Manager wont take the lead ....Leadership wont provide clarity....what to do?

v9991

Trusted Information Resource
#1
Manager wont take the lead, neither listens, nor attempts at anything worthwhile, sustaining, results...
....Leadership wont provide clarity....and possibly waiting to pull the trigger or waiting right time to do that?:mg:

With lack of clarity - direction from management, and absence of any effort from manager to put a direction, or atleast to sum-up the current efforts, :frust:
personnel are just filling up the time sheet; without realizing that one day, they will be falling pray to that vacuum ...:( (see i cant even figure out a reason to call the set of personnel as team....see the point)

now my question...
what to do when u dont get opportunity to be heard...nor being considered...even after demonstrating through persistent and obvious results which the ideas will deliver?:confused:
I feel very frustrated and helpless....at the same time, not ready to give up ...
what would you do? what would it help situation to get better.
should i bypass the chain of command and go up ( i am afraid they would only cont on their immediate managers!!? )

thanks for you thoughts...suggestions...

note to moderator :- i dont know if this can be categorized in other forum "upper management support"? i will go with your judgement.
 
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Wes Bucey

Quite Involved in Discussions
#3
Manager wont take the lead, neither listens, nor attempts at anything worthwhile, sustaining, results...
....Leadership wont provide clarity....and possibly waiting to pull the trigger or waiting right time to do that?:mg:

With lack of clarity - direction from management, and absence of any effort from manager to put a direction, or atleast to sum-up the current efforts, :frust:
personnel are just filling up the time sheet; without realizing that one day, they will be falling pray to that vacuum ...:( (see i cant even figure out a reason to call the set of personnel as team....see the point)

now my question...
what to do when u dont get opportunity to be heard...nor being considered...even after demonstrating through persistent and obvious results which the ideas will deliver?:confused:
I feel very frustrated and helpless....at the same time, not ready to give up ...
what would you do? what would it help situation to get better.
should i bypass the chain of command and go up ( i am afraid they would only cont on their immediate managers!!? )

thanks for you thoughts...suggestions...

note to moderator :- i dont know if this can be categorized in other forum "upper management support"? i will go with your judgement.
No one likes a "micro manager"! Sounds like you have a dream job with respect to that. What is preventing you from doing whatever you want?

Nature abjors a vacuum - breathe into it.

http://www.tompeters.com/docs/Brawl.pdf
I really like most of what Tom Peters has to say, to the point I sometimes quote him myself. In the situation cited by the OP, however, one item sticks out for me
what would it help situation to get better.
should i bypass the chain of command and go up ( i am afraid they would only cont on their immediate managers!!? )


Organization cultures and their taboos are the most difficult obstacles to overcome in implementing Change in the organization.

Tom Peters notwithstanding, it is so rare for the tail (employee) to wag the dog (top manager) that, for all practical purposes, it just doesn't happen, especially in a stagnant operation.

There are ways and techniques, of course, to "manage the manager." The folks who successfully "manage the manager" cannot perform the feat solo. They need either:

  • cooperation from fellow workers (the grass roots movement)
  • an upper management Champion
PLUS one other important attribute - comprehensive knowledge of the entire organization (akin to Deming's System of Profound Knowledge [SoPK])

Change, in order to be successful and self-sustaining, needs to be holistic - covering the needs of internal and external customers and suppliers, not just some small facet of the organization. An individual or a team creating and implementing change must take a full scale educational tack, identifying the dissatisfactions with the status quo and helping each party understand how the changes will remove or alleviate those dissatisfactions. The most successful change implementations create a sort of Crusade mentality among the parties, where each is eager to move to the succeeding plateau and offers suggestions and effort to achieve those plateaus.

Sadly, the OP suggests the lethargy and apathy are systemic within the organization. Is there a messiah with both knowledge and charisma to stir the lethargic to action?
 
K

kgott

#4
Manager wont take the lead, neither listens, nor attempts at anything worthwhile, sustaining, results...
....Leadership wont provide clarity....and possibly waiting to pull the trigger or waiting right time to do that?:mg:

With lack of clarity - direction from management, and absence of any effort from manager to put a direction, or atleast to sum-up the current efforts, :frust:
personnel are just filling up the time sheet; without realizing that one day, they will be falling pray to that vacuum ...:( (see i cant even figure out a reason to call the set of personnel as team....see the point)

now my question...
what to do when u dont get opportunity to be heard...nor being considered...even after demonstrating through persistent and obvious results which the ideas will deliver?:confused:
I feel very frustrated and helpless....at the same time, not ready to give up ...
what would you do? what would it help situation to get better.
should i bypass the chain of command and go up ( i am afraid they would only cont on their immediate managers!!? )

thanks for you thoughts...suggestions...

note to moderator :- i dont know if this can be categorized in other forum "upper management support"? i will go with your judgement.

Sometimes leadership is doing whats gotta be done. Just be careful how you tread. Work with and through those you can and then expand sideways
 

v9991

Trusted Information Resource
#5
No one likes a "micro manager"! Sounds like you have a dream job with respect to that. What is preventing you from doing whatever you want?

Nature abjors a vacuum - breathe into it.

http://www.tompeters.com/docs/Brawl.pdf
Actually YES, I agree, that it gives me freedom to do quite a few things without having anyone looking over my shoulders.

BUT, for implementing some good process or realize its results, it is not adequate to be implemented through 1-person or only through products;
it requires the rest of team but almost all personnel are only driven to do what boss asks/cares for.,

Sadly, the OP suggests the lethargy and apathy are systemic within the organization. Is there a messiah with both knowledge and charisma to stir the lethargic to action?
I am sure about the knowledge part of it to be available within the team, (if not with me), but not about the charisma :(

of the other part, taking the people along, logic doesn't seem to always win...what they seem to care is again what & if only the boss asks/cares.:(

OVERALL, i am taking your fresh inputs and will give it another try.
1. holistic solution...not point solutions
2. grass root cooperation...see what i can do add to logic...i.e., charisma part
3. see to get it past the manager through proper means. (involve upper management )
 

Mike S.

Happy to be Alive
Trusted Information Resource
#6
This situation can be a blessing or a curse.

It is a blessing if others are unwilling and/or unable to make any moves toward improvement and are really just waiting around for a leader to take the reigns. I have been such a situation once, and what fun and excitement it provided! It was the best time of my entire work life, and lasted a few great years.

It is a curse if no one is making any moves toward improvement because top management does not want to, for any number of potential reasons. I have been in this situation once, as well, and it sucks the life out of you career-wise. If you try to take the lead and your efforts are actively sabotaged or you are told to stop, you know you are in for a world of disappointment. Unless something big changes at the top, your best bet is to keep your current job only as long as it takes to find another one with some real opportunities.

Good luck.
 
W

Winrich Germann

#7
My idea: Create some kind of a quality circle to discuss current findings. Be sure to write meeting minutes where the issues & proposed solutions are described in brief with evidence attached, and forward these minutes to your manager. Even if he/she does not acknowledge them, you have documented your competence, performance and willingness to communicate openly.
 
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