Had a manager last week tell me 'just work harder' when I asked about workload balance...

I work at a marketing firm in Portland. Last Thursday, my boss pulled me aside after a team meeting and I told him I was juggling 4 client accounts with overlapping deadlines. He actually said 'just work harder, that's what the rest of us do' and walked off. No advice, no help, nothing. I stood there for a second feeling like an idiot for even bringing it up. Has anyone else had a manager shut them down like that instead of actually listening?

2 comments

2 Comments

blake43224d ago

Did you try framing it as a specific ask for a solution instead of just complaining? I had a boss kinda like that once, and I learned that if I came in with two or three options for how to fix the overload, like "could I push this deadline back a week or could someone take over account X for a month?", he'd actually listen more. It sucked having to do his job for him, but it stopped the "just work harder" line cold. Maybe try that next time, if you feel like giving him another chance. If he still brushes you off, it might be time to start looking for a new gig.

davis.gavin24d ago

Oh man, I actually read a study once about how bosses respond better to solution-oriented complaints. It said managers who feel like they're just getting dumped on tune out, but if you hand them a menu of fixes it triggers their problem-solving brain or whatever. So your tip about bringing options is spot on, it's like you're giving them an easy out instead of a headache. I feel like a lot of folks don't realize that framing matters more than the actual ask sometimes, which sucks but it's how a lot of workplaces work.