Timeline for How can I not get unfairly blamed for things by my boss?
Current License: CC BY-SA 4.0
8 events
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| Dec 14, 2021 at 20:23 | comment | added | 8protons | @padleyj How can this answer be "the right one" when the question isn't even specific? We have no clue what OP means with "not trivial" because they provide no examples or context at all for what the hell they're talking about. What if OP means, "The boss wants me clean the floors before we close but doesnt understand it's not trivial." What is non trivial here? Is it because they are given only 2 minutes to do it? Does boss want floors wiped with a hammer? Nontrivial because OP has never cleaned? Does OP have a lazy attitude? No one knows! This answer would be hilarious to such a scenario. | |
| Nov 23, 2021 at 20:44 | comment | added | corsiKa | @mattfreake You would put thousands of consultants and managers out of a job if people did that on a regular basis. | |
| Nov 22, 2021 at 18:44 | comment | added | Greenstick | The big take away: if a task is going to take a while, set that expectation (the bad news) but, if you can, also present an easier alternative if it exists (the good news). Nine times out of ten the boss will go with the alternative your propose. You have the added benefit of having saved them time while also making them feel like you’re a valuable contributor. Flip the script. | |
| Nov 22, 2021 at 18:38 | comment | added | Greenstick | To add, I can’t tell you how many times (in a past life working as a dev at a creative agency) a project manager or client would ask for x, which I’d estimate to take 20 hours, was 100% happy to compromise with an almost functionally equivalent y that’d only take 20 minutes. You’re the expert. Start by understanding your bosses needs (repeating back what they’re asking as a question, “Just to make sure I’m understanding what you’re looking for, …” often helps) and, if you see an alternative that’s similar and much easier to implement, propose that and highlight the benefit in timeliness. | |
| Nov 22, 2021 at 18:29 | comment | added | computercarguy | This, and all other advice, depends on how reasonable the boss is. If the boss is determined to blame the OP, then that's what's going to happen regardless of how often the OP tells the manager how difficult or long the project truly is. | |
| Nov 22, 2021 at 14:37 | comment | added | padleyj | I can't stress how much this answer should be the right one. I'm a novice software engineering manager myself and personally I can't value enough when my team is direct and transparent with me about when my expectations aren't in line w/ reality. I know not all managers hold the same values, but I'm behind this one 100%. | |
| Nov 22, 2021 at 9:40 | comment | added | matt freake | ...and keep them updated if progress starts to significantly differ from the plan | |
| Nov 22, 2021 at 9:04 | history | answered | nvoigt♦ | CC BY-SA 4.0 |