VP grills me over missed Salesforce deadline. What do I do?

My VP is grilling me because of a missed Salesforce deadline. What do I do?

I recently took on a senior admin role in a company with complex systems and found myself as the sole person handling both requirements gathering and developing.

While things started positively, I'm now feeling overwhelmed due to my VP's decision to closely track our work hours.

After a missed task deadline, I faced an intense interrogation and grilling from my VP, who unfavorably compared my performance to previous admins.

This situation has deeply affected my confidence and mental well-being. How can I navigate this challenging workplace dynamic without risking my job, and is it time to consider other positions?

My response

Your VP is applying a few frames against you, whether you know it or not.

Performance monitoring: By deciding to track individual hours, the VP frames work as something to be closely monitored. The VP either doesn't trust the team or wants more granular accountability.

Comparative evaluation: The VP's comparison of you to previous employees frames the situation as one where there are set standards of competence that should be reached within a certain timeframe. It's meant to neg you.

High expectations: The VP's intensive questioning about task completion/comments on expectations show there's little room for error or delays. More subtly: they expect you to work overtime to get the work done.

Crisis: The recent layoffs/VP's intense scrutiny suggests your company is in a delicate situation, where everyone's performance is under the microscope (even the VP's).

Here's what you can do about it:

Clarify up front: Before future convos w/your VP, be sure to clearly define the scope of tasks, potential obstacles, and estimated timeframes. Set clear expectations from the start.

Show your expertise: Remind the VP of your unique experiences and capabilities. Plus, they may be removed from the nuances of the org, which might differ from previous Salesforce orgs they've seen.

Collaborate: Don't be defensive when questioned. Ask for the VP's insights or suggestions on how to improve or expedite certain tasks. You'll reframe it as a collaborative problem-solving session, rather than an interrogation.

Ask for feedback : Go straight to your VP and ask for regular feedback sessions. "Where can we be more aligned in the future?" This will shift from from ad-hoc interrogations to structured feedback.

Play stupid: Lots of people will suggest that you fight back with the VP. Given the power imbalance, I think that's a terrible idea. You can play the hurt deer, and say that you're so stupid and that you don't know any better, and would love their insights on how to make it better next time. Watch what happens next!

If none of this works, you'll know you gave it a shot. In the long run, it's not worth forsaking your mental health for a job.