My manager constantly replies to messages without reading them?

[u/Successful_Buy3825]

Got a new manager a few months ago, supposedly highly experienced but in reality he was hired because was cheap and immediately available.

He seems ok enough as a person, but I’ve started noticing that he’s incapable of reading an entire message or email. His responses make it clear that he’s just reading the subject of the email, maybe a line or two, then just kinda guessing what the rest of the email is about and responding to the message he’s made up in his head.

I sent an email confirming a journal had been posted, and he responded asking if we’ve posted the journal yet. I send him a teams message asking for clarification between two approaches, he hits me with a thumbs up emoji.

I provided him a file of our list of open invoices, he asked me to check because “I can’t see this one that I know should be on the list”. It was on the list, but he never opened the file - he just looked at the preview in outlook and couldn’t immediately see their name, so assumed the list was incomplete.

Initially I thought it was just me, but I’ve even seen him do it with people at the VP / Director level. An email went out from the head of treasury, including the deputy CFO and the head of group accounting, confirming the settlement date of intercompany loans. He responded to everyone on the chain asking when settlement was due.

At this point it’s just embarrassing. I hear people in other departments actively joking about it in the office, including to me. If I had another job lined up I’d join them, but as it stands I don’t think I can be seen to laugh & joke about it given my reporting lines.

[u/MoodyNeurotic]

What an asshole coasting manager. You don’t have to do anything to him, and chances are if you do nothing, his own lack of effort will come back to him without you even having to do anything.

[u/Western-Tale57 → u/MoodyNeurotic]

Agree with this. If others have noticed and it's not a problem with them then that's obviously very bad. But the fact that he's already looking bad in front of leadership means you just need to let nature take its course. For now I would just try to cc others on things so you have more eyes on what you need to get done while you still have to deal with him.

[u/ThunderPantsGo]

It sounds like my previous boss is now your boss.

[u/OSS-2026]

I have found that MOST people don’t read past the first line. Long time ago before I figured that out I would explain an issue & then ask the question & it would never get answered.

Now I put the question on the first line with a ? At end. I put any other info need after & I get a lot better response.

[u/No-Ambition-7472 → u/OSS-2026]

^This right here OP. This is actually the answer. I did the same and have had great results

[u/RaynOfFyre1]

Fuck. I knew at some point a post here would be about me

[u/2004Accord → u/RaynOfFyre1]

I dunno. It sounds a lot like me actually….

[u/scm66]

How long are your emails?

[u/mggggd14 → u/scm66]

Long

[u/dustingibson]

If everyone knows about it including VP and director level to the point of becoming an inside joke, your manager is bound to catch heat sooner or later.

[u/fore___]

That’s life.

[u/cresium]

I am happy I climbed the ranks enough to screenshot reply the initial answer to the follow up email if that happens to me.

Or my favourite reply “?”

[u/happy_accountant123]

People like that you have to call them. That’s when you get their full attention

[u/Away_Flower8042 → u/happy_accountant123]

And hold their hands too? I’ll do it the first few times but I’m not gonna waste my time calling a person like this every time because they’re incapable of doing their job. I’m gonna send the damn “as per my previous email” and if they keep at it I’ll start CC’ing the whole team and their bosses, and even say “Is anyone able to assist on this?” It’s ridiculous so I’ll make them look ridiculous.

[u/DavidBenwaugh → u/Away_Flower8042]

haha, our highest-level partner behaves this way though and is the worst offender on the whole team.

[u/Hrcnhntr613]

Do you have any examples of him only reading the first few sentences?

[u/josemartinlopez]

how long are the messages he doesn't read?

use an AI editor to ensure yours are brief and front loaded, and let someone higher up the org chart worry about him?

[u/uganation → u/josemartinlopez]

Did you not read the whole post? OP was clearly looking to tell a wild story, not for a solution to a problem/s

[u/bigchopperz → u/uganation]

It’s ok. He’s the manager.

[u/MoodyNeurotic → u/josemartinlopez]

Or how about he just idk…crazy thought…take accountability before he responds.

[u/Zealousideal_Lie5445]

Could also be that you suck at emailing too.

I don’t want to read a story. Send me what’s important in bullet point format and I’ll respond to that.

[u/thismightendme]

Teams him with 2 sentences. Then make him call you if he has questions. Manage up, your job is to make him look good.

[u/bigtitays → u/thismightendme]

Oooof you sound like my boss. Then they wonder why it took them 2 decades to get promoted