It's not helpful to just rip everything, you know, every idea that I have to rip it to shreds. We get into these conversations and I don't even know how to guide the conversation in a direction that lends itself to being productive. It feels like he instantly gets defensive and then. So no collaboration is happening. There's no exchange or equal exchange. And we can also assume there's a little bit this sort of tearing down the ideas does also have like a pessimist tinge to it.
Kim’s boss hired her to run operations and human resources at the company he founded, where he is one of four partners. Six months in, she’s baffled by his mix of behaviors, all of which have made her job much harder than it should be. He attacks nearly every modification or upgrade to a process, policy, or program she suggests. He refuses to listen to feedback. The other partners don’t dare to intervene. If it’s his (outdated) way or the highway, why did they bring her in?
She needs his support in order to make any sort of progress. What should she do? What should you do if you find yourself in a similar situation?
In this episode, Amy G talks with Kim about her situation and recommends tactics for her to try. By the end, Kim has a plan to temper his pessimism and gain his trust.
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