Dear Rachel,
I’m older, approaching retirement age after a long career in media, which may be why I seem a bit jaded. My new boss was in diapers long after I started, as he likes to remind everyone. He's smart but values style over substance and spends much of his time preening to enhance his standing with upper management, spewing all the latest buzz words and catch phrases of whoever's the hot media guru that particular week. I find him wearing and harder and harder to relate to. I won't be here much longer, a few more years, but I worry I may not survive. Any advice?--Sign me Been There, Done That

Dear Been,
You’ve been around long enough to know that people like your young boss tend to move on before they do too much damage, either up the ladder if they’re really good at sucking up, or out the door if they should step on the wrong feet, as they often do in their grab for increased power and attention.

As much as they may be acutely sensitive to what impresses higher-ups, they tend to be amazingly insensitive to the effect their behavior has among peers and subordinates. It often proves their undoing.

It would be nice to pretend that media, being a serious enterprise, would not be a haven for such personalities, but the fact is they tend to thrive in media for whatever reasons. It could be the presumed glamour of our industry that attracts them. It's certainly not the hard work.

In any case, my advice is to simply not engage with your boss any more than necessary. Let him hold forth and say nothing. Do as you are told.

Do not argue with him or in any way indicate that you dismiss him as a gas bag.

Such personalities tend be hyper-sensitive to disagreement of any sort, fearing that it will make them appear weak leaders.

Working in your favor, he’s most likely not looking for conflict, hoping rather to give off the impression of being an adept manager. You can bet he already has his eye on the next step of the ladder.

In the meantime, count your days and your allies among upper management should a conflict arise. Even in these times of fast-paced change, your years at the agency and your experience will stand you in good stead should there be a clash. Someone has to get the work done, and they know you can be counted on.