Navigating a Situation with a Dominant Boss

[poppyfields]

Hey guys, I am working part time while in school and have encountered a situation with my new very dominant boss.

For some reason I find myself being quite submissive with him; for example this morning I received an email from a client asking a question to which I did not know the answer. 

So I forwarded the email to my boss for his input and he replied telling me exactly what to say verbatim, including the salutation “Xxxxx (client's first name.”  Not even  "Dear Xxxxx," or "Hello Xxxxx," just his first name.

Anyway, the response was NOT something I would l write, it was very formal, and well, rather cold, which is NOT my style.

Anyway, I thought about modifying it using the same information, but in my own style but decided against and sent the same formal, cold, impersonal email my boss had drafted and instructed me to send, word for word.

Now I just feel weird about it.  I am a good writer and perfectly capable of drafting my own letters and emails in my own style and as such have developed a really good rapport with many if not most clients.

In fact, I have had clients sending me flowers and notes, thanking me and sending my boss emails praising how helpful and kind I was.

Sending this cold formal email was not ME, and I am just feeling so off about it, I almost feel like a fraud!

I wish my boss wouldn’t do that – actually write what I should say, word for word. 

Not sure how to handle this moving forward.

Any advice would be appreciated, thanks!

Edited February 15, 2022 by poppyfields

[Wiseman2]

2 minutes ago, poppyfields said:

I forwarded the email to my boss for his input and he replied telling me exactly what to say verbatim, including the salutation “Xxxxx (client's first name.”  Not even  "Dear Xxxxx," or "Hello Xxxxx," just his first name.

It was just a suggestion in response to your asking for help. Just write what you normally do.

[poppyfields]

41 minutes ago, Wiseman2 said:

It was just a suggestion in response to your asking for help. Just write what you normally do.

No it actually wasn't a suggestion.   It was a direct instruction, he wrote out exactly what I should say word for word and TOLD me to send it.

He even typed my name at the end.

That's the thing, I don't dare go against his instruction, once I tried and he accused me of being disrespectful.

I apologized and that was that.

Anyway, thanks, I suppose if I want to continue working here, he's the boss and I will just have to do it HIS way.

 

 

 

Edited February 15, 2022 by poppyfields

[glows]

He may not have time to explain to you previous correspondence or relationship history with this client. If the opportunity comes up again to discuss this I'd inquire on past relations and be more observant about this particular client. He may dislike or be unresponsive towards small talk or flowery language in emails. Use this as an opportunity to find out more about the client. 

[poppyfields]

1 minute ago, glows said:

He may not have time to explain to you previous correspondence or relationship history with this client. If the opportunity comes up again to discuss this I'd inquire on past relations and be more observant about this particular client. He may dislike or be unresponsive towards small talk or flowery language in emails. Use this as an opportunity to find out more about the client. 

Thanks glows, but this was a brand new client, one week.

I don't use small talk or flowery language; my style is simply much warmer, less formal than my boss's, that's all.

I think what I might do is draft my own response in my own words and then run it by him for clarification.  I have done that before and he changed a few words around but it didn't take away from my overall style.

I will see how that goes, thanks again!

 

 

[glows]

3 minutes ago, poppyfields said:

I think what I might do is draft my own response in my own words and then run it by him for clarification.  I have done that before and he changed a few words around but it didn't take away from my overall style.

Good idea. 👍 I'm glad he didn't change your overall style.

[Alpacalia]

Just keep an eye on it because it's your boss.

It's only been a week since you arrived.

I understand you prefer to write in your own voice, but this is more about the client, and the company's owners are likely to be more familiar with this particular client.

If you think that after corresponding with this particular client, he or she would prefer and/or be more responsive to a different writing style, I'm sure your boss would be open to suggestions.

I also don't see anything wrong with addressing the client with a salutation but each company is different I suppose.

Edited February 16, 2022 by Alpaca