Question: “Our director often takes personal or vacation leave without giving the staff advance notice. This causes problems because he sometimes sends out information to customers that need to be returned while he is out. We don’t always have the information needed to respond to any questions customers might have. How do we tactfully ask the boss to reveal his plans to us?” — Gina
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Mary hit it right on the nail, I would do the same. With his salary and his title “manager”, he should not take it personal.
Mary has an excellent approach. By focusing on the business aspect of his absence rather than where he is going, you show you are interested in seeing that his clients are cared for, not on where he is going or what he is doing. Ask if there are pending items with clients that might need attention while he is gone and who does he want to handle them. Ask where that designated-party can find what might be needed to take care of business, or ask him to leave a list of answers to any potential questions. That way you come across as professional rather than nosey. My boss often does disappearing act as well, but leaves me a number where he can be reached, with the proviso that it only be used for a real emergency, not just something that can wait for his return, or that I can provide on his behalf.
I agree with Mary in the approach of providing excellent customer service to the clients in his absence. So the focus would be more along the lines of how/who he would like to handle things while he is away from the office.
I have an at-a-glance wall calendar for my boss on the wall by his desk (& a duplicate at mine). I hang the dry-erase marker right on it. At the beginning of each year I fill in the usual meetings I know he always goes to. Then I ask him if there are any other meeting and/or travel plans I need to mark off and what coverage will be needed. We look at it each month. He’s gotten in the habit of writing in his own things now too. Maybe you can try this and ask him to write it on there as he makes reservations or plans so you can be prepared in advance. He doesn’t have to reveal anything really except maybe the state or country he’ll be in and what days.
When your boss announces he will be gone, explain that in the past you have received calls from his clients. Then immediately follow up by asking him whom he would like to handle these important calls when he is out and is there any information this person should have regarding potential calls. This way he’s not revealing his plans, but your boss is given the opportunity to see that his clients are being cared for (and you don’t appear nosey.)