Do you think responsibilities are being shifted here?

TL_time

I've recently found out that my manager is in fact a "Project Coordinator". I have been told this role differs from a manager as it means that she is not there to tell people what to do, but to coordinate. The problem is, she has been on annual leave and then sick leave, and has told various members of the team to design a project which ideally would take months to design - within four weeks (funnily enough, the time she has been off) without factoring in the need to essentially project manage and think about feasibility. There is utter confusion about this and we are all wary to take on a role that she states isn't hers, but that isn't within our remit either. Many of us are complaining about poor communication across the board and I'm baffled about how to go about clarifying this without sounding blunt and actually asking 'what do you actually do?'. Has anyone got any tips about how to approach this?

*Edit: Some of the advice I've had from one colleague is "It isn't her role to do all the work, so we need to be fair to her" and "This is just the way it is around here".

sangie595

TL_time wrote: »

I've recently found out that my manager is in fact a "Project Coordinator". I have been told this role differs from a manager as it means that she is not there to tell people what to do, but to coordinate. The problem is, she has been on annual leave and then sick leave, and has told various members of the team to design a project which ideally would take months to design - within four weeks (funnily enough, the time she has been off) without factoring in the need to essentially project manage and think about feasibility. There is utter confusion about this and we are all wary to take on a role that she states isn't hers, but that isn't within our remit either. Many of us are complaining about poor communication across the board and I'm baffled about how to go about clarifying this without sounding blunt and actually asking 'what do you actually do?'. Has anyone got any tips about how to approach this?

*Edit: Some of the advice I've had from one colleague is "It isn't her role to do all the work, so we need to be fair to her" and "This is just the way it is around here".

What makes you think that a "project co-ordinator" isn't a manager, or that "co-ordination" isn't management?

It sounds to me like you are relatively new in this role. My advice would be that if there are issues to be raised you let someone else raise them. You are depending on a lot of "I have been told"s here - let the people who are telling you these things do the raising if they have problem with their management and work. I am relatively sure that you will find an all-encompassing "and anything else" in your job description, which will mean that it is in your remit to be flexible about the kind of work that you do. If you don't understand something about the work you have been given, then by all means ask for clarification about it - but leave the criticism of management to others if they want to do it.

TL_time

sangie595 wrote: »

What makes you think that a "project co-ordinator" isn't a manager, or that "co-ordination" isn't management?

It sounds to me like you are relatively new in this role. My advice would be that if there are issues to be raised you let someone else raise them. You are depending on a lot of "I have been told"s here - let the people who are telling you these things do the raising if they have problem with their management and work. I am relatively sure that you will find an all-encompassing "and anything else" in your job description, which will mean that it is in your remit to be flexible about the kind of work that you do. If you don't understand something about the work you have been given, then by all means ask for clarification about it - but leave the criticism of management to others if they want to do it.

Well, I only found out from a colleague about the 'project co-ordinator' thing when I asked why we hadn't been given clear tasks, but were instead told intermittently via email about expectations being unfulfilled. She has been away for a month (with the odd day in here and there) and it has been frustrating because if I take the initiative on something that hasn't fully been given the go ahead, I'm expected to have a solid plan in order and get asked to perform a million new duties by colleagues who recognise that there is a lot to be done. It means that I feel penalised for my input and that feels counter-intuitive because I started work here in order to make a positive contribution.

sangie595

TL_time wrote: »

Well, I only found out from a colleague about the 'project co-ordinator' thing when I asked why we hadn't been given clear tasks, but were instead told intermittently via email about expectations being unfulfilled. She has been away for a month (with the odd day in here and there) and it has been frustrating because if I take the initiative on something that hasn't fully been given the go ahead, I'm expected to have a solid plan in order and get asked to perform a million new duties by colleagues who recognise that there is a lot to be done. It means that I feel penalised for my input and that feels counter-intuitive because I started work here in order to make a positive contribution.

Don't listen to colleagues. If she has been acting as your manager, then the chances are that she is your manager! If she weren't, then it should have become very apparent when your real manager turned up for supervision meetings. If no-one else has ben managing you, then obviously the employer thinks she is your manager, and that's all you need to know about that.

Unless your colleagues also happen to be your manager(s), which doesn't seem likely, then you need to stop responding to them telling you what you must do. It isn't your managers fault that she is off sick, and everyone has holidays. The employer should be responding to the absence though, so it would be quite acceptable to talk to your managers manager about the fact that you are struggling in her absence, and explain what sort of support you need.

But as I said, stay clear of becoming the mouthpiece for your colleagues issues - if they have something to say, let them say it.

TL_time

Hello, my colleagues have sent her an email to ask for her feedback as we are in the thick of it now with clients. She had told us to pitch them something whilst having earlier told them about a product with completely different specifications. In fact when one of my colleagues was working on the assumption of the earlier specifications - we were all told that his memory was playing up and he had totally misunderstood. In light of what we know now, we feel this is utterly unfair.

Essentially the project co-ordinator changed the specification along the way and told us to pitch something else which we did do and it has created confusion and friction as we didn't realise the clients had been pitched a different product earlier! She has not been around to clarify anything and we lack leadership to know what to do as we risk severing relationships with clients.

In light of this - I wonder how I can be very straightforward in pointing these things out without raising tempers and being shut down by her?

getmore4less

TL_time wrote: »

told various members of the team to design a project which ideally would take months to design

Find out who wants this "project" and is paying for it and ask them what they want and what their expectations are on schedules etc.

Smart people can self organize if it needs more than one person to do the job.

They should be doing that anyway, the manager/co-ordinator is just a focus for planning and tracking while the real people do the work

TL_time

getmore4less wrote: »

Find out who wants this "project" and is paying for it and ask them what they want and what their expectations are on schedules etc.

Smart people can self organize if it needs more than one person to do the job.

They should be doing that anyway, the manager/co-ordinator is just a focus for planning and tracking while the real people do the work

Sorry - what does 'a focus for planning and tracking' mean? - she hasn't been here to do that, and hasn't been available via email. I have got the distinct impression she has the final say on a number of aspects.

sangie595

TL_time wrote: »

Sorry - what does 'a focus for planning and tracking' mean? - she hasn't been here to do that, and hasn't been available via email..

She is off sick. Hence she is not working. So not available full stop.

TL_time wrote: »

I have got the distinct impression she has the final say on a number of aspects.

You get the" impression" - is that another bit of gossip from your colleagues?

I am really struggling to see why this is so hard. The person leading the project is off ill. She must have a manager. So if you are all struggling with this because your manager is off ill, then speak to that person. Emailing someone who is off ill about work, and then complaining that they don't answer is pointless. If they were well enough to work, then they would be in work.

TL_time

sangie595 wrote: »

She is off sick. Hence she is not working. So not available full stop.


You get the" impression" - is that another bit of gossip from your colleagues?

I am really struggling to see why this is so hard. The person leading the project is off ill. She must have a manager. So if you are all struggling with this because your manager is off ill, then speak to that person. Emailing someone who is off ill about work, and then complaining that they don't answer is pointless. If they were well enough to work, then they would be in work.

Well I have the impression because project coordinator has shut me down in prior meetings before e.g. to say it's not the space to discuss project aims. She was in touch on Thurs to say she would respond to emails. The manager above her is actually on leave too. A manager of another service is at a loss too because he was relying on the project coordinator to clarify details.

getmore4less

Time to talk to the customer.

Who is the technical lead they should step up

DKLS

It sounds shambolic, with some odd job titles and responsbilities.

Any snr mgt you can speak to?