Negotiation Skills Company, Inc.
 
Negotiation Skills Company, Inc.

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Caught Between My Superiors And My Subordinates

From: Vikram, Delhi, India

Question: As a new employee in the company, I find certain subordinates are extra-ordinarily friendly with my superiors, probably because they've been in the company for a longer period together. How could I make my space, get my job done by tasking my subordinates & not annoying my superior?

Response: It is a challenge to establish yourself between your subordinates and your superiors in a new job where there are pre-existing relationships that seem to ‘jump over’ you. There was an American comedian whose famous line was, “I don’t get no respect.” It was funny in an entertainment setting — but certainly not likely to yield useful responses or respect in a business setting.

Your superiors can probably give you the best advice on the wisest way to establish your position in the hierarchy. It is less a matter of going to them with the request ‘how can you make me credible with my subordinates?’ and more asking questions like

  • “What can you tell me about the relationships among folks at different levels of the hierarchy in the company?”
  • “Is the company’s structure flat or are there multiple levels of decision-making?”
  • “What is the policy on personal relationships among employees?”
  • “How do you think I can do the most effective job of getting top productivity from my subordinates?”
That last question is asking for advice, indicating that you want to take a true leadership role, and showing that you are concerned about the current situation. It is also an open-ended question, asking for details rather than simply a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answer. It would be a real mistake to bring a complaint to your superiors.

Good luck,
Steve

The Negotiation Skills Company, Inc.   P O Box 172   Pride's Crossing, MA 01965, USA   
Voice: +1 978-927-6775     FAX: +1 978-921-4447
WEB: www.NegotiationSkills.com   E-mail: tnsc@negotiationskills.com
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