Getting frustrated at work

[Zola.]

I have noticed a trend in my work which is starting to really grate on me, and I think I may have to speak to my boss for clarification.

I work for a large, but family owned engineering company. I wear a few hats -  as a Salesforce Administrator /  Web Developer & I also do print design, so I am a busy man and can spread thin at certain times. Our work has created two marketing roles, one is very junior and the other a little more senior.

I have noticed that I am being left out of meetings which involve things like rewriting/designing brochures, website restructuring changes etc. I am the only one who can do the website changes really, so to me its very odd that I am being left out of these meetings. I could be taking it all way too personally, but to me its odd to not have the one guy who can make these things happen, in the meeting.  Marketing is then collating ideas with sales and senior management and passing it to me, it feels like I am being neglected / less senior.

The odd thing is I got a large pay rise only two years ago after being offered a job else where, and I probably earn a fair bit more than most of the junior people who are sitting planning things without me.

Not sure if there is ill feeling about me...

[Lady SA]

Is this a recent occurence (ie you were always included in these types of meetings before) or something you want to implement (ie a technical/builder person in planning meetings is not the cultural norm at your company)? Have you been vocal about the fact you value having a voice in the planning phase, or do you kind of melt into the background and people may forget about you?

Can you approach the people organizing the meetings directly and request you be included going forward? Phrase it positively and focus on how your presence at those meetings would make their jobs/lives easier and make the project go faster, that way they would be internally motivated to remember you.

You can also stoop to calendar stalking and seeing when the junior people are meeting with decision makers and happen to casually drop in. But I don't like that much, I suggest you be more direct and request up front to be included (don't complain/whine, you should have an upbeat "I'm sure it just slipped your mind how useful/helpful it would have been for you if I had been at that meeting!" vibe).

Otherwise, how close are you to FI? Are you on track to start delegating your tasks at work and coast for a bit? This is a golden opportunity for just that if you are at that point...
Also, have you been keeping your options outside the company open in case you are being squeezed out before you are ready?

[formerlydivorcedmom]

This may not be as big a deal as it sounds.

I'm in IT.  It is not uncommon for the decision-makers to have meetings to discuss what they will want and then only include me once they've made the decisions.  Sometimes I get to tell them "no, that won't work" for whatever reason and they have to start over.  Sometimes I just build what they ask for.  This is a recent trend for me not to be included, and that is because my company has decided to tighten their meetings policy so that we are all in as few meetings as possible.

I dislike meetings and dislike wasting my time, so this is okay with me....for most projects.  For some, I insist that I be included, because I know the people or processes involved better than the others who would attend, and I need to be able to translate the requirements for myself.

Talk to your boss to clarify your role, and whether you need to be helping to guide those decisions or just implement them.