Stuck in the middle at work

m0t

I work for a very large organisation which is split in to a number of divisions. Each division has its own board and finance director. The organisation as a whole also has a finance director but weirdly he doesn't out rank the divisional FDs so there is a tension there.

I work for the overall FD but with a divisional FD on a daily basis. Over the past week the divisional FD has been instructing me to send something to the overall FD for approval that isn't ready. I didn't really have a choice not to send it but because it wasn't ready I felt I looked foolish in front of the overall FD.

It came to a head today on an email chain where I was explaining the paper to the overall FD so he could provide approval. The divisional FD replied on the chain contradicting something I had written and making me look very foolish (again). What he wrote was not entirely true (deliberately so to gain the approval).

I'm now stuck for what to do. I either say nothing knowing that the overall FD, who I work for, will now think I'm an idiot or expose the truth and cause a huge amount of aggro with the divisional FD who I have to wappetite on a daily basis. Thoughts?

steampowered

Sounds to me like this is normal stuff for large companies.

I think you have to support your divisional FD, even if you do not completely agree with what he is doing. It is not your job to get between the divisional FD and the overall FD.

At the end of the day, what your divisional FD wants to tell the overall FD to get approval is the divisional FD's decision. If the divisional FD wants to ask for something to get approved even though it is not quite ready, that is the divisional FD's decision to make.

I am sure the overall FD has been around the block enough times. There is a reason he got to a very senior position in the company. He will be able to read between the lines, he will know that parts of the thing he is approving are half-baked and he will probably know the personality of the divisional FD.

m0t

One bit of context is that we are currently undergoing a redundancy and redeployment exercise where we all have to apply for our own jobs.

The idea that I have been made to look foolish in front of the person who will ultimately take decisions on this concerns me.

greenbee

If the group FD is your line manager then a confidential discussion with them about the issue might be sensible.

TELLIT01

greenbee wrote: »

If the group FD is your line manager then a confidential discussion with them about the issue might be sensible.

That would be the route I would take too. The person you report to is the one you need to have the good relationship with.

getmore4less

if the G.FD has to approve things then they are the boss.

Your potential mistake was getting involved, if the D.FD said send it then any queries should have been referred back to them it was probably not your place or best interest to get between the FDs.

ohreally

Be carful re "confidential" conversations especially if silly beggers are playing politics.

xapprenticex

ohreally wrote: »

Be carful re "confidential" conversations especially if silly beggers are playing politics.

If he cant talk to his line manager in confidence then he probably wouldnt want to be there longer than he needs to be anyway.