[gawker]

I think you've outlined just how undervalued managerial skills actually are. I have seen many that have claimed that they can take up a manager's position yet can barely manage relationships with their friends.

I think that relationship skills are key to being a manager, in addition to all the other planning etc.

I'm not sure how approachable your manager is but it sounds like he needs help from you to bring moral up. A leader does not necessarily have to be a manager but of course, with everything, do at your own discretion.

[bobsy]

I have tried. I set up project management software to try to get the team on the same page. Team liked it, manager scrapped it after 3 weeks.

I sent him a feature development blueprint which was well received but ignored.

Suggested he gave people more responsibilities, he did but then didn't like not being the conduit in which everything flowed so took all the responsibilities back.

Spent a day with him writing development goals for the next month. General goals for 3/6 months. This would get everyone on the page and stop priority switching. Trouble is he never stopped editing the document. Instead it just became a documented expression of his managerial style.

One day I got pissed off and wrote a pissy but constructive email about his managerial style. Again, fairly well received. He left alone for a week to complete the task I was on. Then everything went back to normal with random daily requests and project swapping.

I care for my work and want the company to succeed. I haven't been silent passenger :)

[gawker]

I definitely commend you for taking the effort :) If I had a company, I would love to have you on my side to help me point out my flaws.

Your manager needs a reality check to realize that while he's good at starting a company, he can't really manage it.

[mratzloff]

But as you've just said, it's all been wasted effort.