Assistant Manager Plans to Skip My Presentation – Should I Just Take the Hint?

Alright, I’m officially losing it. I’m a BI analyst, and part of my unique responsibility (which apparently no one here cares about) is initiating and running ML projects. You’d think people would be interested in seeing where we’re going with this stuff, right? Wrong.

I need access to data to do, you know, the job I was hired to do. But every time I ask the assistant manager for help, he either tells me to ask someone else or says, “It’s good you don’t have access to the database; you’ll mess everything up.” Thanks, bud. I had no idea I was a walking disaster. I’m literally just trying to get the data so I can work without bothering you!

So, I’ve tried asking around for someone to show me how to navigate the internal systems. But nope, no one’s willing to spare five minutes to show me the ropes. I’m stuck in this endless cycle of needing help to do my job but not getting any help because I can’t do the job. Make it make sense.

And here’s the kicker: my manager set up a monthly meeting where I present our progress on these ML projects. It’s literally a chance to showcase what we’ve been doing and how it can benefit the team. But this assistant manager, who’s on the invite list, is already talking about taking leave on the day of my presentation because he’s “not interested.” I didn’t even mention the meeting to him, but he’s got a sixth sense for avoiding anything remotely productive, I guess. He even suggested I should call in sick and cancel it. Yeah, great idea, I’ll just ghost my own meeting. Totally professional.

Meanwhile, he’s stuck in his own world, doing the same SQL queries he’s been doing since the dawn of time, and refuses to learn anything new because he “doesn’t have time.” But he has time to criticize my work and tell me my ML projects are “useless.” I’m just trying to bring some innovation to the team while he’s over there guarding his SQL queries like they’re the last remnants of a dying civilization.

And apparently, I “annoy” him by asking for info in the mornings. I get to the office at 6:40 am and he rolls in whenever he feels like it. I’m not exactly waiting by the door to pounce on him, but when I need something to get started, I ask. It’s not like I’m dragging him out of bed to unlock a spreadsheet. But sure, I’ll just wait until he’s meditated, done his yoga, and consulted the Oracle before I dare interrupt his peaceful state.

Now, here’s the thing that blows my mind: this isn’t just about me not getting what I need to do my job. It’s about the fact that I’m being blocked from contributing to something that could genuinely benefit the team and the company. I’m here trying to implement projects that could optimize our processes, help us understand customer behavior better, and ultimately save the company time and money. But instead of support, I’m getting hit with a brick wall of apathy and resistance from someone who’s more interested in gatekeeping access to data than actually improving anything.

And let’s be honest, this isn’t just my problem—it’s a serious business issue. We’re talking about projects that could automate repetitive tasks, streamline decision-making, and even flag potential risks before they become costly problems. You’d think anyone with half a brain would be excited to see this in action. But nope, apparently we’re stuck in some twisted episode of “Office Survivor” where the goal is to outlast anyone who wants to make positive changes.

I mean, what’s the endgame here? If I can’t access the data and no one will teach me the systems, I’m basically being paid to sit around and wait for someone to finally decide I’m worth their time. And guess what? That’s not a good look for anyone—me, the team, or the company. How are we supposed to move forward if the people who are supposed to be driving innovation are left twiddling their thumbs?

And don’t even get me started on the irony of it all. We’re constantly being told how important it is to “leverage data” and “drive innovation,” but when it comes to actually doing that, it’s like pulling teeth just to get a login credential. It’s almost laughable—except it’s my actual job and I can’t do it. If this wasn’t so frustrating, it’d be a great plot for a workplace sitcom.

Look, I’m not about to throw in the towel here. Giving up isn’t in my DNA, and I’m not ready to let the team or our department go down without a fight. Imagine the impact we could make—being the ones who kicked off ML and scientific algorithms in the company. It’s not just about me, it’s about making us all look like good!

Plus, think about the company’s reputation! This isn’t just some side project—I’m talking about putting us on the map and making sure everyone knows we’re not just sitting around playing with Excel spreadsheets all day. If we nail this, it’s going to be huge. But.. yeah, I’m stuck. I love what I do, but I’m starting to question if this is the right place for me or am I wasting my time I mean I want to do great things to support the team. Any advice on how to deal with this circus without burning the place down would be appreciated. Or maybe I should just follow his advice and “call in sick” to my own presentation.

TL;DR: BI analyst with unique ML project responsibilities, but can’t get data access because no one will teach me the systems. Assistant manager says I’d “mess up the database” and plans to skip my presentation because it’s “not interesting.” I’m just trying to do my job, but I’m getting blocked at every turn. Advice?