What to do When you are Pulled Between Bosses

In recent times, we have seen the rise of a multi-skilled workforce with skills and talents that can crossover several different departments.

While this is good news for employers, as it means that one person can fulfil parts of a few different roles, we have to ask if it is good for the employee?

It is always a positive thing to acquire new and interesting skills, and it is always good to acquire experience and skills in as many varying areas as you can. However, when this means that your work load doubles and you have more than one boss to keep happy things can get a bit hectic.

You’re probably capable of handling the increased workload, you just need to focus and get your head in the game. But answering to multiple bosses, in multiple departments with differing perspectives, opinions and ideals can become tiresome to say the least.

Each manager will think that their department is the most important and the one that is top priority and deserves the most attention. Due to this you may find yourself pulled in multiple directions at once and your focus can become scattered. Here’s how to keep yourself, your work and all of your manager’s egos in check.

Timetable – Say it with us, “Timetable.” You need a concrete schedule, in print that allows equal time for different departments.

Either draw this up for yourself or let your management discuss it among themselves. Make sure each department gets an equal amount of your time, and know that it may need to move around occasionally, but stick to it as firmly as possible. Make sure you circulate it to all managers you answer to, so everyone knows when and where you are.

Manage All Egos – Some managers will expect them and their department to be your first priority at all times.

They will expect you to drop everything to do their work first, and most of the time this just isn’t ok. Realise that some of the time, any conflict could be coming from your manager’s bruised ego and their feelings towards not being top dog. Learn to recognise when there is a sense of urgency with work and when that particular manager just wants to play hardball.

Don’t Be Afraid To Say No – While your time must be split equally and you must complete your full work load, it is important to realise when you are being taken advantage of. Saying no is one of the best skills you can learn and it is absolutely vital if you straddle more than one department. Read our post on learning to say no here.

Keep Your Line Manager Happy – Although you may answer to several managers or supervisors and you know that you must complete work in all departments, you’ll probably have one main manager. They come first and foremost and it’s most likely their feedback that contributes towards your reviews and performance appraisals, so make sure everything gets run past them.