When an organization is trying to flatten its structure, managers sometimes end up reporting to more than one boss. Depending on what role needs performing or what task needs to be completed, I have 3 men that want answers or analysis or this or that project completed. Of course, to use a real cliche - I’m never bored! What makes life really exciting is when Boss #1 expects an answer that Boss #3 already told you is wrong.

Personalities play heavily into this scene - and finding your way through the jungle of what B1, B2, and B3 want at any given moment, is indeed, like navigating your way through a maze. To thine own self be true, but there’s certainly no harm in being able to subtly change your approach to complement the personality you have to deal with that day.

Here’s a sample:

• B1 (the Consultant guy) -> “We sold your division so why can’t we take cost savings of no longer printing payment coupons since we don’t own that division anymore? Then we can shut down the print center and let all of those employees go and save the electricity, salaries, envelope cost, ink, paper, spit to seal the envelopes….”
• The Hotfessional -> “Well, we don’t actually print payment coupons - that was outsourced to a print vendor about 3 years ago. So, the company that bought my division is now paying that vendor’s bill. If we shut down the print center because of the sale of my division, we’d actually be preventing the rest of the company from getting anything printed and mailed….”
• B1 -> “Oh, well, yes…..ehhemmm”

• B2 (the Detail Guy) -> “You approved this invoice for $298,273.28 @ 4:32 pm on Thursday, May 3 this year. Last year’s invoice was $198,275.48. What was the increase?”
• The Hotfessional -> “We added 167 new licenses and upgraded the support and maintenance contract to 24/7/365 telephone accessibility. Actually, although the original contract specified a maximum 4% per year increase while we used the product, the vendor decreased the price per license by 1% and we received the upgraded support and maintenance at a 35% savings over new client cost. I believe I noted that in the comments section on the invoice.”
• B2 -> “Oh, well, yes…..ehhemmm”

• B3 (the ‘I need this now’ guy) -> “I saw the update on the # of items processed through the XYZ system and wondered, in light of the division sale, if our volumes were up or down compared to this time last month, the month before that, and this month last year. I’d like to take this before the ABC committee tomorrow afternoon, so please have all of the data to me by the time I get in tomorrow”
• The Hotfessional -> “Actually, we run that on a daily basis so I have it right here. “

………. 4 days later …………

• The Hotfessional -> “How did the presentation on Thursday? (blank look from B3) The presentation on items processed volume pre- and post-division sale?
• B3 -> “Oh, well, yes…..ehhemmm”

It’s also really important to be able to multi-task and delegate. Delegation is not something that comes easy to me. Patience is in even shorter supply. Mr. Hot has informed me that I tend to “talk down” to people when they don’t agree with me. (Yes, we were arguing at the time….so believe me, I was talking down, up, sideways and inside out because he was being completely unreasonable! Really. Honest. Geez, what is wrong with you?)

—- Finding your way as a hotfessional in today’s business climate - with staff reductions, longer work days, changing expectations and all that crap - can make it hard to climb that ladder, but remember….when you get to a certain point on that ladder, you can see the path through the maze. —-

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