Anyone Here Report to 2 Managers?

aj01 on 20/06/2023 - 20:51
Last edited 20/06/2023 - 21:00

Howdy, I am considering a new role in another private sector business but I will be reporting to two managers.

Anyone on here currently or previously do this?

I have some mixed feelings about it and trying to think positively about it but it's not a high paid role (under 70k). Yes some work from home and its not too far anyways but I just get some mixed vibes from past experiences of being put through the wringer for a relatively low paid role but having a lot of expectation from day one.

I will add that its not a big company but a medium sized one, I have found with the big guys whilst not always perfect, at least u should get sufficient training, clear expectations, processes are fairly sorted and a fair introduction around the company.

Some of the reviews on job sites are not too glowing either…

Would love to hear some thoughts, thank you!

Education & Work

Comments

  • DashCam AKA Rolts on 20/06/2023 - 20:53
    +6

    Each manager is entitled to >$35k worth of reporting - problem solved.

  • vince088 on 20/06/2023 - 20:53
    +17

    yeah, nah.

    i report to a GM and the owner.

    both have different thoughts and ideas.

    One says one thing, other says something else and both expect you to do both

  • [Deactivated] on 20/06/2023 - 20:54
    +4

    No issues whatsoever …. 2 managers would definitely be better than 1.

    Godspeed

    • Sleeqb7 on 21/06/2023 - 08:59
      +1

      Why do you say that?
      The only way I could see 2 being better than 1 would be for a better spread of ideas, but sounds like it would open a lot of opportunity for conflict if the two mangers aren't on the same page.

      • pharkurnell on 21/06/2023 - 11:23
        +6

        I think you missed the sarcasm…

        • Sleeqb7 on 22/06/2023 - 08:55

          Seems so.

          I was genuinely interested in how 2 could have been better.. I guess I'll never know.

          • Bluto Mindpretzel on 22/06/2023 - 19:55
            +1

            @Sleeqb7:

            I was genuinely interested in how 2 could have been better

            It can, just not with managers.

  • Melencir on 20/06/2023 - 20:58

    Kinda sorta. Started with one. Got loaned out for a temporary project, so I'm reporting to a second one for that project only for tasks related to that project. The first manager handles other stuff like leave approval, performance, the occasional - are you alive and ok check-ins,etc

  • bargaino on 20/06/2023 - 21:01
    +3

    It could be worse.

  • ChocStrawberries on 20/06/2023 - 21:10
    +8

    In a previous life I was an EA to 2 high-ranked staff for about 12 months. One used to start early and finish at a reasonable time. The other swanned in around 11am and worked until really late. They both wanted me in the office at the same times they were, which obviously never worked out. They also had very different managerial styles, and expected different things. I hated it. YMMV.

  • thatonethere on 20/06/2023 - 21:16
    +5

    It is not uncommon to have multiple or matrix management. Or something like a family business if they are all declared "boss".

    Not saying it is always the right thing!

  • jumpypotato53 on 20/06/2023 - 21:22
    +9

    Red flag, run

    • aj01 on 20/06/2023 - 22:06

      I hear you. Out of curiosity, what's behind your theory on this?

      • jumpypotato53 on 20/06/2023 - 22:11
        +11

        Once I had to report to 3 company directors, they had different opinions, each one wanted me to do a different thing and I needed to try to please all of them. It is not worth the headache.

  • miwahni on 20/06/2023 - 21:31
    +7

    I had two managers for a short while - one was branch manager and one was development manager. Technically the DM was my actual report but he couldn't be arsed with the day to day stuff so farmed me out to the BM. It did my head in - BM never reported up the chain when I went to him with issues, and DM would subsequently complain that I hadn't kept him informed. Eventually I transferred to another district and DM was pretty irate that I hadn't told him that I'd applied for the other district, he reckoned I should have gone straight to him with something that important shrug If he couldn't be bothered drawing the reporting lines for me then I wasn't going out of my way to keep him filled in.

  • Gunnar on 20/06/2023 - 21:41
    +6

    All of this sounds like a recipe of disaster OP. The situation seems like it will be one where you are expected to do a lot for both managers. Plus reporting to different managers means that you may have increased difficulty with other things such as taking leave because you need to accommodate both business streams’ needs

  • Ozbar Gain on 20/06/2023 - 21:42
    +6

    Well, does it sound better than your current role??

    • cookie2 on 20/06/2023 - 22:35
      +1

      So true

  • dtc on 20/06/2023 - 21:52

    I'm a lawyer and called partners 'managers' is probably stretching it, but you have to do their work the way they want it against their timelines, so its pretty similar. I've worked for up to 5 different partners at the same time - usually 3 and hardly ever just one. You just cope and learn and be flexible. The only thing to be clear about is who is responsible for actually doing formal admin tasks like approving your leave, although you generally have to clear it with everyone first anyway so its just who clicks the approved button.

  • Gratt on 20/06/2023 - 22:00
    +5

    I think parenting is a useful analogy. If Mum and Dad get on well and both have common goals and one of those shared goals iss managing well, you are in luck. It could be very good. Great managers assist their staff to produce great results. Having two to get support from could be better than one.

    However, if Mum and Dad don't agree how the family budget is to be spent for example a shit time will be had by all.

    An organisation is a group of people striving to achieve a common result. How in sync are these two.

    I have had experience sharing the leadership of a large team. I had a partnership with two different managers (not at the same time). One manager just couldn't cope with the workload by themselves.

    With one manager we struggled to see eye to eye on some issues. With the other, productivity and staff happiness was certainly enhanced by our partnership.

    Don't join the team if the managers don't get along.

  • Mechz on 20/06/2023 - 22:43
    +2

    I had 3 not so long ago.

    Like me, You'll probably be the rag doll they like to kick between each other.

  • Guerilla89 on 20/06/2023 - 23:01
    +5

    I've been in that situation before and personally I've found the best thing to do when you're getting squashed is to make clear your priorities. Don't let them tell you everything has to happen ASAP. It only took about 3 months of fortnightly meetings where they would both tell me "This is important and needs to occur ASAP" and I would say "here's my list of priorities, where does it fit on that list" before they just let me self manage. Define your own role if they refuse to do so, just so they are forced to correct it and argue with each other rather than push you around.

    This is at a public engagement though, I once had a private job where we had as much management as actual frontline employees though, stay away from that. They'll spend all your time trying to direct you rather than letting you actually do your job so of course, you'll get behind.

    So if they both have somewhat sizeable teams, then sure, but if they both have small teams and they need to constantly prove their worth by changing how you work rather than doing their own work, leave.

    • aj01 on 20/06/2023 - 23:49
      +1

      Thank you, nice advice. That's what concerns me, it's a small team. One manager probably only has 1-2 people reporting to them now whilst the other has none to my knowledge until I rock up. There's also a manager to them who I actually thought is a director but he is not. It confuses the heck out of me.
      There's also another team member who seems to be on the same line as the two managers but does not really do anything out of the ordinary to put them up on that line.
      They also apparently had someone in the role for a short time and it didnt work out when they reported to one manager so that just adds to the uncertainty.
      Again not trying to be negative about things but when the job ad states fast paced and showing initiative is all good, I came from a high volume/high paced workplace but to me its a small red flag having seen and heard these buzz words way too often. I get it, its my decision and no one has a gun to my head but they will milk lower to mid end employees for all they can and forcing them to wear multiple hats.

      • Guerilla89 on 21/06/2023 - 00:08
        +3

        If you have other options I would probably leave it to someone else. Sounds like a social club for managers, even if they are good bosses, they'll still think they're above you and you won't have a team to support you.

        If you are going for the job, ask them under what circumstances the last person left and why. Even if they say they had to let the person go because the person was showing bad behaviours such as slacking off, in my experience people act the way they are treated rather than vice-versa. If you feel like a valued team member, you'll act like one. If you feel like you are looked down and people automatically look down of regardless of your actions, you'll have nothing to lose with bad behaviour. Don't get a job where you will be made to feel like you are at fault for everything going wrong just because managers feel like they can offload on you.

  • Transient on 21/06/2023 - 00:25

    I report to two managers, one in Australia and one overseas. Provided both managers get along with each other, ie, not many competing priorities, then works fine for me. If there are competing priorities, then I spell out the problem and let them to work out the priorities between themselves (I have a catch up call with them once a week). I just do the work, they tell me what to prioritise.

  • Godric on 21/06/2023 - 01:23
    +2

    In my experience reporting to 2 managers never works out well

  • boomramada on 21/06/2023 - 01:33

    Its like having two parents, if one say no, go ask the other. Better than havinng one shitty one.

    • leiiv on 21/06/2023 - 20:11

      Lol. It's a luck of the draw. Everything is relative. Better having one shitty one than having two shitty ones.

      • boomramada on 22/06/2023 - 09:35

        Yeah that has happened too, fortunately I wasn't there for long LOL

  • solidussnake on 21/06/2023 - 06:34
    +1

    I have a Boss and then a director on-top it's not so bad, my boss is great but my new director is insane she had to be put in her place about her attitude multiple times from HR funny as my boss suggests really good ideas that the director doesn't think so or shuts them down

  • Benoffie on 21/06/2023 - 07:20
    +1

    Had 4 line managers in a school once. Like being torn apart. Not a great feeling and not a great way to manage people especially when they cannot ever seem to move in the same direction.

  • 87percent on 21/06/2023 - 08:09

    I used to report Day to day to one, but for the big stuff, another one

    I started cc’ing north in all emails that needed or the other’s approval

  • Cheaplikethebird on 21/06/2023 - 08:40

    Depends on what kind of work it is. Are you having to produce something like reports or is it just repetitive tasks like call centre/helpdesk? Former I'd be worried, latter it's not much of a big deal.

    • aj01 on 21/06/2023 - 17:37

      Yep exactly as u state, former - reports and etc. Call centre jobs you have your role, very clear expectations and the day to day doesn't shift much. In a changing role, this way there's always the catchup between the two of 'ohh what are they up to' and then the assumption of maybe you don't have enough work because the other manager said he doesn't really have you tied up much (in their opinion of course).

  • Donaldhump on 21/06/2023 - 09:08
    +1

    at one job

    both give you competing priorities to the point where i told them to sort it out between them.

    reporting to two managers is like having two wives/husbands. its not going to end well unless they work together / share you

  • BargainCowboy on 21/06/2023 - 09:33
    +1

    I report to a line's manager and a project manager - two different sets of responsibilities though so not a big issue.

  • pegaxs on 21/06/2023 - 10:10
    +2

    Meh, I have one manager and I barely report to them… :D

  • coffeeinmyveins on 21/06/2023 - 10:21

    Some of the reviews on job sites are not too glowing either…

    They never are. Same as anything on product review. Think about it, when you leave a good company you generally don't think twice about leaving a review, but when you leave a bad one….

    I fail to see how having two direct reports will work. What happens when manager A tells you to do something that can't be done by the end of the week becaues you're working on something manager B has told you to do? How can you be expected to balance the priorities between those two? sounds like a nightmare.

  • djsweet on 21/06/2023 - 10:30

    Yes and no. I directly report to one person. But there is enough indirect reporting lines (through product owners, capability leads etc) that things get muddled. You are always going to have different expectations put on you, and you can't please everyone. You just got to work out who influences your pay and career progression the most.

    • freefall101 on 21/06/2023 - 14:40

      I have this, I report to one person, have a “dotted line” to a couple of others who are very senior to my boss.

      If I was a bad communicator it would be terrible, but I’m happy to tell all three what the competing priorities are and work through it. Works fine because all three generally trust me on the management side or to call out competing issues.

      • [Deactivated] on 22/06/2023 - 20:01

        Imagine how much more time you would have to actually get work done rather than having to manage or call out competing priorities across 3 managers

        • freefall101 on 22/06/2023 - 22:05

          about 30 seconds? It's "hey, I'm working on x for <person>, it's a priority because of whatever reason, I can get to your thing at y time". It's easier than getting fed things down the food chain, they can just ask me directly.

          I also know my own work, my priorities and my timelines better than anyone else. It also saves my boss tonnes of time, who is paid a lot more than me so overall it's a win. If she had to manage my competing priorities she'd get nothing done herself.

          Getting to set the priorities myself puts me in more control of my work too, which is worth the 30 seconds.

          • [Deactivated] on 23/06/2023 - 12:25

            @freefall101: lol - no, that's not how it works irl

            • freefall101 on 23/06/2023 - 12:31

              @[Deactivated]: I apologise for living in a fantasy world then, but that’s how my work happens.

              • [Deactivated] on 23/06/2023 - 12:33

                @freefall101: That's OK. I didn't want to waste feeling sad for you reporting to 3 managers if you really were not.

                • freefall101 on 23/06/2023 - 13:49

                  @[Deactivated]: It could just be I'm in denial, but it works out pretty well. I get a direct line to the CFO, so I know everything going on, what work is coming down the pipeline and a lot of strategy stuff. It works really well for me.

                  I can see how it can easily go wrong and I imagine it does most the time, but it's not instantly a bad thing.

  • ContinuousCustomer on 22/06/2023 - 20:10
    +1

    I’d look for another job.

  • Miss B on 22/06/2023 - 20:13

    I've had up to 3 before - one just signed off on leave requests and kept asking when he would get me back (only half joking, he still hasn't a few years later). One was my direct boss and decided whether or not I could take leave and was there to support if I needed anything on an administerial or wellbeing level. The other I worked closely with and she managed my workload and when I brought work-related problems to her she took them further up and got them sorted.

    Worked really well, but where I work is a bit of a weird place and everyone works really well and professionally with everyone else. If there are conflicting ideas they will discuss and get on the same page and get some level of agreement. There are a few people that don't particularly like each other, but they're in the minority and still manage to have a good working relationship with each other.

  • BeoWulf on 22/06/2023 - 20:49

    Hang in there

  • duchy on 22/06/2023 - 20:56

    Yes, I do. My project manager and my ‘official’ manager that does my performance review, sends me to training etc…

    I am in touch with my project manager daily and my line manager weekly or so.

    • zbys on 07/07/2023 - 22:06

      Pretty common structure called a matrix organization. It then goes really bonkers when they run out of people and the line managers start leading projects, folding the matrix onto itself - pretty horrible for anyone torn between delivering for their assigned project, or doing what their line manager says - which is of course working on the line manager's project which said person isn't actually assigned to.

      I've been in matrix organizations with line/project managers for much of my career, and also had 50/50 roles reporting to multiple line managers at once. I also had something like 13 line managers in 14 years at the same company, made worse by the fact at least 10 were first time managers. Would not recommend, although I did learn to operate very independently, ask for forgiveness not permission, and make it very clear very quickly to whoever the new manager was that I was on top of what I needed to do.

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