Q & A Table of Contents
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
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