Being a team's representative to the rest of the company, but not its manager, how much am I accountable when something goes wrong? [closed]

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I am an assistant manager with authority over part of our Team ("sub-team"), mainly in supporting the actual manager. Most of my and my sub-teams' duties revolve around being a link between the Team and the rest of the company - because the manager is deeply involved in the technical execution/enforcement of the processes or with longer term projects. My manager and the developers are the main product providers, and my sub-team and I are its commercial representatives or "account managers" within the company - and I am the "public face".

We handle short-term requests and help out both senior management and parallel managers in more day-to-day tasks, completing sub-projects of long term projects etc. where the top guys are too busy.

For example, my master works on creating a new type of dashboard for the whole company, but as one Department X needs a new dashboard much earlier, my sub-team and I could help extrapolate an interim new dashboard for them (or some other solution) to use until the final product is developed. Or, another example, my master oversees the programming of a major software, and my sub-team goes out to gather process requirements and feedback from the various Departments X, Y & Z.

There is a very strong culture of favoring speed over perfection - i.e. get a somewhat functional product/dashboard/feature out to market (external or internal) and fix issues/bugs one by one later, as and when they appear - this is adopted from some major tech companies. A consequence of this, my sub-team needs to help solve very quick, poorly tested, work wherein other Departments often spot the issues before we do.

Another big catch is that my sub-team is much less technical i.e. we are not developers/programmers, but more like commercial domain experts / subject matter experts with some basic programming skills to be able to support most short term requests. Often though, also short term requests may be too hard for us and we need the input from the more technical guys on the Team.

Being the Team's public face, I am often asked to explain to other Departments why something is not working, why there is a delay, why everything went wrong. While it is written nowhere that I am accountable for the whole Team's shortcomings, I wonder whether in the perception of the overall company, I am actually accountable and thus my performance may be affected if I or my subteam doesn't have the skills to address an issue and the Team is too busy...

So, being the representative and not the manager of the entire Team, how much am I personally accountable if there is a shortcoming on the Team's side (which the sub-team is unable to solve)? And a sub-question may be, how can I make sure that the company doesn't perceive me as the bottleneck when in fact it is the developers?

professionalism communication team performance-reviews

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asked Aug 21 '14 at 7:10

MissCanada2010

121

closed as off-topic by Jim G., gnat, Joe Strazzere, Garrison Neely, IDrinkandIKnowThings Aug 21 '14 at 14:06

This question appears to be off-topic. The users who voted to close gave this specific reason:

• "Questions seeking advice on company-specific regulations, agreements, or policies should be directed to your manager or HR department. Questions that address only a specific company or position are of limited use to future visitors. Questions seeking legal advice should be directed to legal professionals. For more information, click here." – Jim G., gnat, Joe Strazzere, Garrison Neely, IDrinkandIKnowThings

If this question can be reworded to fit the rules in the help center, please edit the question.

• 
  
  
  

  
  2
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  how can I make sure that the company doesn't perceive me as the bottleneck when in fact it is the developers Are you sure you're asking the right question here? Think if Microsoft ships a bad mobile gizmo product, do customers say "oh, that's all right. I'm sure the developers were at fault, so i'll go right ahead and keep buying more crappy products from this company!" - Maybe the question you want is how to manage the communication when things are not optimal!? e.g. do you have a lot of conflicting outlets for info release or are you the single source of contact for that customer?
  – Brandin
  Aug 21 '14 at 8:41
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  I don't think the boss matters in this communication situation. Why should the customer care who the boss is? If the customer talks only with you, then from customer's perspective, you are the main representative and your actions will probably end up making or breaking the deal with that customer.
  – Brandin
  Aug 21 '14 at 14:38
  
  

  
  
  
  

suggest improvements | 

up vote
1
down vote

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1

I am an assistant manager with authority over part of our Team ("sub-team"), mainly in supporting the actual manager. Most of my and my sub-teams' duties revolve around being a link between the Team and the rest of the company - because the manager is deeply involved in the technical execution/enforcement of the processes or with longer term projects. My manager and the developers are the main product providers, and my sub-team and I are its commercial representatives or "account managers" within the company - and I am the "public face".

We handle short-term requests and help out both senior management and parallel managers in more day-to-day tasks, completing sub-projects of long term projects etc. where the top guys are too busy.

For example, my master works on creating a new type of dashboard for the whole company, but as one Department X needs a new dashboard much earlier, my sub-team and I could help extrapolate an interim new dashboard for them (or some other solution) to use until the final product is developed. Or, another example, my master oversees the programming of a major software, and my sub-team goes out to gather process requirements and feedback from the various Departments X, Y & Z.

There is a very strong culture of favoring speed over perfection - i.e. get a somewhat functional product/dashboard/feature out to market (external or internal) and fix issues/bugs one by one later, as and when they appear - this is adopted from some major tech companies. A consequence of this, my sub-team needs to help solve very quick, poorly tested, work wherein other Departments often spot the issues before we do.

Another big catch is that my sub-team is much less technical i.e. we are not developers/programmers, but more like commercial domain experts / subject matter experts with some basic programming skills to be able to support most short term requests. Often though, also short term requests may be too hard for us and we need the input from the more technical guys on the Team.

Being the Team's public face, I am often asked to explain to other Departments why something is not working, why there is a delay, why everything went wrong. While it is written nowhere that I am accountable for the whole Team's shortcomings, I wonder whether in the perception of the overall company, I am actually accountable and thus my performance may be affected if I or my subteam doesn't have the skills to address an issue and the Team is too busy...

So, being the representative and not the manager of the entire Team, how much am I personally accountable if there is a shortcoming on the Team's side (which the sub-team is unable to solve)? And a sub-question may be, how can I make sure that the company doesn't perceive me as the bottleneck when in fact it is the developers?

professionalism communication team performance-reviews

share|improve this question

asked Aug 21 '14 at 7:10

MissCanada2010

121

closed as off-topic by Jim G., gnat, Joe Strazzere, Garrison Neely, IDrinkandIKnowThings Aug 21 '14 at 14:06

This question appears to be off-topic. The users who voted to close gave this specific reason:

• "Questions seeking advice on company-specific regulations, agreements, or policies should be directed to your manager or HR department. Questions that address only a specific company or position are of limited use to future visitors. Questions seeking legal advice should be directed to legal professionals. For more information, click here." – Jim G., gnat, Joe Strazzere, Garrison Neely, IDrinkandIKnowThings

If this question can be reworded to fit the rules in the help center, please edit the question.

• 
  
  
  

  
  2
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  how can I make sure that the company doesn't perceive me as the bottleneck when in fact it is the developers Are you sure you're asking the right question here? Think if Microsoft ships a bad mobile gizmo product, do customers say "oh, that's all right. I'm sure the developers were at fault, so i'll go right ahead and keep buying more crappy products from this company!" - Maybe the question you want is how to manage the communication when things are not optimal!? e.g. do you have a lot of conflicting outlets for info release or are you the single source of contact for that customer?
  – Brandin
  Aug 21 '14 at 8:41
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  I don't think the boss matters in this communication situation. Why should the customer care who the boss is? If the customer talks only with you, then from customer's perspective, you are the main representative and your actions will probably end up making or breaking the deal with that customer.
  – Brandin
  Aug 21 '14 at 14:38
  
  

  
  
  
  

suggest improvements | 

up vote
1
down vote

favorite

1

up vote
1
down vote

favorite

1

1

I am an assistant manager with authority over part of our Team ("sub-team"), mainly in supporting the actual manager. Most of my and my sub-teams' duties revolve around being a link between the Team and the rest of the company - because the manager is deeply involved in the technical execution/enforcement of the processes or with longer term projects. My manager and the developers are the main product providers, and my sub-team and I are its commercial representatives or "account managers" within the company - and I am the "public face".

We handle short-term requests and help out both senior management and parallel managers in more day-to-day tasks, completing sub-projects of long term projects etc. where the top guys are too busy.

For example, my master works on creating a new type of dashboard for the whole company, but as one Department X needs a new dashboard much earlier, my sub-team and I could help extrapolate an interim new dashboard for them (or some other solution) to use until the final product is developed. Or, another example, my master oversees the programming of a major software, and my sub-team goes out to gather process requirements and feedback from the various Departments X, Y & Z.

There is a very strong culture of favoring speed over perfection - i.e. get a somewhat functional product/dashboard/feature out to market (external or internal) and fix issues/bugs one by one later, as and when they appear - this is adopted from some major tech companies. A consequence of this, my sub-team needs to help solve very quick, poorly tested, work wherein other Departments often spot the issues before we do.

Another big catch is that my sub-team is much less technical i.e. we are not developers/programmers, but more like commercial domain experts / subject matter experts with some basic programming skills to be able to support most short term requests. Often though, also short term requests may be too hard for us and we need the input from the more technical guys on the Team.

Being the Team's public face, I am often asked to explain to other Departments why something is not working, why there is a delay, why everything went wrong. While it is written nowhere that I am accountable for the whole Team's shortcomings, I wonder whether in the perception of the overall company, I am actually accountable and thus my performance may be affected if I or my subteam doesn't have the skills to address an issue and the Team is too busy...

So, being the representative and not the manager of the entire Team, how much am I personally accountable if there is a shortcoming on the Team's side (which the sub-team is unable to solve)? And a sub-question may be, how can I make sure that the company doesn't perceive me as the bottleneck when in fact it is the developers?

professionalism communication team performance-reviews

share|improve this question

asked Aug 21 '14 at 7:10

MissCanada2010

121

I am an assistant manager with authority over part of our Team ("sub-team"), mainly in supporting the actual manager. Most of my and my sub-teams' duties revolve around being a link between the Team and the rest of the company - because the manager is deeply involved in the technical execution/enforcement of the processes or with longer term projects. My manager and the developers are the main product providers, and my sub-team and I are its commercial representatives or "account managers" within the company - and I am the "public face".

We handle short-term requests and help out both senior management and parallel managers in more day-to-day tasks, completing sub-projects of long term projects etc. where the top guys are too busy.

For example, my master works on creating a new type of dashboard for the whole company, but as one Department X needs a new dashboard much earlier, my sub-team and I could help extrapolate an interim new dashboard for them (or some other solution) to use until the final product is developed. Or, another example, my master oversees the programming of a major software, and my sub-team goes out to gather process requirements and feedback from the various Departments X, Y & Z.

There is a very strong culture of favoring speed over perfection - i.e. get a somewhat functional product/dashboard/feature out to market (external or internal) and fix issues/bugs one by one later, as and when they appear - this is adopted from some major tech companies. A consequence of this, my sub-team needs to help solve very quick, poorly tested, work wherein other Departments often spot the issues before we do.

Another big catch is that my sub-team is much less technical i.e. we are not developers/programmers, but more like commercial domain experts / subject matter experts with some basic programming skills to be able to support most short term requests. Often though, also short term requests may be too hard for us and we need the input from the more technical guys on the Team.

Being the Team's public face, I am often asked to explain to other Departments why something is not working, why there is a delay, why everything went wrong. While it is written nowhere that I am accountable for the whole Team's shortcomings, I wonder whether in the perception of the overall company, I am actually accountable and thus my performance may be affected if I or my subteam doesn't have the skills to address an issue and the Team is too busy...

So, being the representative and not the manager of the entire Team, how much am I personally accountable if there is a shortcoming on the Team's side (which the sub-team is unable to solve)? And a sub-question may be, how can I make sure that the company doesn't perceive me as the bottleneck when in fact it is the developers?

professionalism communication team performance-reviews

share|improve this question

asked Aug 21 '14 at 7:10

MissCanada2010

121

share|improve this question

share|improve this question

asked Aug 21 '14 at 7:10

MissCanada2010

121

asked Aug 21 '14 at 7:10

MissCanada2010

121

asked Aug 21 '14 at 7:10

MissCanada2010

121

121

closed as off-topic by Jim G., gnat, Joe Strazzere, Garrison Neely, IDrinkandIKnowThings Aug 21 '14 at 14:06

This question appears to be off-topic. The users who voted to close gave this specific reason:

• "Questions seeking advice on company-specific regulations, agreements, or policies should be directed to your manager or HR department. Questions that address only a specific company or position are of limited use to future visitors. Questions seeking legal advice should be directed to legal professionals. For more information, click here." – Jim G., gnat, Joe Strazzere, Garrison Neely, IDrinkandIKnowThings

If this question can be reworded to fit the rules in the help center, please edit the question.

closed as off-topic by Jim G., gnat, Joe Strazzere, Garrison Neely, IDrinkandIKnowThings Aug 21 '14 at 14:06

This question appears to be off-topic. The users who voted to close gave this specific reason:

• "Questions seeking advice on company-specific regulations, agreements, or policies should be directed to your manager or HR department. Questions that address only a specific company or position are of limited use to future visitors. Questions seeking legal advice should be directed to legal professionals. For more information, click here." – Jim G., gnat, Joe Strazzere, Garrison Neely, IDrinkandIKnowThings

If this question can be reworded to fit the rules in the help center, please edit the question.

• 
  
  
  

  
  2
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  how can I make sure that the company doesn't perceive me as the bottleneck when in fact it is the developers Are you sure you're asking the right question here? Think if Microsoft ships a bad mobile gizmo product, do customers say "oh, that's all right. I'm sure the developers were at fault, so i'll go right ahead and keep buying more crappy products from this company!" - Maybe the question you want is how to manage the communication when things are not optimal!? e.g. do you have a lot of conflicting outlets for info release or are you the single source of contact for that customer?
  – Brandin
  Aug 21 '14 at 8:41
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  I don't think the boss matters in this communication situation. Why should the customer care who the boss is? If the customer talks only with you, then from customer's perspective, you are the main representative and your actions will probably end up making or breaking the deal with that customer.
  – Brandin
  Aug 21 '14 at 14:38
  
  

  
  
  
  

suggest improvements | 

• 
  
  
  

  
  2
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  how can I make sure that the company doesn't perceive me as the bottleneck when in fact it is the developers Are you sure you're asking the right question here? Think if Microsoft ships a bad mobile gizmo product, do customers say "oh, that's all right. I'm sure the developers were at fault, so i'll go right ahead and keep buying more crappy products from this company!" - Maybe the question you want is how to manage the communication when things are not optimal!? e.g. do you have a lot of conflicting outlets for info release or are you the single source of contact for that customer?
  – Brandin
  Aug 21 '14 at 8:41
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  I don't think the boss matters in this communication situation. Why should the customer care who the boss is? If the customer talks only with you, then from customer's perspective, you are the main representative and your actions will probably end up making or breaking the deal with that customer.
  – Brandin
  Aug 21 '14 at 14:38
  
  

  
  
  
  

2

2

how can I make sure that the company doesn't perceive me as the bottleneck when in fact it is the developers Are you sure you're asking the right question here? Think if Microsoft ships a bad mobile gizmo product, do customers say "oh, that's all right. I'm sure the developers were at fault, so i'll go right ahead and keep buying more crappy products from this company!" - Maybe the question you want is how to manage the communication when things are not optimal!? e.g. do you have a lot of conflicting outlets for info release or are you the single source of contact for that customer?
– Brandin
Aug 21 '14 at 8:41

how can I make sure that the company doesn't perceive me as the bottleneck when in fact it is the developers Are you sure you're asking the right question here? Think if Microsoft ships a bad mobile gizmo product, do customers say "oh, that's all right. I'm sure the developers were at fault, so i'll go right ahead and keep buying more crappy products from this company!" - Maybe the question you want is how to manage the communication when things are not optimal!? e.g. do you have a lot of conflicting outlets for info release or are you the single source of contact for that customer?
– Brandin
Aug 21 '14 at 8:41

I don't think the boss matters in this communication situation. Why should the customer care who the boss is? If the customer talks only with you, then from customer's perspective, you are the main representative and your actions will probably end up making or breaking the deal with that customer.
– Brandin
Aug 21 '14 at 14:38

I don't think the boss matters in this communication situation. Why should the customer care who the boss is? If the customer talks only with you, then from customer's perspective, you are the main representative and your actions will probably end up making or breaking the deal with that customer.
– Brandin
Aug 21 '14 at 14:38

suggest improvements | 

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1. You are the "public face" of the company, so you have to represent the company as a a whole - the good, the bad and the ugly - to the best of your ability. You will get chewed or pilloried for decisions made by top management over which you have no influence or control but the job is the way it is. You do your best to represent the company, even under these difficult circumstances. And you do it until the day you either get transferred to other responsibilities or you resign to go on to better things.




2. You have a clear grasp of the abilities and limitations of your subteam, and you are not shy about escalating for assistance whenever your team needs that assistance. So far as I am concerned, you are handling your job as the manager of your sub-team the right way, providing them the logistical support for them to do their job. In fact, I'd love to work for you because I see you as an excellent manager.

You can't control the wagging of tongues, so don't waste time trying. As long as the wagging is manageable, you can shrug it off. But you can control your communication to your management and your subordinates, and the communication that you must/should give them is that you are doing everything right, given the resources you have been allocated and the authority you have been given.

Whether your communication gets through depends on whether they are listening to you with two ears, one ear or no ear - you can't really control that. But you can control the communication you send, and that's the communication you should/must send. I think you are already sending it, because I sure am getting it. Just keep up the good work.

share|improve this answer

answered Aug 21 '14 at 11:49

Vietnhi Phuvan

68.9k7118254

suggest improvements | 

1 Answer
1

active

oldest

votes

1 Answer
1

active

oldest

votes

active

oldest

votes

active

oldest

votes

up vote
0
down vote

1. You are the "public face" of the company, so you have to represent the company as a a whole - the good, the bad and the ugly - to the best of your ability. You will get chewed or pilloried for decisions made by top management over which you have no influence or control but the job is the way it is. You do your best to represent the company, even under these difficult circumstances. And you do it until the day you either get transferred to other responsibilities or you resign to go on to better things.




2. You have a clear grasp of the abilities and limitations of your subteam, and you are not shy about escalating for assistance whenever your team needs that assistance. So far as I am concerned, you are handling your job as the manager of your sub-team the right way, providing them the logistical support for them to do their job. In fact, I'd love to work for you because I see you as an excellent manager.

You can't control the wagging of tongues, so don't waste time trying. As long as the wagging is manageable, you can shrug it off. But you can control your communication to your management and your subordinates, and the communication that you must/should give them is that you are doing everything right, given the resources you have been allocated and the authority you have been given.

Whether your communication gets through depends on whether they are listening to you with two ears, one ear or no ear - you can't really control that. But you can control the communication you send, and that's the communication you should/must send. I think you are already sending it, because I sure am getting it. Just keep up the good work.

share|improve this answer

answered Aug 21 '14 at 11:49

Vietnhi Phuvan

68.9k7118254

suggest improvements | 

up vote
0
down vote

1. You are the "public face" of the company, so you have to represent the company as a a whole - the good, the bad and the ugly - to the best of your ability. You will get chewed or pilloried for decisions made by top management over which you have no influence or control but the job is the way it is. You do your best to represent the company, even under these difficult circumstances. And you do it until the day you either get transferred to other responsibilities or you resign to go on to better things.




2. You have a clear grasp of the abilities and limitations of your subteam, and you are not shy about escalating for assistance whenever your team needs that assistance. So far as I am concerned, you are handling your job as the manager of your sub-team the right way, providing them the logistical support for them to do their job. In fact, I'd love to work for you because I see you as an excellent manager.

You can't control the wagging of tongues, so don't waste time trying. As long as the wagging is manageable, you can shrug it off. But you can control your communication to your management and your subordinates, and the communication that you must/should give them is that you are doing everything right, given the resources you have been allocated and the authority you have been given.

Whether your communication gets through depends on whether they are listening to you with two ears, one ear or no ear - you can't really control that. But you can control the communication you send, and that's the communication you should/must send. I think you are already sending it, because I sure am getting it. Just keep up the good work.

share|improve this answer

answered Aug 21 '14 at 11:49

Vietnhi Phuvan

68.9k7118254

suggest improvements | 

up vote
0
down vote

up vote
0
down vote

1. You are the "public face" of the company, so you have to represent the company as a a whole - the good, the bad and the ugly - to the best of your ability. You will get chewed or pilloried for decisions made by top management over which you have no influence or control but the job is the way it is. You do your best to represent the company, even under these difficult circumstances. And you do it until the day you either get transferred to other responsibilities or you resign to go on to better things.




2. You have a clear grasp of the abilities and limitations of your subteam, and you are not shy about escalating for assistance whenever your team needs that assistance. So far as I am concerned, you are handling your job as the manager of your sub-team the right way, providing them the logistical support for them to do their job. In fact, I'd love to work for you because I see you as an excellent manager.

You can't control the wagging of tongues, so don't waste time trying. As long as the wagging is manageable, you can shrug it off. But you can control your communication to your management and your subordinates, and the communication that you must/should give them is that you are doing everything right, given the resources you have been allocated and the authority you have been given.

Whether your communication gets through depends on whether they are listening to you with two ears, one ear or no ear - you can't really control that. But you can control the communication you send, and that's the communication you should/must send. I think you are already sending it, because I sure am getting it. Just keep up the good work.

share|improve this answer

answered Aug 21 '14 at 11:49

Vietnhi Phuvan

68.9k7118254

1. You are the "public face" of the company, so you have to represent the company as a a whole - the good, the bad and the ugly - to the best of your ability. You will get chewed or pilloried for decisions made by top management over which you have no influence or control but the job is the way it is. You do your best to represent the company, even under these difficult circumstances. And you do it until the day you either get transferred to other responsibilities or you resign to go on to better things.




2. You have a clear grasp of the abilities and limitations of your subteam, and you are not shy about escalating for assistance whenever your team needs that assistance. So far as I am concerned, you are handling your job as the manager of your sub-team the right way, providing them the logistical support for them to do their job. In fact, I'd love to work for you because I see you as an excellent manager.

You can't control the wagging of tongues, so don't waste time trying. As long as the wagging is manageable, you can shrug it off. But you can control your communication to your management and your subordinates, and the communication that you must/should give them is that you are doing everything right, given the resources you have been allocated and the authority you have been given.

Whether your communication gets through depends on whether they are listening to you with two ears, one ear or no ear - you can't really control that. But you can control the communication you send, and that's the communication you should/must send. I think you are already sending it, because I sure am getting it. Just keep up the good work.

share|improve this answer

answered Aug 21 '14 at 11:49

Vietnhi Phuvan

68.9k7118254

share|improve this answer

share|improve this answer

answered Aug 21 '14 at 11:49

Vietnhi Phuvan

68.9k7118254

answered Aug 21 '14 at 11:49

Vietnhi Phuvan

68.9k7118254

answered Aug 21 '14 at 11:49

Vietnhi Phuvan

68.9k7118254

68.9k7118254

suggest improvements | 

suggest improvements |