Question

Topic: Other

Bosses Forgetfulness

Posted by Anonymous on 8/28/2008 at 6:29 AM ET 125 Points
Hello everyone. After a year out of marketing, I was happy to get a job as a marketing executive within B2B marketing. The problem that I face is although my boss is very nice and easy to get along with, he tends to forget which tasks he has given out.

Any tasks that he assigns me I write down and complete as asked. But now he is coming up with tasks that haven't been mentioned before or tasks he asked me to drop. This is making me look bad as I keep on saying

"i haven't been told to do that, but I can get it done"

How can i stop this from being a daily occurrence?
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RESPONSES

  • Posted on 8/28/2008 at 6:50 AM Member
    Hi! Thnk the best way is to make note in front of your Boss.
    Praveen
  • Posted by Harry Hallman on 8/28/2008 at 7:18 AM Member
    Always follow up requests in writing via email. That way there is a record and also the boss will be able to use your notes as reminders.
  • Posted on 8/28/2008 at 8:09 AM Member
    Certainly take notes in front of your boss, but you might want to consider having a shared/public to-do list so he has a one-glance place to take a look at what's coming up.

    You could set it so only you can add items, so he would have to have a direct conversation with you about any new items, or you could set it so he can add things; so whenever he first thinks of something you'll know about it.

    If you can't come up with some method to help with this, though, I'd consider bringing up the issue in your next review (so long as your company has at least a little culture of "360" reviews, which I find many do).
  • Posted on 8/28/2008 at 9:23 AM Member
    Excellent ideas!
    Paper trail is the key. I'd drop the boss an email after every "situation" in which you have been assigned a task, or have had a task deleted just to make sure you are both on the same page.

    Weekly reports are great to give status updates but rather than a narrative - you might consider bullet points -very direct and to the point.

    Good luck and welcome back!
    CVN
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