Impossible boss!

Effy66

Hi there!
So I'm a PA (Peronsal Assistant)- been doing this job for too many years to admit to, and last year I changed jobs.  Previous to my new one I had been PA to five busy partners plus senior team and numerous associates.  It was a crazy crazy busy role and my bosses went through several replacements - each new PA leaving because it was too busy for them and often asking my old colleagues, 'How did she ever cope with the job?!'  Well ladies, I was basically a robot for 5 years - that's how I did that job!  So my new one couldn't be any further opposite - just a handful of people in an extremely quiet office and boss (20  years younger than me) who is hardly ever in the office and therefore I have hardly any work to do.  My boss has never had a PA before and my role is becoming a real problem.  
When we first met, I, being the seasoned PA started off by saying that we need catch-ups once a week and put these in her calendar.  First problem - she doesn't have Exchange so I can't access her calendar.  Second problem - she has no desire to install it, therefore I have no way of accessing her calendar so no way to manage her diary.
Next problem, we had a meeting once and it never happened again so thinking it might be easier for her, I suggested two very brief catch-ups, beginning and end of week - great!  They never materialised.  I basically gave up with that one.
Another problem - no communication.  Time and time again I have asked her to give me details of any meetings she has so at least I can put them in my diary should anyone, including me, want to know if she's available. And. as I  often get colleagues coming to me and asking that question, to which I simply put my hands up and say 'I have no idea!',  I told her that for me, as her PA, to not know where my boss is, to my peers, looked inefficient and unprofessional, not to mention making me look ineffective as a PA, and could she please keep me in the loop.  Um, nope, that didn't happen either.
And as she is hardly ever in the office and I never know where she is , I did gently ask her if we could communicate first thing in the morning so I know where she is and if she's contactable if I should need anything or have a question.  Nope, that never happened either. Oh, I remember, she didn't even comment about it.
Communication - it can take weeks to get her to respond to a simple query like, 'Are you free to meet with xxx next week?'  Seriously, it takes several nudges before I can get an answer (and then it's an essay long, instead of a yes or no).  I have to send emails, whatsapp messages, reminders etc.  So, I thought I would try another method and made a spreadsheet organising all outstanding queries from people, with dates of query, details and what responses I need, and their urgency (this used to work perfectly and be really appreciated by my bosses).  So I presented this to her, sent her by email, printed out a colour copy.  Oustanding are queries from February onwards that she needs to deal with and respond to with simple answers.  Yes or No.  it also includes important action points from meetings that she needs to follow up with; requests that colleagues are waiting to hear about.  Nope.  Nada.  Absolutely no comment.  Nothing.  Each week I send it, and the list is growing because she simply isn't responding.  Why????
I have senior colleagues, my peers, that come to me saying that they can't cope with this - that she never responds, that she's holding up work, that they can't use their initiative anymore - everything has to be authorised by her now, so I know it's nothing personal.  It's very embarrassing when I say.. there's nothing I can do!  She only seems to respond to things that she obviously deems far more important than what I or some colleagues request but we are left sitting for days, weeks, waiting on a project simply because she doesn't respond.  
I don't have a contract.  When I mentioned this to her back at the end of last year, I got 'Oh yes, I'll get one drawn up'.  Never happened.  Again I requested 'Oh I was going to send it to you.  I'll do it tonight!'  Never happened.  Again:  'Oh, yes, I have it, it's ready, I'll email it to you.'  Guess what - never happened.  I gave up.  But this isn't just me.  I also have colleagues moaning about the same thing.  It's just embarrassing.  So, I help her by drafting a colleague's contract based on their offer letter so all she has to do is review it and give me the green light to send it.  Nope, that doesn't work either.  
She has admitted to me she micromanages and when I say to her that I'm here to help her, I just get 'Well you would just be asking me questions so I may as well do it myself!'    I have asked time and time again to start projects that she wants sorting out but I never get the authorisation despite her suggesting that I do so - but oh wait, she needs to send me something first.. .oh yes, that's right - that's going to take months to get from her, so forget it!
I have told her some of the issues I face such as her lack of communication is preventing me from carrying out my work which seemed to raise some understanding but the next day, she was back to her old ways.  
I passed my six month probation and never got a single word from her, so had to ask her if I had passed to which she replied 'Of course!  I'm surprised you felt you had to ask!'  Well normally a boss would confirm it to his member of staff either verbally or by letter.. normally.  
I have been in the PA world for, ok - I'll admit -  30 years, and know the job of a PA inside out.  I can honestly say I have never had such a boss as this one.  I really wonder why on earth she employed me in the first place.  She doesn't even ask me what I do every day - she knows she hardly gives me anything to do so she must be quite happy with me sitting in the office twiddling my thumbs and paying me a pretty penny for doing nothing.  (Of course I do make myself busy with requests from other colleagues and work I invent of my own but no job satisfaction whatsoever.)  Perhaps she just got carried away with the idea of having her own 'personal assistant' yet has no clue how to use one, or doesn't like someone like me, who tries to organise her (but that's our job!).  
I just had to get it all off my chest - so hope you don't mind.  I'm looking for another job but my CV's not live yet - I keep trying to take things there a day at a time because actually the place I work is quite nice - just my boss is an absolute nightmare!  But at my age, I just am so close to saying; 'Actually, the fact that you don't respond to emails, the fact that I (and other colleagues) constantly having to chase you for a response, the fact that  you don't keep me in the loop, the fact that you don't give me dates for your diary, the fact that I have other members of staff coming to me complaining about you - it's all really very unprofessional and not how I like to work, and not how I expect my boss to work!!  (Would probably get fired at that point, hehe.)
I don't know how else to play it except, stick with it, ask to have a meeting with her, or just get out and find another job.
Thanks for listening... :'(:)
Effy.

ongarboy

OP, there is virtually full employment out there at the moment. Do yourself a favor and finish that CV today and start the job hunt immediately! The mind boggles as to why the company can be happy to waste money on a role (yours) that is clearly not required.

Wabbit Ears

Holy block of text, Ill admit I skimmed.

Theres heaps of PA jobs out there at the moment. Lifes to short for that ameteur hour BS. Update CV and move.

gandalf

Just a thought. Was getting a PA her idea or was it something that was foisted upon her. TBH it sounds like the senior management realised there was a problem with her and they brought you in to see if you would address that. TBH I think you are on a hiding to nothing here. As others have said the market is fairly buoyant have a look around and see what else is there. At the moment you are losing confidence and sharpness and questioning your own ability when you aren't at fault here.

Wanderer2010

Why are you trying so hard with someone who clearly not only doesn't want to work with you but doesn't even have the decency to communicate with you? You are doing all the running and for what? Look for a new job asap.

Effy66

gandalf wrote: »

Just a thought. Was getting a PA her idea or was it something that was foisted upon her. TBH it sounds like the senior management realised there was a problem with her and they brought you in to see if you would address that. TBH I think you are on a hiding to nothing here. As others have said the market is fairly buoyant have a look around and see what else is there. At the moment you are losing confidence and sharpness and questioning your own ability when you aren't at fault here.

It was her idea - she is the CEO.  I think she thought she should have a PA but basically she just needs an office assistant a few days a week - as I said, she's never had an assistant before.  Yup, thanks all - I'm going to keep my ears and eyes open.

MAJJ

Your are clearly proactive, this is going nowhere and you may be the easy person to blame versus CEO. Someone with your skills , communication, organisation, proactiveness and your valuable experience will find a new job in this market no issue. I would check the market and start looking for a new role. Best of luck with the next job.

Diziet

You will get another job easily - go get a better one! You have stacks of experience.

Effy66

Thanks all... it's totally exasperating.  Other staff are leaving because of her but I'm not sure she actually realises it's because of her and the way she runs things (or doesn't)!

dragonfly!

Where are you based?
I MIGHT be able to suggest an alternative place

Working for women, eh