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- My Boss is a Mess: How Can I Get Her Organized?
My Boss is a Mess: How Can I Get Her Organized?
- By Alice Bumgarner, Moderator
- 9/11/2009 - 11:20am
- Working with the boss , Admin Pro Forum
Alice Bumgarner, Moderator
Alice Bumgarner, editor of Administrative Professional Today and contributing writer for Executive Leadership, has been writing about workplace and family issues for 13 years. Her articles have appeared in dozens of publications, including http://Salon.com, http://MSN.com, Continental magazine, Southern Living and Town & Country. She lives in Durham, N.C., with her husband, two daughters and dog Milo.
Submit a question for the Admin Pro Forum at Admin-Pro@NIBM.net.
I have a new boss and she is so unorganized. She has piles and piles of papers and complains that she can never find anything. How do I get her to organize her desk? -- J
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8 Responses to "My Boss is a Mess: How Can I Get Her Organized?"
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said this on 11 Sep 2009 12:26:15 PM EST
When she says she can't find anything, I would use that as an opportunity to offer to help her get organized. I just did this for my boss and she loves it. I went through everything and organized, filed, and found logical homes for things. I did it on a day when she was out of the office so we weren't in each other's way, and when she came back, I explained where things were. Just keep in mind that you can't change an unorganized person overnight. Every few months you may have to ask if she would like you to straighten things up for her.
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said this on 11 Sep 2009 1:15:51 PM EST
I would tread with caution here. Some "bosses" don't seem to realize how disorganized they are. Or what appears to us as disorganized is their normal and works for them. Waiting for an opening to offer to help get things organized is the best option. A coworkers office looks like it has been ransacked all the time but no matter what you ask him for he can put his hands right on it. Organizing him would probably hinder his efficiency. It's not pretty but ...
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said this on 11 Sep 2009 1:37:54 PM EST
My boss (the CEO) will openly say his desk is a "black hole." Since he couldn't find anything I took the liberty a long time ago to get the paperwork, set up file folders, and keep it in my office. If he needs something I can retrieve it in minutes. I realized after working with him for a while that he's a verbal person. People come in, meet with him to advise him of situations or get a decision on something. He rarely goes back and reads the paperwork they've brought with them. Everyone's managerial style is different.
He thanked me for getting his desk cleaned and never seems worried about where all the paperwork is. |
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said this on 11 Sep 2009 2:19:50 PM EST
We use a EXCEL spreadsheet tracking system and colored folders to prioritize and keep up with items. Red for signatures, Orange for action & invitations, Green for miscellaneous information & reports, blue for meetings, and manilla for low priority & ads. The folders are numbered and have a 3X4 lable on front. On the label is the topic, and depending on the folder, pertinent info such as who it's from, date, meeting date, etc. We write on the label in pencil and use the folders over & over. The spreadsheet is used to enter the topic of each folder. It makes finding things a snap even in a mess.
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said this on 18 Sep 2009 4:06:32 PM EST
I love this process. Do you also use the spreadsheet to track individual items in the folders...in case something is misplaced?
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said this on 21 Sep 2009 10:42:00 AM EST
The 3X4 lable on the front is large enough to list a few items. I typically just use the topic, and use an individual folder for each packet of items, or individual items received. In the spreadsheet I use the same descriptor in the topic field as I write on the folder lable.
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said this on 18 Sep 2009 3:52:05 PM EST
My boss loves his messy office. It has taken two years for him to trust that I am not throwing anything out when I "straighten up" his desk. And it still gets messy...but we will keep working on it till one of us crys "UNCLE".
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said this on 21 Sep 2009 10:52:27 AM EST
Using the file folders does not change my boss's messy work style, but it does make it easier to navigate his office and find documents, particularly the priority items.
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