Ello,

Just wondering if anyone has past experience of such an issue or advice.

Basically the setup at work is 3 workers (inc myself) and the manager. Of the workers i am the most senior, without blowing my trumpet i do 99% of the work.

The other branch is the same setup. The manager at this branch however is the owner of the company, the manager at my branch is his son…

Im basically fed up with my managers attitude, his lack of any management skills, lack of person skills to name a few issues.

The company as a whole doesn’t have any form of HR etc so that isn’t an open route.

If i want to make a complaint im going to have to go to the owner but it’s a complaint agaisnt his own son.

Any advice ?

unless the boss thinks his son is a plonker I don’t see that ending well

To add, my branch is loosing £££££ due to my manager.

Time to look for another job as you won’t win.

I’d imagine the end of the conversation will look something like this.

I thought as much 😀

Providing hard evidence though (Which i have) surely they can’t fire me for the truth ? That would be unfair dismisal would it not ?

Agreed, blood is thicker than water etc.

Hiding to nothing, either suck it up or look elsewhere.

Can you constructively steer your boss in the right direction? Rather than just pointing out his failures, can you put a ‘here’s a few suggestions as to how we might improve things’ presentation to him?

Pitch to open a new branch with you as the manager.

TooTall – that’s an interresting thought.

Onzadog – I would love that, if i leave the branch im in it’s doomed though, i suspect they know that.

The third way? Open your own first branch? Need funding? The STWstartertrackworld community is listening.
So – what do you do and what is your pitch?

Assuming the four of you are meant to be working as a team you could all pull together to make your branch successful. I’m sure you can steer your team in the right direction by working closely with your manager to help them make the right decisions. Greasing the wheels is a much easier way to make things work the way you want than fighting against things you don’t agree with when you have limited influence.

Shirley the dad will know his son’s losing the company money?

He’s never around, he might visit once a month.

As it stands the branch pulls in around 25K a month. If it was run better im completely confident we could be pulling in 30-35 easy. The other branch makes 35-40 a month no problem.

Start there then. Try and get dad alone or email the son and cc his Dad. You don’t need to directly say that he’s to blame but wisely worded makes it clear.

There’s a risk that if you turn it around you’ll be seen as a threat by junior and eased out anyway. At least look around for alternatives, see where else your experience and skills might be valued.

any advice ???

.. without blowing my trumpet i do 99% of the work.

If you talk to the Boss……be a bit more realistic 😉

Create a business plan to improve matters.
Show it to the dad.

Avoid telling him things like you do all the work but tell him you are prepared to work hard to drive the plan through and would welcome the opportunity to do so.

Have a good cover story for why you didn’t take it to the son.

That’s why I’ve been self-employed for 20+ years. I can always ( and have ) walk away. I’ll tell someone that I don’t appreciate be spoken down. I Don’t like authority, don’t take kindly to twunts who try to talk the talk and certainly can’t walk the walk. I have absolutely no people skills and don’t Don’t try to blag it.

Your screwed, I was in a similar position only it was the boss’s wife not son. I left and happiness was restored in my little world.

Sounds like a situation where you need to manage your manager. By this I mean where you see a problem or situation that needs changing, put it to your boss is such a way that he thinks he has identified the issue. Then suggest a range of possible solutions in such a way that he is bound to take your preferred idea as being the best.
You may have to let him pass these ideas off as his own and let him take the credit, but once things are improving for the branch I’m sure people will realise that you are the one driving things forward.
In a large organisation this usually works well enough until a poor manager gets moved on or promoted. I’m not sure how that would work for you.
It may take a long time for you to get any real recognition, but in the mean time work may become better for you and the rest of the team.
Good luck.

I would imagine it is unlikely he will take your side over his sons and i doubt he is a good manager or he would have noticed by now

I dont think I would bring it up with him tbh

Video it and record meetings etc
To be honest could be only one winner !

There’s a risk that if you turn it around you’ll be seen as a threat by junior and eased out anyway.

Not really, if the son doesn’t want to do the work, as he’ll more than benefit from the ‘glow’.

I’d do it two ways:
1 Talk to the son with your thoughts
2 Talk to the old man with your thoughts

And start looking for a new job, just in case.

1. Why don’t you suggest they swap places for a while, if possible.
2. Go off sick for 6 months.
3. Kill all your co-workers and the boss and have them replaced, hopefully you won’t get caught.
4. Find another job.

Depends ultimately on your relationship with the boss and how he views his son within the business.
You’re going to find it a struggle to come out of this without a knife in your back though.

The fact he’s given his son the job rather than an outside (and presumably more likely to be competent) manager should tell you something about how open he’ll be to any complaint

Approach it constructively, often if the person in charge isn’t showing their best aspects it’s because they’re stretched or struggling.

If you have ideas then bring them to the table. Don’t be parochial about it, if your idea gets used, don’t piss and moan that it was stolen. If your boss has any sense he will realise that you’re key to his success and will take you with him. Anything which positively affects the business will benefit you both.

Or, as was once said to me “Keep making me look good and we’ll go far”

Source of that quote is now on our board of directors. I’m not, but I also have a lot of credit built up and know who’s next in line when another shuffle takes place.

some interesting ideas suggested and theres a notion in a few of the right ideas BUT what we cant understand is the personalities of those involved, the boss and his son but also the other people at your branch. we dont know how good a relationship you have with those two or your co-workers.

the line of command is you and co-workers then bosses son then boss.

the failings here sound like its the bosses son and the other workers. is there a way you can bring up the differences in earnings between the 2 branches with the son? Sort of a ‘I’ve noticed .. ‘ ‘what does he think the reason for the differences are’ , approach him on side. Dont point fingers or blame him or others initially. If you have an ok relationship with him he might be open to ideas. And from there you might be able to begin to manoeveur it in the direction you need.

plan B from your point of view has to be looking out for an exit, in case its needed.

Well to follow up, had a heated debate at work on Wednesday. 3 of us got together and pointed out the issues. Managers arrogance is somewhat stunning. Flat out denied it’s anything to do with him and nothing is going to change.

So im leaving 😀

New job is only 0.8 miles away from home (can cycle) and pays £8k extra a year.

Sorted

Good work! Keep tabs on your old place, maybe run a book on how long it lasts before it collapses spectacularly, then you can write a ‘told you so’ letter to your old boss.