bad managers
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- monkeyshine
Ok...aside from drop kicking and pooing in their drawer, how do you deal with not so good managers? I'm trying to deal with someone who's direction involves terms like "oh, you might not know that this is a pet peeve of mine" and "I don't like it" and "I'm not feeling it". All his direction seems to be based upon personal preference, not the business model or creative brief...or anything based upon usability or anything tangible to speak of...and on top of designing to his aesthetic desires I feel like much of how he reacts is because he's threatened and feels a need to reign me in.
How do you deal? I just want to grow and become a better designer...how do I manage a bad manager? :(
- Melanie0
Ewww. I had a boss like that for a couple of years. Best thing I ever did was get out of that place.
You could always blind 'em with designer speak, or just become a design diva and refuse to listen to them
- _salisae_0
Just sit down with them and share your viewpoint. Easy as that. Ask for direction from a place of logic instead of a preference.
- acescence0
i usually try to agree with them or say something to validate their opinion, but then turn it around and say that you often have to go against your personal preferences to best serve the needs of the client or brand or market, etc. keep it positive.
- Amen0
whenever you're not feeling happy w/yr work place, it's a time to looking for a new job...
- JoshClancy0
Ewww that's a tough one. I had a situation like this and needless to say I eventually quit. I was hired as a designer but working for someone with the "know all" mentality was impossible to communicate with and collaborate with on projects. They are trying to please themselves through you instead of using what you bring to the table to please the client. Good luck monkeyshine!
- boobs0
Carefully consider a few things, from a place deep within yourself:
1) Is it perhaps possible that he's not a bad manager, but that you are a poor employee?
2) Should you point out to him, in a tight situation, that while you personally agree with his viewpoint, and ideas, the direction laid out by the creative brief demands something different?
3) Your next job might bring you under the heel of an even worse manager.
- Gucci0
if you need to treat him with kid gloves, just disagree with him as loudly/vehemently as you feel you need to to get through to him.
If he still doesn't listen. Just be a pro and keep looking around.
- univers0
My submission of a bad manager is audiologicnet
- boobs0
Just because someone manages to be really bad, doesn't mean they're a bad manager.
But, you know, you're probably right.
How much you want to bet he's Latvian?
- MrOneHundred0
Let down two of his tyres. But make sure you tell him just before he is leaving for the day. And do it 5 days straight. Sure, it won’t help, but it won’t hurt either.
- October0
do a barrel roll
- olli1010
HA! I just got out of a situation like this ultimately the person (and his subordinate) in question were terminated because they were seriously damaging my team's workflow.
I can offer this advice -
1: You need to really understand WHY the manager is bad - is it attitude, communication, discipline, all of them? Document everything.
2: Is that manager acting differently than everyone else (arrogance, incompetence, etc...) or is it really a greater symptom of company culture?
If it's just the manager - have a polite but firm conversation about what's working (very important) and what isn't. Cover your ass if you need to with recent accomplishments but make it clear that things need to change and you're willing to meet them half-way for the good of everyone. If you have the support of the company, chances are you'll win in the end as long as you play it cool and back it up with concrete examples.
For example, I went to a VERY senior person and showed how this person was ruining morale and damaging the workflow with a bad attitude. Members of my team did as well and it worked.
If it's the company culture that promotes or is unwilling to address this sort of thing - RUN. Seriously. All it will do is drag you down, make you miserable and eventually wreck your self-esteem
and productivity.Just because we're "creative" and "non-corporate" doesn't mean we need to put up with unprofessional bullshit. It's a very big job market out there and if employers don't realize that they will never
retain decent employees if they don't know how treat employees fairly.You can always do better.
Ok, rant over.
- emecks0
Quote the Peter Principle at them:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pet…
It is damn near always true and it certainly always fucks off those who it describes.
- businessmanbob0
"I'm not feeling it" is great constructive criticism, especially if followed by "Now what I would do..." or "it's too busy".
- neue75_bold0
Find ‘How to Kill Creativity' by Teresa Amabile and whack yer manager over the head with it...
- businessmanbob0
I usually kick whomever in the kneecaps as soon as I hear the word "pet peeve". I fucking hate that word.
- businessmanbob0
and peter can shove his principle. If I was made boss of everything all problems would be immediately solved
- citizen_h0
just say thats why your the project manager and I"M THE DESIGNER.. so stick to managing budgets.
The key thing is as long as the creative director or senior design head is ok with it then your fine to say " i've cleared it with the the big creative cheeses".
- I'm assuming bad manager as non - creative. Do you mean they are a designer?citizen_h
- citizen_h0
+ always have valid reasons to back up your design decisions.
- gentlejesus0
- hahah, been there before. Not that, but like that.Wolfboy