【英语生活】我有一个不做事的老上司

I'm a banker in my 50s with a boss who is nearly 70. Although I want him to retire for my own advancement, my more pressing problem is that he has stopped pulling his weight, is coming in late, and taking too much holiday. This puts an extra burden on me as the right-hand man. His superiors don't seem to notice, and to tell them would make me seem disloyal and overly ambitious. He's in exceptionally good health and could work for several more years. Should I confront my boss or just keep mum?
Investment banker, male, 53



How delightful to find an arriviste underling of 53 and a slacking boss of 70 in a thrusting, ageist industry such as investment banking.

Yet maybe this is the future: 10 years from now everyone will go on working into their dotage because they won't be able to afford to retire. And, like your boss, many of them will spend their last decade skiving as there will no longer be any point in working like a maniac – and they will deserve a breather anyway. The trouble, as you have found, is that the tier below will feel put-upon and restive.

As for the specifics of your problem, you ask if you should take your boss aside and tell him he's coasting. This is such a terrible idea I find it hard to believe you have ever entertained it. How do you think he'd feel on being told off by you? He certainly wouldn't work harder and would only conclude that, despite your relatively advanced age, you were still a petty little school prefect.

I think you are looking at your problem in the wrong way. You clearly want his job, yet realise you aren't going to get it any time soon. But actually you already have the job, in that you are doing most of the work. So the real question is not how to get your skiving boss to do his job, but how to get recognition for the bits of it that you are now doing on an unpaid basis.

I suggest you do this in two stages. First, make sure you are doing the extra stuff publicly, willingly and well. Then go and see your boss's bosses and tell them what's what. Make sure you sound happy to be doing the work (ie, no moaning) and also make clear that you respect your boss and are grateful for any advice he continues to hand down from above. Then insist on more money, and possibly a souped-up title.

I am slightly worried by your assumption that you will be promoted when your boss finally does decide to cultivate his roses.

By then you may be getting on a bit too, and possibly someone much younger will be put in over your head. Life can be horrid that way.
YOU'RE NOT THE MAN
You are aged 50-plus and your boss's right-hand man? Yet you are still unable to talk to him about his understandable rebalancing of his work life in the twilight of his career? It sounds as if you are not the right person to succeed him and that his superiors have already come to that conclusion. Stand by for a new boss from outside the company.
CEO, male, 50

STARVE HIM OUT

Marginalise him. Have no work waiting for him, do not call him when he's away and do not keep him up to date. When he's out of the loop his bosses will start to think he's going senile. He'll be “retired” in months. For the next couple of years you're free. Anything that goes wrong, blame him, and anything that goes well, take full credit. But be careful of that 35-year-old who's looking at your job.
Trader, male, 35

HE'S USING YOU
I have experienced the same problem. My boss promised me and one other colleague he would lobby hard for our promotions on his retirement. He dumped all of his work on us and coasted to retirement without acting on the promotions. Learn from our mistake. Either confront your boss about pulling his own weight or seek the higher position you desire elsewhere. He is using you and your team and enjoying the free ride.
Manager, male, 40

YIN AND YANG
Like you, I am a “chef de cabinet” with the CEO of a bank who is nearly 70. He has given the day-to-day business to me and I benefit from his accumulated experience when I need it. I see the relationship as like that between a management and supervisory board. My boss is pleased with a comfortable situation that gives him the satisfaction of still being useful – and so am I.

Banker, male, 50s

YOUR BOSS'S SECRET
Your boss's age is a red herring. I suspect that he has found a thirtysomething lover and is having the time of his life with the help of modern pharmaceuticals. Have empathy and patience. One day when you are a senior partner you may find yourself in a similar position. Just keep fit.

Male, retired, 66

我是个50多岁的银行家，有个快70岁的老板。虽然我希望他退休，以便为我的升迁让路，但更迫切的问题是，他已不再尽职，上班迟到，休假太多。这给我这个左右手增添了额外的负担。他的上司似乎没有注意到这种情况，告诉他们又会显得我不够忠诚，而且野心太大。他的身体格外健康，还能再工作几年。我是该与老板正面交锋，还是该保持沉默？

投资银行家，男，53岁

在投资银行这样一个冲劲十足、歧视老龄的行业中，能找到一个野心勃勃的53岁下属和一个泄了劲儿的70岁的老板，是多么令人欣喜啊。

但未来或许就是这样的：今后10年，人人都将工作到老朽之年，因为他们无法负担退休的成本。像你老板一样，他们中的许多人在最后10年也会磨洋工，因为他们再也没有必要像疯子一样工作——而且他们确实也该透透气了。麻烦在于——正如你所发现的——底下的人会感到成了牺牲品，而且心绪不宁。

至于你的问题，你问到是否该把老板叫到一旁，告诉他他是在消磨时光。这个想法太糟糕了，我简直难以相信你的确这样想过。你认为，他受到你的责备会是什么感觉？他当然不会更努力地工作，而且只会得出这样的结论：尽管你年岁已长，但仍不过是个微不足道的学校小班长。



我认为你看待这个问题的方式错了。你显然想得到他的工作，却意识到自己短时间内无法得到。但事实上，你已经得到了，因为大部分工作都是你在做。因此，真正的问题不是如何让你懈怠的上司工作，而是如何让你目前在做的那部分没有报酬的工作得到认可。

我建议你分两步做。首先，确保自己是在公开、自愿地做额外的工作，而且要保证把工作做好。然后去见老板的老板，告诉他们事情的真相。确保自己听上去很高兴做这些工作（也就是说，不要抱怨），而且要清楚地表明你尊敬自己的老板，对他继续从上面传下来的任何建议都心存感激。然后坚持要求加薪，可能还有一个更高的职衔。

你认为，当你的老板最终决定回家种花时，自己就会得到提升。我对这种假设有些担忧。

到那时，你可能也会升点儿小官，但或许某个更年轻的人会爬到你上面。生活有时就是那么糟糕。

你不是那个合适的人选

你已经50多岁，还是老板的左右手？但在他调整职业生涯晚期的工作生活（这是可以理解的）时，你仍无法和他谈论这个问题？听起来，你并不是接替他的合适人选，而且他的上司已经得出了这个结论。等着公司从外面引进一个新老板吧。

首席执行官，男，50岁

把他挂起来

排斥他。不要等他做工作，在他不在的时候不要给他打电话，不要向他通报最新情况。到他什么都插不上手时，他的上司就会开始认为他已经老了。他几个月内就会“退休”。接下来几年你就自由了。把任何错误都归咎在他身上，任何好事都居功于自己。但要小心那个觊觎着你职位的35岁的年轻人。

交易员，男，35岁

他在利用你

我遇到过同样的问题。我上司曾向我和另一位同事承诺，他在退休时会努力为我们的升职说好话。他将自己的全部工作都交给了我们，一直消磨到退休，但没有对我们升职采取任何行动。从我们的错误中吸取教训吧。要么与老板正面交锋，要求他尽职尽责，要么到其它地方寻找你想要的更高职位。他在利用你和你的团队，享受着“免费搭车”的乐趣。

经理，男，40岁

互补

像你一样，我也是一位年近70的银行首席执行官的“内阁首长”。他将日常业务交给我，而我在需要时也能从他积累的经验中受益。我认为这种关系类似于管理层和监事会之间的关系。这种舒适的情形让我的上司觉得自己还有用武之地，这令他很高兴，我也一样。

银行家，男，50多岁。

你上司的秘密

你上司的年龄是个遮人耳目的东西。我怀疑他找了个30来岁的情人，并且正借助现代药物享受人生。给点儿理解和耐性吧。有一天当你成为资深合伙人时，可能也会发现自己处于同样的境地。保持健康就好了。

男，退休，66岁

译者/梁鸥