No longer in banking (haven't updated my profile), but wanted to get thoughts on how yall have dealt with/deal with spineless managers/more senior folks? I.e. folks who never push back on unreasonable asks/timelines, willing to throw juniors under the bus, overemphasize mistakes made but never give props on good work, bad leader in general, etc. It seems like I've been lucky to have really solid associates/senior people above me so far in my career, so it was a matter of time before I had to work with one of these losers.
There's one tricky part: the person in question is very well-liked at the firm (smart, 5+ years at the firm, has been good at execution and got promoted this past year to VP equivalent so now runs day-to-day) so I'm hesitant to bring up my gripes. Thanks in advance, I welcome any advice
If your pushback is not received well, time to leave..
Ah, the old spineless seniors conundrum. It's a tough one, isn't it? I've seen it happen quite a bit in the industry. It's like a jungle out there, and sometimes, you get the short end of the stick with a manager who's more chameleon than lion.
Firstly, it's important to remember that everyone has their own style of management, and what might seem spineless to you might just be their way of navigating the corporate jungle. That being said, it's no fun being the one who's always thrown under the bus or never recognized for good work.
Here's what I suggest:
Communication is key: Try having a candid conversation with them about your concerns. It's possible they're not even aware of how their actions are affecting you. Remember to approach this conversation with a problem-solving mindset, not a confrontational one.
Document everything: Keep a record of instances where you feel you've been treated unfairly. This can be useful if you ever need to escalate the issue.
Seek advice from others: Talk to other colleagues or mentors about the situation. They might have experienced something similar and could provide valuable advice.
Focus on your work: At the end of the day, you're there to do a job. Try not to let their behavior distract you from performing to the best of your ability.
Consider escalating the issue: If things don't improve, you might need to bring your concerns to someone higher up. Use your judgement here, as this could potentially have repercussions.
Remember, every jungle has its monkeys, but it's how you deal with them that counts. Keep swinging, my friend!
Sources: Investment Banking Seniors are Terrible Managers, Director told me seniors in my team don’t like me because I speak out, Dealing with an incompetent boss
Spineless people are always going to be spineless people. Another unavoidable trait of a spineless banker is that they are also incredibly insecure and will always do the most for the least results. Best move is to leave and find a new group. I say this as someone who worked for a spineless loser for far too long.
absolute facts
You gotta stand up for yourself. If you get thrown under the bus / scapegoated on a workstream and subsequent performance review, don’t just apologize and say “won’t happen again.” You may think you’re living to fight another day, but that day won’t come.
You need to confront it full on. Tell leadership about the sorry things he did. How he was an incompetent manger.
Feel free to PM me.
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