Boss promoted new guy in less than a month. How should I proceed? [closed]

Question

My boss (supervisor) has been trying to convince me everyone out there is evil, except for him. He cuts me out completely from talking to other departments, or anyone else (besides him) for what its worth. His bigger boss stated various times he is impressed with my work, which led him to become even more aggressive with his approach.

Fast forward, he hired a new guy. I had to teach the new guy everything from the start (pretty basic stuff), and he still hasn't been assigned any projects/tasks. I was surprised today to see that he was promoted (the kind of promotion that takes 4-5 years at the very least). This means I have to report to this new guy as well (despite the fact that I am still teaching him the basics). I have been in this job for five years and counting.

Any idea how to proceed?

Answer 1

There's no such thing as "fair". It is a word that people should strike from their vocabulary. What's fair to you may not be fair to me. Who ultimately decides what is, and what is not fair? Fair is subjective, not objective.

The new hire got promoted above and over you. This happens every day. Why did they get promoted? What do you know about the promotion?

What do you want to accomplish? Do you want a promotion? Do you want a raise? Do you want to move to another department? Before we can help, you need to "vocalize" what it is you're trying to achieve or what end result you're looking for. As it stands, I see four potential options:

1. Protest to your boss and lobby for a promotion or a move to another department.

2. Protest to your boss' boss and lobby for a promotion or a move to another department.

3. Keep doing what you're doing in your current position.

4. Find a new job at another company.

Answer 2

Some management positions can only be held by maintaining control over information and communication. If the communication would be open and information accessible to everyone in the organization, that management position would be unnecessary.

In the age of digitization and information, staff is more important than management. Staff is independently supplying resources and information to the volatile and complex demand of customers. Management (optimization of efficiency) can no longer do that and is looking for ways to justify existence (usually hierarchy, pyramid distribution of resources/budget).

You could search for an open conversation with your manager and ask him openly why he did that. If you do not receive an honest answer, either he thinks you do not understand the reasoning or the trust relation between him and you is broken. Look for a new opportunity if you have the feeling it is no longer working out.

Finally, management/leadership positions should not be a reward for years of loyalty to a company. Those positions must be filled with people that have management/leadership skill and/or experience. Companies with family alike cultures usually fail to change and adapt, resulting in failure of business.

Answer 3

Look around for some other jobs that you think you might like better. Go on an interview or three. Maybe you'll find a better spot, or maybe you'll realize that what you have now isn't so bad. Either way you'll learn something.

Don't waste any more time worrying about who got promoted or not. There is no reason why he shouldn't have - or that you should have - just because you've been there longer. And training your manager about how things are done is pretty common. He may be an excellent, seasoned manager, but obviously that doesn't mean he knows how things work at your particular company yet.

Answer 4

Someone trying to isolate you from other people is a red flag (in both personal and professional life). Quite likely, they are telling you lies about other people, telling other people lies about you, or both. More reason for you to keep some informal communication channels. You want to know what your boss might be telling about you to the people you are not supposed to talk to (and therefore you are not supposed to find out). And even if it turns out that the answer is "nothing", having more contacts is only useful.

Realistically, how much can your boss actually prevent you from talking to others? In a different year, I would ask about coffee breaks and lunches, now you probably work from home... either way, there should be a chance to talk to someone. You probably already talk to some people as a part of your work. Add a bit of extra time for socializing. I am not good at small talk, but mere "by the way, how are you these days?" can often start an interesting conversation. The topic does not matter much, the important part is the mutual feeling of "it is okay to talk to each other".

After you are comfortable talking to each other, you might ask how is the work in their department, and whether there might be an opportunity for someone with your skills and experience. (See Pete W's comment.) Don't complain about your current situation, just express a desire for "professional growth", or something that sounds positive and professional. There is probably no good future for you under your current boss; the best you can do is walk away.

Also, update your CV. That doesn't mean that you should leave. However, being ready to leave if necessary, and knowing that you have other options, will increase your confidence and may improve your negotiation.