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Antiwork

When it comes to managerial/leadership conflict, what is the most adult thing to do?

I am a junior designer at an architecture firm, and I've noticed in the past month, I cannot resolve a management issue between me and my PM when it comes to managing projects. My PM has about 5 years of experience and started their role just this year, while I only have 2. I feel like I'm struggling Sometimes my PM will hand me projects without sufficient context, and if I ask them pertinent questions, before or after they're done with their shift, they feel like I am disrupting them. Even if if I come across a complex task that I'm not really experienced or in authority to answer alone. For example, when I finished all I could comprehend on my tasks and thought throughly enough on, I sent an email so we could have a discussion about it when they were ready to talk about it, and let them…


I am a junior designer at an architecture firm, and I've noticed in the past month, I cannot resolve a management issue between me and my PM when it comes to managing projects.

My PM has about 5 years of experience and started their role just this year, while I only have 2. I feel like I'm struggling

Sometimes my PM will hand me projects without sufficient context, and if I ask them pertinent questions, before or after they're done with their shift, they feel like I am disrupting them. Even if if I come across a complex task that I'm not really experienced or in authority to answer alone.

For example, when I finished all I could comprehend on my tasks and thought throughly enough on, I sent an email so we could have a discussion about it when they were ready to talk about it, and let them know we could talk about it when they were ready.

But then he responded quickly, told me he covered them, which is not what I wanted. And then later complained to my principal that he had to cover tasks or didn't follow instructions he assigned to me.

They are a new manager, and I don't think they mean any harm (intentionally), but my young manager seems to be jaded and they seem pretty annoyed to take any time in trying to help me bridge any gaps in my understanding of a project. I started working around this by reporting to their superior manager above them for advice, who I can tell is rather more helpful.

I want to discuss why this style of management might be an issue for my development or ability to perform on projects, but I feel like this will just make me look bad. Because maybe they could argue me trying to address it will make me look like a whiner/complainer and that I should just follow exactly what my PM wants. I feel sort of screwed at this point.

PS, I'm on the PIP. I don't plan on passing it. Don't worry, I've got job applications and interviews piling up.

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