point of view she could argue their point in any arena. Then she said they changed their mind. So she had to instantly turn herself to their new attitude and represent them.
An attorney should be able to readily do this for her client. Be your own client, represent yourself in that meeting. Think outside the box and make this meeting a productive one, but not a job ending career burning move.
It is not the time for complaints. First because you are just meeting this person and you'll look bad and complicated, these people don't want to hear that. But, you can approach this person by letting him know that you would like to contribute more to the company, and you have some ideas, etc. Show in some way that you are an asset to the company not a whinger. Be naturally affable and professional, that way you will have another opportunity to be listened further.
They love to hear that! You do not have to lie about something just avoid talking negatively about someone or something, instead suggest ideas about those topics that concern you the most.
