A new line manager - what to do?

[marty]

I've just come over all 'unnecessary ' !!

Hands off! She's MINE!!!!

[J.R.]

I must admit to having recently fallen in love with Kate Silverton.

I think it's something to do with the glasses !

[marty]

That's absolutely fine, JR. You can have Kate and I'll have FB. Happy days.

[kerrensimmonds]

Should have found this thread sooner. Thank you all for advice and support, especially Marty. Am lying low at the moment, writing everything down. 'Mr. Mainwaring' (using a nickname cuts him down to size, really - although he's small and busy enough to start with) seems to be bending over backwards to be 'nice' but whenever I find myself in a meeting with him I end up wondering what on earth he's talking about. So does 'the boss' who has a longstanding habit of leaning back and letting his eyes glaze over when he's bored or fed up - he's done that more than once in various 3-way meetings this week!
Watch this space!

[marty]

If you're calling him Mainwaring now it wont be long til he becomes Napoleon!!! Good luck, Kerren and remember, they don't like it up 'em!

[J.R.]

Unfortunately Kerren you do have to stand up to them.

Some years ago, I experienced a 'lady' line manager, one above me, though younger in years. She was patently a 'feminist' and made it obvious. Little old me, (6ft-2"), made quite plain, though not rudely, that I objected to her attitude and her stance on men in general.

A few days later, she invited me for a drink after work. "Oh-Ho", I thought, "Here it comes !"

She started off about my general attitude and I let her go on and on for a few minutes. When she paused, I pointed out we were 'off-duty' and 'socialising', and that I was going to have my say.

I told her my attitude was in no way directed at her personally, but that I was 'old-school', and would not be talked down to by a man, let alone a woman.

We agreed to work together in harmony, which we did for about a year until she was transfered. It's amazing what straight face to face negotiation can achieve, though I still hate 'feminists'.

[kerrensimmonds]

Thanks JR and Marty. As I said, watch this space....
I've had a peaceful day today.. he's been out playing with 'the big boys' (Senior Managers' Awayday). I'd be surprised if he didn't p*ss some of them off as well, with his bustling self-importance and self-righteous, never ending advice and information about how things were done in his previous University.
Napoleon.. yes, I'd forgotten that!!

[J.R.]

Remember Kerren - If he really IS a Mainwaring type, somewhere at home there is an Elizabeth, giving him hell !!

[Ajarn Philip]

I told her my attitude was in no way directed at her personally, but that I was 'old-school', and would not be talked down to by a man, let alone a woman.

Quite right too, JR. That certainly told her. Who on earth did she think she was?

[Jo]

I told her my attitude was in no way directed at her personally, but that I was 'old-school', and would not be talked down to by a man, let alone a woman.

Quite right too, JR. That certainly told her. Who on earth did she think she was?

Ah.... it wasn't just me then, Phil

[Mid A 15]

As this thread has gone quiet hopefully you and Captain Mainwaring have come to an understanding Kerren?

[kerrensimmonds]

Don't ask......... Life is ghastly

Yesterday he held a meeting to introduce three of his 'team leaders' to a new Faculty Manager. I was not involved as I had met with the bloke in the morning.
I'm told he held the floor, bumptiously, describing what each of those teams actually do - but when for the umpteenth time he said 'of course, at Surrey University we did it a different (?better?) way.....', the FM said quietly 'Some people would find that offensive'. The comment was totally ignored, and Napoleon sailed on.