What do you do about a boss....

[MissMillie]

... that doesn't know what he's doing but expects you to be able to know what he needs from you next?

I have two guys who are teaching Doctoral Program courses right now. Neither one of them has given me more than a 5 minute copy job in the past 6 weeks. Neither one of them has taught at this school before.

I've been here 18 years. If they give me course materials to prepare, I know what to do. If they need to hand out copyrighted materials, I know what to do. If they have assignments they need posted to the online course platform, I know what to do.

Apparently both of them have gone to my other boss and complained that I'm not doing anything for them.

I really don't feel like this is a failing on my part. The stuff they are teaching is nothing I've dealt with before. I don't know what materials they want or when they want them (like w/ my other boss, whose course I can run with my eyes closed).

Hey, I'm happy to fit in some of their stuff--it would be a nice to be able to break up the other stuff I'm doing for boss #3 with some of the stuff from bosses 1 & 2.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

1. DOCUMENT EVERYTHING

Keep meticulous notes on everything that is asked of you...everything they screw up and everything that is said to you

Who
What
Where
When..i.e. date, time

[aden_nak]

2. Spell it out for them.

Send them a request (paper or email) detailing exactly what you need to have from them in order to do your job. Make it very clear. Polite, clear, but definite. Dress it up as the two new bosses being "new to the system" if you want to aviod finger pointing. Explain that you want to help, but without the proper materials/information, you cannot perform your job function. CC your other boss, and whoever THEIR boss would be, and make that CC clear in the letter.

[jswordy]

4. I agree with aden-nak, but...

..l.don't appear petulant or offended or ANYTHING. Just ask for the details in a clean, clinical and emotionless way. I have found that bosses then seem to put their own emotions into it, and think highly of you for wanting the facts and wanting to get the job done to make them look good.

But if you sound like yer whiny, sigh, all bets are OFF!

Try it!

Also, ask in casual conversations with your boss about the details you will need to know. Be low-key about it, at the coffee urn or something. Again, stick to the facts...no emotions. Boss is gonna start thinking after awhile that you are showing extraordinary interest and enthusiasm! And you get to know what the heck you are supposed to be doing! Soon you will know work stuff others don't...always a good thing!

[Wickerman]

3. sounds like first semester reviews weren't good for the 2

Pile it back on the admin person - "she didn't help me..."

Schedule meetings with each of them. Ask what they want of you. Pretend that just because everyone else finds them losers that you think they are just swell. another day, another ass (or two) to kiss.

Good luck.