Why a boss should never be close to any one particular employee

[LuckyTaxi]

So I was hired about 4 months ago as a sysadmin. The former sysadmin wants to move into a different role, hence I came on board. Fast forward 4 months and I'm now in charge, somewhat. I've come to realized I know more than the former sysadmin and can basically run circles around him. He was able to get by with basic maintenance but now that I'm on board, I've introduced a bunch of utilities to make my life easier and not to mention the network and systems have been running fine.

anyways, so I've been fighting this battle where he and the director (our boss) have final say in our department. I have no probs w/ the director saying what he wants but now I'm the one who gets direction from both. No one asks me for my opinion and regardless if i think what they want is right or not, i have to act upon it. it's not fair to me and not to mention it makes my life that much more difficult because I have to do things the "wrong" way. It has nothing to do with egos it's just that the former sysadmin doesn't have extensive knowledge and he passes the incorrect info to the director. the director values his opinion since the former sysadmin has been there for 3 yrs. in addition, network/systems related issue from our cilents funnel through them two and i'm left out in the cold and have to hear the information after the fact when I'm suddenly faced with questions from our clients.

anyways, it's enough to drive me nuts and I'm thinking of leaving. talking to the director won't help as the last person who spoke his mind got canned. anyone dealt with the same issue?

 

[Cuda1447]

What does that have to do with a boss being friends with an employee?

 

[Farang]

man I could go for some nachos. Like the kind of that artificial liquid cheese all over them.

 

[Descartes]

I see no problem. This is common in any company in almost any role. He has seniority, you don't. If the previous admin didn't produce positive results his opinion would cease to be relevant.

In my experience, people too easily assume that they are correct and that they are just ignored in favor of personal relationships.

One thing you'll learn very quickly is that business is not so much about making the right decision as it is about making the best decision for the circumstances. Though you might think this prior admin is technically deficient, he likely has a lot more context in which to suggest the right direction.

 

[LuckyTaxi]

Originally posted by: Cuda1447
What does that have to do with a boss being friends with an employee?

bias ... said employee has been known to feed information about other employees in our department. hate to say it but this employee has gain a lot of trust w/ the director. there should be a fine line between being friends and being an employee. he has a lot of say for someone who isn't a director. one shouldn't feel uncomfortable speaking their mind but the mole can be a liar at times.

 

[Capt Caveman]

Welcome to the real world.

 

[LuckyTaxi]

Originally posted by: Descartes
I see no problem. This is common in any company in almost any role. He has seniority, you don't. If the previous admin didn't produce positive results his opinion would cease to be relevant.

In my experience, people too easily assume that they are correct and that they are just ignored in favor of personal relationships.

One thing you'll learn very quickly is that business is not so much about making the right decision as it is about making the best decision for the circumstances. Though you might think this prior admin is technically deficient, he likely has a lot more context in which to suggest the right direction.

I understand where you are coming from and that's fine. My issue stems from the following two.

1 - i am the sysadmin so network/systems related issue should come through me or through director and then me. I had an issue with vpn tunneling and wasn't told of the issue until two days later. client calls me and im dumb founded. issue was handled by former sysadmin who is now a dba.

2 - you dont do half a job and pass it onto someone else. don't carve out a LUN and then when you can't figure out why the LVM didn't create did you hand it off to me. it would've been easier for me to create and troubleshoot, not hand it to me at the last minute and say "i f up i need you to fix this.

 

[child of wonder]

Welcome to my world.

Someone got fired for speaking their mind? Luckily things aren't like that where I am or I would have been fired long ago.

 

[Koing]

find another job, sounds like a crap place to work mate. If he has so sway you will never get anywhere mate. All you van do is speak to the boss and see what happens. The thin is you only have 4months experience and he has over 36months.

Good luck mate. I was at a great place but management was short sighted, so I said f0ck this and got another job. We all vices our opinions and nothing happened so my grad intake for my team left

Koing

 

[spidey07]

In all honesty this just sounds like normal office politics and you'll run into it about everywhere. It's all one big game and it looks like the other guy knows how to play it.

 

[freegeeks]

the corporate world is all about personal PR, you suck at it, he's very good at it.
Welcome to the real world, perception is everything

 

[StinkyPinky]

Since when does competence have any relevence in an office environment?? Are you from the planet Zog???

 

[OneOfTheseDays]

I can tell you right now fuming about it and getting angry is the WRONG way to address this issue.

Never get angry at work. Never. Always try and figure out the best way you can solve a problem amicably. Go to your director and let him know that you would like to have more input in the decision making process since you are the one ultimately implementing their decisions. Do not trash the former admin, that will get you nowhere.

 

[venkman]

do you, per chance, work on an oil rig?

 

[Sasiki]

You have a stable job. Have you been watching the news? Stick it out and wait until something else comes along.

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

Try presenting your arguments against a specific policy in a logical manner with facts instead of opinion and write them up and give them to your manager. All you can do is your best to communicate clearly and logically. Then when the corporate drones refuse to listen, you can choose to leave Corporate America and be happy.

 

[3chordcharlie]

Originally posted by: LuckyTaxi

Originally posted by: Cuda1447
What does that have to do with a boss being friends with an employee?

bias ... said employee has been known to feed information about other employees in our department. hate to say it but this employee has gain a lot of trust w/ the director. there should be a fine line between being friends and being an employee. he has a lot of say for someone who isn't a director. one shouldn't feel uncomfortable speaking their mind but the mole can be a liar at times.

In nearly all organizations, there are people with influence beyond their pay-grade.

Sometimes they're worthless brown-nosers, but most managers are aware of those types; usually these people are highly capable and committed, and have earned the respect of their immediate peers and bosses.

After four months, quite frankly, you don't know enough to say whether this guy deserves the influence he has, or not.

 

[lokiju]

Originally posted by: Capt Caveman
Welcome to the real world.

What I was going to reply.

It's the reality of the working world, not just specific to your line of work.

 

[Finalnight]

Is this the OP's first job or something?

 

[rh71]

build trust

 

[IHateMyJob2004]

You probably know alot less than you realize. Alot of new engineers (fresh out of school) at any employer think they know alot, but they don't. Arrogance is the best word to describe it.

 

[her209]

Is your name "Dwight Schrute"?