What do you do about a boss who asks you to do things that he/she can do her/his self?

21 Comments

1. AnonymousMarch 21,2025 at 2:36PM UTC

   This is a curious question. I need more specifics. What are you being asked to do that they could themself? That would dictate the sort of answer I would give you.

2. AnonymousMarch 21,2025 at 2:42PM UTC

   Putting something in the file room

3. AnonymousMarch 21,2025 at 2:54PM UTC

   That's not a hill I'd be willing to die on. They are your boss, they ask you do a simple task like that, do it.

4. AnonymousMarch 21,2025 at 2:59PM UTC

   I once had a boss who wanted me to vacuum a floor when I worked in HR!

5. AnonymousMarch 21,2025 at 3:10PM UTC

   That's a little extra...but I would take that over running personal errands (been there done that when I was young and naive and wouldn't dream of saying no). And actually, I'm currently an HR manager - but given the chaos of the company I work for right now, this (vacuuming, not personal errands) would not be beneath me. Myself and my director have taken on so much beyond our current roles right now just to ensure things are getting done.

6. Coach Nancie Kay ShumanMarch 23,2025 at 11:28PM UTC

   I was coming to ask the same thing. Also, do these tasks take you away from your other work? What is your relationship with your boss (are you an EA, a VP/Director? etc.) Is it inappropriate for your role? Is there someone else who should be doing these tasks, such as an EA or file clerk?

7. AnonymousMarch 21,2025 at 3:01PM UTC

   It's your job to do whatever can help free up your boss" time and energy. You need to serve in support not as theur equal.

8. Maegan, Nike Sales Rep & Career CoachMarch 21,2025 at 3:29PM UTC

   Take It as an opportunity to excel and provide extreme value. Whatever the task is, use it as a resume builder if you are completing tasks by taking work off your managers plate.

9. AnonymousMarch 21,2025 at 7:47PM UTC

   Good advice. From a manager's perspective, they may just need to delegate more of these kinds of tasks in order to enable them to better engage in project work, budgeting, etc. Think of it as growth and development opportunities, and putting yourself in a better position of trust, or a "go to" employee that they can always rely on. Good luck!

10. AnonymousMarch 21,2025 at 4:59PM UTC

    Well I come from the land of "yes". Meaning when I'm asked to do something I do it, but if the boss came to you when they could have done it themselves, truly they value you and if you are their assistant, then be the "yes" person. They go a lot further than the "no" people. Now, if they are asking you to do something that is unethical, just say, I'm not comfortable with that. I've been told on a list of to-do's to clean a room in our work space, and I took it to the person 2 steps up. Said to them, I'm comfortable with all the to-do's but this one and I'm not hired to clean up after my colleagues. Not long after I was put under another person and it made much more sense. Also, it is not beneath me to clean up after myself or to vacuum which I do at work. We just don't have enough janitorial staff to vacuum on the regular. So they kindly leave the vacuum cleaner for us and I appreciate that. Hang in there and maybe your boss will see how helpful you are and offer a bonus if they do that.

11. Tami L CannizzaroMarch 21,2025 at 5:48PM UTC

    Bosses can - or should be able to - do the tasks the ask of us. That doesn't mean they do all of those task; employees under them are in positions to support them, including taking the burden of some of those tasks. Sometimes tasks are big, strategic, and financial in nature. Others are small, like quickly filing so they can finish something else. I've gladly helped many a boss with such mundane tasks on occasion as I know it's not my full-time job. As someone else stated, I want to be seen as the positive employee rather than making a stink about a simple task. Only time I would not agree with this: if it became clear that my boss was turning my role into that of their personal assistant or something else that was not what my job/what I interviewed for. Then I would have a conversation with them about my role and expectations for that role.

12. Kristina WagnerMarch 22,2025 at 12:09PM UTC

    I simply say of course. And complete the task

13. Julie DubowitchMarch 22,2025 at 2:27PM UTC

    Haha what a joke

14. AnonymousMarch 22,2025 at 5:01PM UTC

    They like to delegate and keep you busy.

15. AnonymousMarch 23,2025 at 1:47PM UTC

    I'm in a pretty high position and my boss asks me to do things all the time that she could theoretically do herself. I do them myself the vast majority of the time and if I truly don't have the bandwidth, I'll assign it to one of my team (who are also all mid- to high-level staff - no entry-level staff in my division). Sometimes things need to get done and we are all already overworked, so it happens.

16. AnonymousMarch 23,2025 at 4:05PM UTC

    I’m an EA, so I do a LOT of things my boss can do for herself. I do expense approvals for her directs, budget maintenance, payment approvals, etc. The only things I won’t touch is HR related approvals and signing documents, because I feel those are strictly hers. I do check those systems, though, and remind her to log in and do them.

17. AnonymousMarch 23,2025 at 7:47PM UTC

    I had a team member who would not do work that others could do for themselves. We were a support team that did not generate revenue, while the teams we supported made the money. I tried to explain to her that she should do everything she could to support others, and that no job was too small.

    I would always be happy to do something to support others even if they were capable of doing it themselves. It makes you look like a team player.

    Look at this as a sign of trust, that they are asking you to do something they could do themselves. They trust you to do as good as - if not better - than they may be able to do.

18. AnonymousMarch 25,2025 at 12:44PM UTC

    There’s not enough info to answer this. Your supervisor has direct reports such that they can delegate and decide what needs to get done to best accomplish team goals. The occasional I need additional assistance not within your JD, is ok as you want to be seen as a team player. However if you were hired for a role in which you are not able to devolop it may be time for a convo with the boss. I worked with someone who was business operations but because of her background she kept getting pulled into technical scientific operations. It wasn’t going to change and she could do both roles so she decided to request a title change to make sure she was getting credit for her contributions beyond the original JD. If what you are doing for your boss is undermining your career goals it’s certainly time for a conversation. Also this could be a problem if you are the only one being asked to do things on your team if it appears that there is a lack of confidence or respect for your role. Finally, this could be a positive thing and a way for your boss to give you opportunities for growth. Being assigned making a slide deck for instance—while the boss could do this—it might be setting you up for a promotion. More context is needed for appropriate advice.

19. Maggie SoldanoMarch 25,2025 at 10:39PM UTC

    Um. Isn't that what you're there for?

20. BarbaraMarch 26,2025 at 2:31PM UTC

    Exactly

21. AnonymousMarch 26,2025 at 2:30PM UTC

    Do it.