How can I tell my boss to stop short changing me?

I am a young journalist working at a mid-level media outlet. My work involves meeting and interviewing different personalities. However, my supervisor always blind sides me and takes my prominent interviewers, sometimes after I have spent months convincing them to agree to an interview. How can I handle this?

Instead of looking for ways to tackle this politely, you should seek to understand the reasons he is acting this way. Refusing to take any more assignments, even if done politely, may be viewed as insubordination and could put your relationship or work at risk. But that does not mean you should sit back and be bullied.

Find out if this practice affects your colleagues, or if it is just you. If there is a policy that requires senior guests to only be interviewed by senior managers, then your supervisor is not short changing you. Such a policy, if it exists, should take into consideration the research and exploration work done by employees at your level to make the interview come to fruition, and this should be incorporated in your performance report.

I am sure you have watched or read every interview your supervisor supposedly stole from you. Review these clips or articles again, with a positive mind set this time.

Find out what you can adopt and use to improve your work going forward. Thereafter, approach your supervisor and commend him for his interview. Highlight the bits you plan to use to improve your work. This conversation should create an opportunity for you to share your primary concern.

Request him to give you an opportunity to interview some prominent personalities so that you can sharpen your skills. Mention all the interview subjects that were taken from you. If he fails to acknowledge your suggestions, talk to your editor or other senior managers who can intervene.

Jane Muiruri
Senior HR Manager,
Nation Media Group
[email protected]