My manager is consistently underperforming. Not delivering his basic tasks, easily overwhelmed, not paying attention during meetings, hostile behavior/mood swings, constant absences. There is more concerning behavior too like hiring his buddies regardless of their background or fit for a role, and favoritism shown to people he worked with at prior employers. When I and others have raised concerns about his performance and quantified the impact, everyone snaps to his defense. Director always has his back. Other managers always have his back. They give him a person to help him with his workload and he continues on. The helper disappears after a while. Things get worse and complaints start. Rinse & repeat. There has been big turnover on this team since he became the manager. Nobody ever wants to transfer in to this team because of him. The team’s workload is pretty light, and he’s never attending key meetings to get our team more scope. So it’s not a situation where he’s overwhelmed. I’m about to leave the company due to him, so thought I’d post this and seek advice on why folks think this situation could be happening. The guy is white male no disability so there’s not an equity issue at play. I’m baffled at why an organization would defend someone who seems so indefensible. TC: 410
He is a bootlicker just like mine. No skills, shameless, good pay and zero regrets. Better try moving to other team or other organization
It is more likely that your manager or someone above is letting this happen and not the company as a whole
I’m curious how this can continue when the macroeconomic conditions are not good and companies need to produce? In the short term, companies can juice profits by cutting employees regardless of how productive they are. Long term if productive employees are all gone as a result of these kind of behaviours, how does the company compete?
I wonder the same.
To be honest, ALL the good engineers will not leave Google. The fact that multiple have left this one team and the manager is kept on means the manager has friends in high places, and his subordinates are seen as replaceable.
At my last company (not AZ) , I had a manager who was so incompetent that not one of the products/ features he started was used by the company. Within a year of him taking over, 6 people had left. He would sense someone is going to leave and try to find fault/ pip them. Happened to me, and I left too. 4 months later he's promoted to director. All the senior folks love him. They gave him another team. The product that he started I've heard through internal sources - the company barely used it.
No place is secure for anyone in today's world. This manager will also get kicked out someday. Only thing that can help in future is the skill and correct attitude.
I had a similar situation in a previous company. More than 60% attrition and the manager was promoted! If you can move to a different team, you at least keep your tenure at the company. Otherwise leave—you can’t win.
Don’t fight it - if an Org or Company support this kind of BS then let them wallow in it. Join the hiring panels of your next company and guard the gates against idiots.
You should leave the company or change teams. He is a manager most likely because he’s part of some director’s fiefdom. You will never win against a manager unless they’re isolated and someone higher wants them gone.
Yeah I’ve figured as much and I am leaving.