Dealing with a Neurotic VP in PE

I've spoken at length with some close friends already but would be helpful to get some other thoughts from the community. 

There's a VP in my team that every single associate hates working with, and I was even warned of this person ahead of starting the job. Intentionally keeping details vague but I came from a notoriously toxic banking group and genuinely think about going back sometimes because the working with this VP is so insanely bad. 

Has anyone successfully complained to the partners / higher ups and actually seen positive change implemented? At this point I've committed to trying to leave ASAP as the team is small enough that avoiding this person is impossible.

7 Comments
 

Are they liked by seniors and get their job done?

What is bad about them? Asshole? Nitpicky but ultimately right?

No real advice or guidance here. Unless you can find a way you have leverage over them (scandalous messages, fuck ups, etc.) you can’t really do anything IMO.

Maybe once at last straw / when you have leverage (another offer or just don’t give a fuck anymore) you can’t go to them and ask directly about your issues and see if a frank conversation can help with anything.

 
Most Helpful

Worked on a MF PE team with a similar mid-level - he always got negative feedback from juniors working with him for being bad at training / mentoring. To his credit, he was smart and seemingly good at the mid-level role work (sourcing deals, initial review / filtering, portco mgmt work) and so was liked by the seniors. Doesn't seem to have in any way impacted his path as he is an MD now. As tempting as it is to try to get back at this person in some way, I think it's ultimately a losing game - just try to figure out how best to manage working with the VP and get positive reviews from them

 

Yeah from what I've seen this is typically a high risk, low reward tradeoff - decent chance this blows up in your face, likely scenario nothing changes and you are just seen as a complainer so worse off, very small chance that person is actually punished in any way. 

IMO seniors generally don't actually give a shit about juniors' disliking certain mid-levels. Maybe 1 or 2 might care, but even if they care the others won't and nothing will ever change. Many are too far removed from their own junior years and industry (+ rest of world / economy) has changed a lot since they were young, very often a "we got ours so whatever don't give a shit about you" mentality.

 

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