I'm Sick of Covering My Boss's Behind

Aaaargh! Sometimes I hate my job.

Why?

It's not the work. I don't mind that. I like it, mostly. I put together a new online catalog every quarter. I get to do a lot of creative things.

What part is frustrating?

My boss is Director of Merchandising. She has lot more than me and my catalog under her control. She's a creative person - she has really good ideas. I have to give her credit for that. But she can't execute for beans. 

She can't follow through on anything. She calls me or texts me and asks me to pick up projects that she dropped halfway through. Luckily I have good relationships with everyone in our department. I go see them and say "Andrea is pulling an Andrea" and they laugh, and then we figure it out.

It sounds like you have a routine. 

We do!

How is it frustrating?

For one thing, I'm busy enough with my own work. I end up doing at least twenty-five percent of Andrea's job for her. She doesn't thank me. She says 'You know how busy I am!' I try to help her plan, but her brain doesn't work that way.

I hear what you're saying, but I haven't heard about the problem yet. You've been in this pattern with Andrea for a while. Why does it bother you now?

I guess it's because she has the Director title and I'm not even a manager. Maybe I'm frustrated because it's always just at the least opportune moment that Andrea lets me know I have to do two jobs -- mine and hers -- for a few days.

You resent that.

Yes! Wouldn't anyone?

I guess so.

Why are you unsure about that?

Only because it sounds like you and Andrea created your relationship together. She has other direct reports apart from you. It sounds like there may be benefits to you in your arrangement, or maybe there were benefits to you at some point in time.

You're saying that I'm a party to her craziness?

I'm not sure she's crazy. She has talents and so do you. Maybe you two have a wonderful symbiotic relationship. Maybe there are times when it's fun to save Andrea's projects.

It is fun sometimes but I'm tired of it. 

What would you change in the dynamic between you too?

If it were up to me I'd do my own job and Andrea would do hers.

Let's imagine that. Let's say that Andrea got approval to hire someone next week - someone who would do for her what you do right now.

Save her ass, you mean.

Okay, let's say it's that. She hires someone and calls that person Merchandising Project Manager. Are your problems over?

I'd quit.

Why?

Because it would suck to have someone new come in and do what I've been doing without getting paid for it.

But you get paid...

For doing my own job!

Which has turned into a combination of creating a quarterly catalog and running projects for the department. Do you see where I'm going?

You want me to see my part in this complicated system.

That's where the power is! When you get altitude on a situation, you can move it in the direction you want it to go.

You're saying that I'm blaming Andrea for my own career confusion?

Wow, did I say that?

I guess it was in my mind. She does make an excellent scapegoat. Like I said, she's not a bad person. I don't mind being leaned on. I'm very betwixt and between. I want a bigger job, but I like a lot of parts of this job, too. I like being seen as the fix-it person.

You're getting a signal, though, that something has to shift - right?

I am. I don't know what. If that person you mentioned were hired in here, I'd be gone in a second. That would be the ultimate addition of insult to injury.

What if you asked Andrea for a new title -- Merchandising Project Manager? Maybe you could keep the catalog part of your job. Would that solve the problem?

I want to say it would, but my real problem is that I'm restless. I'm bored. I wouldn't want to spend my whole day at work building a new catalog, or managing other projects for that matter. I have no idea what I want to do. I'm organized, but I'm also creative.

Then that's the issue! You're in reinvention. That's frustrating, right there. 

It's excruciating. I want to know the answer: what's my career supposed to be?

Everyone wants that answer. It can be excruciating. That's a good word for it.

So what do I do?

Journal. Take long walks. Talk to everyone you know. Ask them "What could you see me doing, apart from this?" Talk to Andrea -- she may know you better than you think she does.

Tell her I might want a new job?

You don't have to be that specific. She might appreciate being consulted. She obviously trusts you.

She does trust me. I think she trusts me more than I trust myself.

Reinvention is a physical thing, like a snake shedding its skin. When we're frustrated, it's normal to look around for a bad guy. Like you said, Andrea makes a great scapegoat. 

I went to art school a million years ago. 

Maybe the art is ready to come back in!

I can't picture that. 

I couldn't picture it until it happened.

Well, you're different.

We're all different! The work world is splintering and morphing in a million directions right now. The staid old job descriptions are fraying and splitting and turning inside out. That movement is only going to accelerate.

I hope you're right.

You have to build your flame from the inside out. You can't wait for someone else to tell you what your calling is, or what your passion is. You have to discover it -- the way Michelangelo discovered David in the marble. You have to chip away at it.

UCK! I want an owl to fly in the window and tell what I'm supposed to do next. 

Maybe an owl will fly in the window. Maybe the next song you hear on the radio will have a clue in it.

I thought you were from North Jersey! You sound pretty mystical right now.

Listen, signs and portents are everywhere. You can call them mystical, but every old salt watches the sky. Why would that change? What are you going to read instead -- the Dow Jones Index? What is that going to tell you?

You're saying that I have to listen.

You have to tune in to a new channel, and then listen closely. That's why I want you to journal. You could paint! Do you paint, or draw, or sculpt?

I did mixed media pieces. 

Do them again! Do you have a space to do art at home?

I can make one, now that Chloe is away at school.

Do it! That's the best thing you can do. You want to reinvent in the fast lane? Start doing art. That's going to accelerate everything.

I believe you. Why did I make Andrea my villain?

Villains are convenient. They're like coatracks. You can hang stuff on them.

I'm going to go to the art supply store this weekend. What has it been - twenty years? I'm going to do artwork. That's how I'll figure this out. 

You will. I can hear it in your voice!

I believe you. Thanks, coach! 

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