Conflicting Supervisors

I have two supervisors who are always contradicting each other. Because they are both my superiors, I cannot avoid obeying their orders. But when I obey one, the other gives me a hard time. As if they are fighting through me and I get caught in the middle. Both have told me I am about to lose my job. What do you think should I do?

Answer:

Your two supervisors report to a more senior officer in your company. Go to that person and ask for advice. Do not complain against your supervisors. Just talk to the senior officer and ask how you could effectively resolve conflicts of priority. Then do as this senior officer tells you.

By doing it this way, you will have a more powerful ally—the more senior officer. At the same time, by not complaining against your supervisors, you will not be faulted for going to the senior officer. Your intention is to get advice on how to be a more productive support person for the two supervisors.

On the other hand, if you use the conflicts to complain against your supervisors, you will have three enemies—the two supervisors and their manager. They hired you to contribute to productivity, not to fuel any existing animosity.

When the two supervisors have contradicting instructions, do not do anything unless you have asked them to resolved the priorities issue. If they cannot resolve it, then do not do anything until you have talked to their more senior officer. Again, do not complain; simply ask for advice on what to do.

It is very important to find out from human resource or personnel department the person to whom you directly report. You are not obligated to obey all officers above you. The person to whom you directly report, the one whom the personnel department considers your personal manager, should be your final authority. Even if you please other managers, you will not get very far if your direct manager is not happy with you.

The best part in learning how to handle priority conflicts is you get qualified for supervisory or management positions. Any employee who does not learn to manage this type of conflict for himself will not be an effective manager of other people, because people always have conflicting priorities.

PinoyTexas.com
July 12, 2001