Dealing with a manager that wants to keep you down...

justaquestion

Yes started a role recently and the manager sucks, without going into too much detail the aim is to keep the team down and use us to boost his own career. Constant lies, no trust and just a god awful manager(by title only). Anyone dealt with this in the past? I know most will say just jump I need them on my cv for another bit.

MrsWilliams

justaquestion said:

Yes started a role recently and the manager sucks, without going into too much detail the aim is to keep the team down and use us to boost his own career. Constant lies, no trust and just a god awful manager(by title only). Anyone dealt with this in the past? I know most will say just jump I need them on my cv for another bit.

Well, since you need them as you so put it the recommendation to leave is no longer available.

The only short piece of advice I am going to give, is to document everything. 

I am not sure keeping the team down will boost the career of a manager!? I have never heard that before. I am not sure how your failures will benefit him/her. I am lost but Ok.

So, document everything and if need be consult the local HR. People have said this before, so I'll dig deeper and give you a neutral standpoint I haven't given before.

Sometimes if one (1) person complains, you are the problem. You are the complainer. You are the only one with the issue. If several people complain, the team complaints are more than likely based on some truths. But, people that need a job and especially those living pay check to pay check are less likely to compromise the current working situation. 

I've seen someone complain, as in throw someone in the leadership chain under the bus, I mean train.

Guess what the supervisor did? Nothing, nothing at all. Took it on the chin like a true warrior.

But, this game is chess not checkers. 

So, when the gentleman that complained made his next small work related mistake, he lost his job. Sometimes complaining on anyone, not necessarily someone from leadership can have catastrophic impacts. It's like after you throw someone under the bus, you walk around with a big target on your back. They are waiting for you to mess up...and you will mess up eventually...  You will go have lunch and laugh and joke at work thinking they forgot and brushed it off. No, heck no they didn't forget. They really just hit you with the poker face! They bluffed you! If you put someones job on the line, they are going to (eventually) put your job on the line. That is just how the game goes. If you want to attempt to take food off the table of someones family and aren't successful they ARE going to patiently wait to get you back. They are going to be your friend on the outside but enemy on the inside.

**People don't forget when you tried to get them fired LOL** Trust me on that and please never forget it!  

IF I am your supervisor, it's 100% easier for ME to get rid of YOU than for YOU to get rid of ME. Just something to think about...

DFTK13

This looks like its your first post, I don't know your background or what this role entails or if you have any other certs. If this is your first IT job and you really need them on your resume as badly as you say you need, then my only advice is to just try to stick it out for at least 6 months, and then start looking. In the meantime, be professional. Alot of times, we have really crappy jobs and supervisors who really are just terrible human beings, but they're just stepping stones. Just build your experience as fast as you can so that you'll have more control over your future. 

scaredoftests

Yes, I don't know how a manager would get kudos for having a 'lousy' team. Suck it up for now. Try to learn as much as you can.

bigdogz

Advice on 2 methods:

Stay:

HR will ALWAYS favor management and unless it is BLATENT, this could blow up on you and your co workers.

You could end up being in a hostile work environment, if you are not already. Know that at (all) times you may also be considered an adversary because the manager may be insecure by the talent of the team.

Document everything and have some trail of tasks that you were told to do by this manager. Once you use you use your documentation, you will be in the cross hairs. You have to think 2 or 3 steps ahead of your boss.

Your manager will scorch the earth to make sure he/she is still holding the spot or moving up.

I had to deal with one like this and I was lucky that, I had made a name for myself to be a great employee, my former manager (who still worked there) understood what was happening with my supervisor, and I was smart dealing with upper management. Otherwise I could have been unemployed.

Leave:

Learn what you can and move on. It is easier and you will not have to worry about making enemies. Sooner or later upper management will see why others have left but you did not have to stress out about it.

I should have done this but I chose to stay and I can say I made the wrong choice.

Good luck!

justaquestion

Thanks for the feedback its much appreciated, certainly food for thought. Just to add a little more context, I have roughly 10 years in i.t so no beginner by any means. For obvious reasons I cannot describe the certain scenarios that have been going on since I started but I realise when I am being treated like dirt just because this manager is insecure in their own skin and acts like a 10 year old and lies a lot, even about stuff outside of work! To say they are a spoofer is a total understatement and they know they are rubbish at their job. Anyway I wont be reporting anything as you guys have mentioned as it will be hassle down the line but appreciate all the comments. I will stick it out for now and play the game while keeping an eye out for a new role.

justaquestion

Just one more thing, is working in info sec alot of smoke and mirrors stuff? Has anyone experienced this? I'm never busy but no one seems to care. Is this unusual?

NetworkNewb

laptop waffle

justaquestion

Great input man, I'm serious. 

bigdogz

justaquestion said:

Just one more thing, is working in info sec alot of smoke and mirrors stuff? Has anyone experienced this? I'm never busy but no one seems to care. Is this unusual?

No, it's not smoke and mirrors. Some make it look easier than others.

Not being busy is not good, I may be wrong. Maybe you are quick with completing your projects.

I don't know the culture of your workplace. Some organizations have different opinions of how many people are needed within their group. Maybe everyone in your group is not busy. Maybe you were hired to be a backup of others.

Just learn what you can and move on.

justaquestion

Yes thanks 

bigdogz

justaquestion said:

Yes thanks 

???

justaquestion

For the response lol

bigdogz

Yes... to what? I had multiple scenarios.