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Let’s talk about absentee managers. Sometimes you end up with a manager who just isn’t able or willing to make time for you. In this case, you need to “manage up” or “self manage”. But what does this really mean?
In my experience, managers provide a lot of services but only a few are crucial.
Let’s talk about the critical ones first:
- Performance evaluation / comp
- Approvals
- Priorities / work assignments
If your manager is MIA, you need to find a way to cover these.
Let’s talk about the critical ones first:
- Performance evaluation / comp
- Approvals
- Priorities / work assignments
If your manager is MIA, you need to find a way to cover these.
Note: there are a couple of different reasons why a manager might be absentee. Maybe personal reasons (like personal leave), maybe they have too many reports, or maybe they have competing priorities.
I’m going to assume your manager is competent, well intentioned, and that you are relatively experienced. If your manager is a dick, incompetent, or you’re brand new to a company … these tips won’t be sufficient and might even backfire. So heads up on that.
First, find a comms channel that works - Set up a check in with your manager that actually works for them. If they keep cancelling or won’t schedule a 1:1 meeting... will they read emails? Do they check their chats? In some cases you may need to physically swing by their desk.
Communicate (only) what you need - In your regular check in email / chat / stand up, limit your communication to only:
1) the action items you need from them
2) critical updates they need about your work
Make the action items crystal clear. Bold them and put them at the top.
1) the action items you need from them
2) critical updates they need about your work
Make the action items crystal clear. Bold them and put them at the top.
Own your roadmap — Take this opportunity to have more ownership over your work. Talk with your teammates and stakeholders to ID priorities. Build a POV on what your research strategy should be. Then take that to your manager and tell them what *you* think you should be working on
Toot your own horn — When you accomplish something meaningful, include that in your check in. Keep it brief — but make sure you have evidence to support. If you have partners or stakeholders who say nice things about you, consider asking them to mention it to your manager.
Get feedback proactively - Don’t rely on your manager for feedback (positive or negative). Check in with your team frequently to see what’s working and not. Tackle any issues early, and make note of your wins. Keep track of this in a document that you can share with your manager.
Trouble shooting: there are a couple of places where this approach can break down. I already mentioned having a hostile, incompetent manager. But what if you do all this and your manager still won’t communicate with you or take action on your requests?
In that case, I see three options (and have used all three).
1 - manage them like you would an underperforming report.
2 - work with someone else.
3 - leave the team.
Admittedly: all three of these are tricky so you have to handle them with tact.
1 - manage them like you would an underperforming report.
2 - work with someone else.
3 - leave the team.
Admittedly: all three of these are tricky so you have to handle them with tact.
Managing an unresponsive manager: If your manager keeps dropping the ball on critical tasks, first see if there is a different channel they will respond to. Then, ignore my second rule and start communicating incessantly. Keep following up on the action items until they are done
Working with someone else: If your manager simply can’t do their job (maybe they are out on leave, maybe they’re just under water), see if you can find someone else who can be your interim manager. Maybe their manager can step in, or another research manager.
Leave the team: If you aren’t getting the support you need after all this, seriously consider leaving the team. This means you aren’t getting the basic support you need to do your job… so why stick around? Quitting can suck but it’s better than getting stuck in a dead end.
Okay — that’s the mission critical stuff. But how do you compensate for all the other nice stuff a manager can do for you? A good manager provides coaching, advice, career growth, helps champion your work, spots opportunities, and gives insight into how the org works.
Peer mentorship - Aggressively seek out friends in your org who can help you learn, solve problems, and provide advice. If you aren’t sure where to start, ask other friends in your discipline who is good at [x] then reach out to that person to see if they have time to talk.
Find a leader - Find the leaders who know about your work and see if you can get some of *their* time. Help them understand what you need to know to be successful - what does leadership care about, how do decisions get made, etc. You might even luck out and get a new mentor.
Build champions — A great manager is your best advocate. In lieu of that, invest in a few, deep relationships across your org. Ask them to keep an eye out for projects where you can shine. Go out of your way to make them happy so they sing your praises.
The secret upside to all this: while managing yourself can be a huge pain at times, there are some major benefits. If done well, it can be a chance to demonstrate your leadership capabilities.
Having an absentee manager can also open up new doors. Maybe there is a leadership meeting they aren’t attending that you could. Maybe your product leads start coming to you for help instead. Maybe you get more autonomy that you otherwise would.
