Is it a management style to upset people to excert control?

Question

We have a new practice director as the partners dont want to deal with practice developements and complaints.The firm is very close knit and friendly and everyone has been doing a damn good and conciencious job in the support team for as long as i can remember (8 years i have worked here).
Everyone is motivated and gets on with their work as we all care about what we do. now this new practice director has joined and he takes a ll the credit for our hard work, he has very poor interpersonal skills, he doesnt listen or remember conversations. He upsets people and then pretends its someone elses fault. He is very much in an 'ivory tower'. Never does he ask about our interests or lives. Everyone is losing what respect they had for him now as he has burned most of his bridges.He sods off for long lunch breaks,to the golf course, up to london to meet old colleagues etc etc etc then takes great pleasure in telling everyone that he has taken no sick leave this year.oh and he is short! Git.

everybody dislikes him and says that he is rude but no one says boo to a goose around him. Ive done nothing wrong so ive no reason to be afraid of him. How can this situation be turned round as it seems grossly unfair?

Answer 1

Others have offered good ideas. Mine is simple to put up with it, or if you can get others to join in, start making this git feel special until he either hangs himself, begins to behave, or moves on to torment others.

He seems the great prat, no argument there, but nothing like a prat who eventually shows himself a true git.

--That Cheeky Lad

Answer 2

The first line of your question is in the right direction. He has a character defect that requires others to be deflated so that he will be inflated. My experience with this type has been most successful when I've called them on the carpet for rotten behavior. Not infront of others, but privately. And not in a hostile way, but just in a direct - matter of fact approach. Go in with a suggestion on how something can be done for improvement, not just a complaint. Most people like this will respond well if they are given the tools to work better with people. He might have all the education in the world on how to give medical treatment, but was probably not trained for management.

Try to figure out what he is lacking in the way of management tools, and provide him with what he needs.

Answer 3

In what way does he upset people? Is it personally or is it by doing his work in a way that people do not like? If it is the first then it is bullying. If you are as close knit as you say then this man should not affect the way in which you work. Just make sure that the partners see that the work coming out is the same as before. And just ignore him he is only a work colleague.

Answer 4

This may be his first management job and he is struggling. Praise him when he does something right and never tell him his faults as he will be only too aware of them. Talk to him at every opportunity and find out what makes him tick. Build him into a better person. Praise should go up and down the structure in a company

Answer 5

well he probably won't be around for much longer. One thing to consider is to get everyone banded together and meet with his boss about your dissatisfaction over this new guy. There's an upside/downside to this. Management will hear your complaints and do something positive about it. Management will hear your complaints and punish you for complaining. It's your call really.

Answer 6

There is a saying 'new brooms sweep clean' - but do they last - I have a strong feeling that this guy is only going to be with you for a short stay - dont go cutting your nose off to spite your face.