3/11/2011 how-to-get-your-boss-fired: Personal F…

How to Get Your Boss Fired

by Suzanne Lucas
Monday, March 7, 2011

provided by

Dear Evil HR Lady,

My cowork ers and I are all miserable because our manager is, in a word, terrible. While
I'd love to list her shortcomings (they are many), I'll just say that in the seven months she
has been here, she single-handedly ruined what used to be a fantastic, high-functioning
group.
Finally, one of our cowork ers (we'll call her Tanya)
approached HR about the problems we've been More from BNET:
having. This launched a little investigation into our
team. Over the past eight week s or so, HR has • 7 Things You Wish You Could
been meeting with each of us individually, Tanya Tell Your Boss
and our manager together, and the manager's
boss (who visibly bristles every time this woman • How to Make a Bad Boss
talk s) separately. We were sure this investigation Better
would culminate in our manager's termination.
Yet, she persists. • What to Do When You Hate
As far as we can tell, our manager is railroading Your Job
us at every turn, and HR is blaming Tanya for
being insubordinate. They also seem to think the
rest of us are all on edge because Tanya and our manager don't get along. Dumb. It
seems completely infeasible that they don't see what's really going on, but they've shown
no indication that they're going to do anything but develop more "process" for us and
mediate the conflict between Tanya and the manager. We're feeling pretty helpless right
now.
We're all actively look ing for other jobs (and helping each other look ), but we'd really love
to salvage the situation here if at all possible. Is there anything you recommend we can
do as a group to tactfully communicate, "You're about to lose an entire team of people if
you don't get rid of the boss"? We're vaguely considering approaching HR as a group, but
we're not even sure how that conversation would go. Any insight you can give would be
greatly appreciated.
I put some phrases from your email in bold.
"We were sure...As far as we can tell...They also seem to think..."
Notice that you all are sitting and hoping that your brave coworker, Tanya, solves the
problem for you.
If the HR person and the manager's manager thinks it's just because of a conflict
between Tanya and the direct manager, it's because none of the rest of you have given
them any reason to think otherwise.
Yes, I frequently tell people that if they hate their jobs, they should look for new ones,
and you're doing that.
But in the mean time, you're miserable even at the same time you have someone from
HR actively looking to help you.
Do you know how many people would love for a response from their HR department?
Heck, just an acknowledgment that someone, somewhere, is actually concerned about
the success of this department, would be welcome.
So, get off your rear ends and all of you who are helping each other look for new jobs,
instead help the HR person know what is going on.
I know you want to make sure you do it the "right" way.
This desire for the perfect, risk free solution where bad manager goes away and everyone
else lives happily ever after is not likely to happen.
If you wait until you have the perfect solution, you will miss all of the good enough
solutions.
Here are 5 things you should do.
1. Document, document, document. You said you had a whole host of complaints
about your manager. Document these, but not just as a list of faults, but as a list of
examples. So, you don't write, "Manager is rude." You write, "On March 1, Manager
interrupted Tanya 6 times in a five minute discussion. She raised her voice and called
three people idiots."
2. Talk directly to the HR person who is investigating. Don't rely on Tanya to relay
information. Don't assume the HR person will come to you if she wants to hear your side
of the story. Make your own appointment, or grab the HR person in the hall, but go and
talk to her now.

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3. Encourage your coworkers to do the same thing. If all of you explain what's going
on, the powers that be will be better able to understand what the true problem is.
4. Make sure you are direct and clear. People tend to downplay the problem when
asked directly. So, when you go to the HR person say clearly, "This is not about a
conflict between the boss and Tanya." Then refer to your documented list of problems.
Do not sugar coat it with words like, "sometimes" or "I feel" or "maybe." You don't say, "I
feel like the deadlines she gives are unrealistic and that causes stress." You say, "The
deadlines she gives are unrealistic. For instance..."
5. Be prepared for nothing to change. The manager's manager isn't taking care of the
problem. One of the reasons why this happens is that this person made the hiring
decision. If she acknowledges that this manager is an idiot, she also has to acknowledge
that she made a poor hiring decision. People don't like to admit their faults, so they tend
to ignore this type of problem for as long as possible.
I know it's unpleasant and scary. But, it's clear that the "wait and see" method isn't
working. Speak up and speak up now. And keep your resume up to date.
Suzanne Lucas is a longtime HR professional who blogs for BNET as Evil HR Lady.
___

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2,050 comments Show: Newest First

Post a comment Comments 1 - 10 of 2050 First Prev Next Last

LRod 39 seconds ago Report Abuse 0 0

WOW!! All because of female supervisors!! Hire them AFTER age 60!!
Reply

TooBe2 2 minutes ago Report Abuse 0 0

You can falsely accuse him of sexual harassment and get a couple of your
8!tch friends to back you. That is how a very good boss at our plant got
fired.
Reply

A Yahoo! User 11 minutes ago Report Abuse 0 0

I am going through the very same thing with my boss. I don't feel as though
I should have to look for another job because I have been there for 8 years,
my boss has only been there for 1 year. Many people on my shift have a
problem with her because she is rude and very unprofessional, I have been
writing everything down that goes on and I have even contacted a lawyer
about my rights as an employee.
Reply

Georgia Harry 12 minutes ago Report Abuse 0 1

I just now received my free product sample from name brand companies,
quite a few of them from "123 Get Samples" online
Reply

Lydia Hope 18 minutes ago Report Abuse 0 0

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3/11/2011 how-to-get-your-boss-fired: Personal F…
I worked at GE and they used the meet with everyone separately tactic.
They do this to intimidate staff into not talking. People get scred all alone.
In a group they can see who stands up and will stand up as well if they see
someone else stick their neck out first. You can document but most
companies have unlimited bank accounts and will fight you unless you go
public. That is what 2 presidents of GE divisions had to do a male and
female against Jeffrey Immelt and the discriminaiton of this company. This
story is not in the know. HR does not support employees. HR is there for
the company. It does not matter if the HR person is male, female, black or
white or any other race; they are all there for the company no matter what.
I saw it at Philip Morris, GE and other companies. Never trust anyone
name Dawn Metz or Lynn White
Reply

Gregory 20 minutes ago Report Abuse 0 0

I live on the North slope of Alaska, and had worked with the School system
up there. They worked against everything that is supposed to be done
right. I went to my supervisors supervisor, and the Principal, and vice-
Principal, whom are no longer there. The School Board never returned
calls, the then asst. Principle became Principle, there has been a change
in the School Superintendant, whom I have spoken with, the position is
constantly posted, because the guy the had is not a people person, and it
was in the air before they decided on hiring him anyway
I can not get an interview even, and wanted to see someone while I was in
Anchorage, and was told I needed to go through Fairbanks, more run
around. This guy was just a hater, get a hold of my e-mail downloaded stuff
he wanted, and show it around to other employee, and they pass out
something about e-mail after the fact, I got terminated twice, and give 30
days to appeal the first, and only 3 days the last, and both times, he said I
had abandoned my job, he would submit while I was away.
Reply

Allen 24 minutes ago Report Abuse 0 0

This kind of thing happens all the time.
I just went threw this myself.
1 know who you can trust. HR is not always the best place to go
You might try talking to one of the other managers on a differnent shift.
Reply

Terry 25 minutes ago Report Abuse 0 0

Believe me, HR isn't going to do anything. They are management and with
management and they talk to management. The @#$% that "it's all
confidential" is just lip service. They go straight to the manager and tell
ALL and then you are out the door!!!!!!! Just play your cards right, bid your
time, look for another job and get out ASAP!!!!!!!!!
Reply

Velm a Nolan 28 minutes ago Report Abuse 0 1

looking for secrets to reduce your auto insurance premiums check out a
website called clearance auto insurance they are good
Reply

Javier Flores 34 minutes ago Report Abuse 0 0

"how to get your boss fired"

Seriously, who gave the green light to this article?

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