Hang in there. The pr!ck BM is not an endangered species. I never mastered coexisting peacefully with it, so I moved on.

Try to get along until you can leave. If you're lucky, he'll leave before you.

I'm new to these forums - just found them yesterday and posted to learn from other's experiences. On thing that I have learned - is that there are a few names that are dominate in almost every forum.

vbrainy - you want to reach 250k in production. Here's an unsolicited hint: stop posting so much drivel - put your nose to the grindstone, and go out and get some business. You are wasting your time in here by , well... just wasting time. The business won't come to you - you need to get it yourself. I managed to exceed 250 in my 3rd year - this is not bragging, because I don't know if going beyond 250 in that time period is great, good, fair or poor. It's just happened for me.

It's fun to blow off some steam in here - but hey, we all know that the only way to develop relationships is to get in front of people. I would venture to say that you're not going to do very well prospecting in here.

Besides - karma dictates that if you're slamming other people - like your manager... well, you know.

Sorry for the didacticism, but I couldn't resist pointing out the obvious.

Best to treat your B/M like a spouse you can’t stand but can’t divorce. Keep quiet, stay out of his/her way, and focus on your job. Also, don’t gossip with others in or out of your office about your feelings. Be curt, kind and smile.

Dadonald sounds like another incarnation of Put Trader NASD Newbie & whatever so I will ignore.

Thanks to the rest of you.

No Idea, my prayer is that he does leave soon!!!!!

[quote=vbrainy]

OK all of you indys can just laugh with glee, because you don’t have to deal with these branch managers or whatever they call themselves.

I have successfully met all of my training goals.  In fact, I have exceeded them.  My problem is a immature, unprofessional manager who has turned off my prospects and made my daily job very difficult (and this job is tough already).

Before I make the jump, I just want to know if this is a common occurence.  I don't want to go to another major firm and just find another num nuts at the helm.

CAN YOU PLEASE HELP?  Can you rate your current manager on a scale of 1 to 10 (10 highest) in the following areas?  Here is my monkey managers ratings:

Honesty     5 (he wither forgets or lies alot)

Walks the Talk (talks about fees, but trades stocks all days)

Knowledge of the Economy  8 (this is his strongest point)

Knowledge of working with the average investor 4( he only takes the biggest and best)

Management Skills  3 (plays favorites and treats trainees like dirt)

Vent.  Go for it.  Honestly, I can't wait to reach 250k in production so I can tell him to kiss my grits.

Dear Vbrainy-

I had to check back, and can't resist responding to your niave assumptions about me. Go ahead and take whatever pot-shots you want at me after this post, because I'm too busy attending to my practice to waste any more time in here chewing bubble-gum with you.

First of all, you want us to slam our managers - while you can't take a little constructive criticism yourself. It's kind of tough taking criticism, eh? Well how will your manager feel about your critique of him or her? 

I'll assume that I have more time in the biz than you, so if I'm a newbie, so are you. I assume that because my numbers are well beyond 250k. I do not deal with puts or calls except on very rare occasions when they absolutely fit the client's needs. If you are name-calling by using what I assume to be other members in this forum whom you don't like... that just proves my point. You spend too much time in here. If you want to reach your goal of 250k - GET TO WORK and quit spending valuable time in here trying to put others down.

Go ahead - take a shot. I'll do the noble thing, and let you have whatever last words you want. Good luck.

One more thing - Advisor1 - you have the right attitude. I agree with the spouse thing.

The Branch Manager sets the tone for the office.  Upbeat, positive, OR in my case clowns, poor language, brown noses.

Working around it. 

What is a branch manager and why would I have to give up 60% of MY money to have one?

My manager is spending way too much time farting around on the internet.  She lets the office filing just pile up and there is never fresh coffee first thing in the morning and she hogs all the best danish pastries…oh wait…I’m independent.

[quote=babbling looney]My manager is spending way too much time farting around on the internet.  She lets the office filing just pile up and there is never fresh coffee first thing in the morning and she hogs all the best danish pastries......oh wait....I'm independent.[/quote]

That's a good one Babs  I used to tell people I worked for the biggest a$$hole I'd ever met....

"oh really, what do you do?".

"I'm self-employed."

That was 10 years ago and I've been trying to go back to work for that a$$hole ever since.

Yes, we are jealous of you and I long for the day that I can move.

But, in the meantime, office affairs, politics, poor language, favoritism, you name it.

Trying to rise above it all.

Our manager is fantastic.  He supports all of those aggressively
trying to grow and improve.  He pays for seminars (100%) once a
month, he willingly invests in our business (CA support, funds for
client appreciation, etc…) and he is very smart.  Our office is
one of the fastest growing in the region and everyone is pretty much
happy (of course that may have alot to do with how well Merrill Lynch
is doing in terms of the firm and the stock price). 



One thing I have learned, the manager is very important and should be
embraced when good; when you get a lame one, just bunker down and ride
it out by doing your thing better than everyone else.

[quote=vbrainy]

Yes, we are jealous of you and I long for the day that I can move.

But, in the meantime, office affairs, politics, poor language, favoritism, you name it.

Trying to rise above it all.