Hi Ladies!

21 Comments

1. AnonymousJune 29,2022 at 1:49AM UTC

   Ask for a specific list and realistic timeline of goals.

   Perhaps as you check the proverbial boxes, your manager will see they no longer need the meetings, or not as often. (Or an update-status email?)

   I'm a very proactive and independent worker myself and I totally get where your frustrations are coming from. But I think the communication is extremely important. (Not saying you aren't trying!!) I learned a month ago I was trained incorrectly and literally learning my job again. I was trained by a person my department had trouble with for years!!!! :(

   Giving your boss the benefit of the doubt, maybe they are trying to "call in the doctor", or at least a check-up.

   Hang in there!!

2. April MinerJune 29,2022 at 2:07AM UTC

   Perhaps the manager recognizes your intelligence and is soaking your brain for ideas or thinks you need coaching.

   I'd probably ask a few questions on the next meeting to determine the need for so many 1:1s.

3. KHRISTEN JONESJune 29,2022 at 2:10AM UTC

   I would use Monday to set priorities and a timeline, ask to skip Wednesday so you can execute, send a detailed email prior to the Friday meeting and then on the Friday call ask to eliminate Wednesday and Friday completely and utilize this new structure. He may have had an employee who needed this or who knows ... but this would be the show instead of tell mentality and hopefully build trust? Just a brainstorm. Hope it gets better!

4. Tamara AllenJune 29,2022 at 12:39PM UTC

   I love this, thank you for this!

5. AnonymousJune 29,2022 at 2:46AM UTC

   Ask for an agenda before each meeting so you set expectations.

   If there there is a clear plan maybe his intentions will become more clear. If he can't offer you an agenda, your boss doesn't know what he's doing and has way too much time on his hands.

   I'm wondering if he manages all his direct reports like this?

6. Tamara AllenJune 29,2022 at 12:44PM UTC

   Funny, a mentor of mine said the same thing about him having too much time…or just needing to show he’s “managing” by showing face. Thing is, I don’t have the luxury lol

7. AnonymousJune 29,2022 at 1:50PM UTC

   All the more reason to insist on an agenda. If asked why, tell him you want to prepare since he's not getting what he needs in a single weekly meeting.

8. AnonymousJuly 3,2022 at 1:13PM UTC

   I would suggest you just ask for the intent of the meeting and plan accordingly. I make time for my direct reports to ensure they have everything they need from me, to provide direction or clarification and to ensure that they have all the info they need to be successful. If one of my direct reports demanded an agenda every time I ask for a meeting, it would create other issues. Assume this is to help until you have clear evidence it isn’t.

9. AnonymousJune 29,2022 at 7:59PM UTC

   How long are the meetings? If the meetings are an hr long each, yea that does seem excessive. Try to schedule time to address the issue but try to meet him half way and see how it helps. For ex if the time is an hr each, ask to reduce it to 20-30min. If he agree and it still interferres, ask to remove 1 of the 3 days. If you still are struggling, then I would wonder if those meetings are really the problem.

10. AnonymousJuly 1,2022 at 12:39PM UTC

    It could be a courtesy to make sure you get everything you need from him. But you probably want to got through at least a week of meetings before you request a change - ask at the first one why.

    I have a daily 15 minute meeting with my supervisor (our CEO). We don't always meet and sometimes when we do it runs longer, but it's a great way to showcase what I've accomplished (or my team), remind her if someone has a time sensitive request she needs to complete, and make sure we're on the same page. She does the same with me. My boss doesn't always get to emails or Teams messages in a timely fashion, so this is a great way to make sure we both have what we need. It also gives us someone to bounce things off of in a safe environment.

11. anonymousJuly 1,2022 at 12:44PM UTC

    Think you have to be delicate if your manager is a bit sensitive and not used to any disagreements.

    suggest you ask him to move to 2 1:1's weekly and then in a few weeks, down to one 1:1.

12. Nancy BrennerJuly 3,2022 at 12:26PM UTC

    What if a manager consistently asks for zooms or calls anyone from 6-10 nearly night after a full work day?

13. RufusJuly 3,2022 at 1:28PM UTC

    Zooms and calls from 6-10 every night after a full work day is a problem -- very poor boundaries and time management.

14. Kelly MeigsJuly 3,2022 at 9:21PM UTC

    You need to set boundaries. That’s not ok.

15. Cindy AllenJuly 3,2022 at 1:01PM UTC

    A good organization focuses on its team.
    I would assume positive intent and use it as an opportunity to learn about the company, the organization, the team and your boss. Plan your work around it. This is a fantastic development opportunity especially at the beginning of your new job. As time goes on you can adjust the meetings as needed.

16. AnonymousJuly 3,2022 at 1:05PM UTC

    That is a bit excessive especially for a Manager. I've done this during larger projects with tight deadlines and do meet with new hires frequently while they onboard. Maybe try slacking or emailing your updates and ask if there is a reason to meet?

17. Mike StrenjaJuly 3,2022 at 1:11PM UTC

    Ask about the intention of frequent 1:1’s. This is a fair question.

18. RufusJuly 3,2022 at 1:25PM UTC

    Did your director give you great feedback so far, or others? I agree that you want to know their intention and reason for so many 1:1s. It sounds like micromanaging to me. I would express how this makes you feel and how it is impacting your work flow. Perhaps you could suggest 1x per week, and let them know that you will seek their input if you need anything.

19. AnonymousJuly 3,2022 at 5:37PM UTC

    I wish my bosses supervisor would have spent that time with my new Manager. She interviewed well and had experience, but she was NOT a good fit with our culture.

    When I moved into a new position my previous boss and I had a quick 15 minutes every morning to recap the previous day and be sure my priorities matched what he needed action on. Updates like this were easy for me and I was quickly able to shift into normal work mode after meeting.

    I would ask what is he looking to gain from these 1-1s so you can prepare to give and get the most from them.

20. AnonymousJuly 5,2022 at 3:36AM UTC

    It might be to make sure that you get time to meet during the week (i.e.
    one or more might get canceled). I would check in before each meeting to see if there’s anything that needs to be covered, and take them for the first few weeks, and as you get more settled in, maybe ask about reducing to once or twice per week.

21. AnonymousJuly 22,2022 at 6:19PM UTC

    From experience, a manager who requests more than 1x a week one-on-ones do not have trust with their employees. They say great feedback and stuff, but there might be minor details that they're still hung up about and aren't communicating that to you. To sum up, a form of micromanagement and perfectionism. I had a manager that was like that, and guess what... 9 months later, slapped me with a PIP out of nowhere. On that PIP, it was all her concerns about minor details that does not even impact work performance. So like many others advised to you, please ask about the intention of these 1v1s, if there are any concerns that your manager isn't telling you, and start documenting evidence somewhere personally that you are meeting your job responsibilities.