In my language, we have one single word for what is referred to in English as "boss", "manager", "superior", "senior staff"… and I have a very hard time figuring out which of the English words to use when. I've consulted all the dictionaries I have found to get an understanding of what to use when, but if anything, I'm even more confused now… To give some concrete examples, in the following sentences, which would you say would be the best choice to replace X:
- If this fails, the matter should be escalated to the relevant X.
- If this happens, you should contact the X responsible.
- The administrative director is the X of administrative staff.
- The relevant staff member's X will then discuss the matter with the board.
- Who is his X?
- If you experience harassment, you should first contact your immediate* X.
*By "immediate" I mean 'the one directly above you in the organisational hierarchy' – if "immediate" is the wrong choice of word for this, you're more than welcome to correct me!
Thank you so much!
Best Answer
"Manager" is a fairly neutral word, suitable for most business contexts. Your manager is the person who has responsibility for supervising your work.
"Manager" would work well in (3) (4) (5) and (6)
In (2) I'd just say "contact the person responsible". And in (1) "person" is probably the best word to use, or I might use "line manager", or "administrator", or "member of the senior staff". In some organizations "manager" might also work. This is an example of company specific language.
"Boss" is a fairly casual way to describe either the head of the company, or your manager. So "the boss" is the leader of the organization. "My boss" is a slightly casual way to say "my line manager". The examples are more formal, but "boss" would be possible in (4) and (5), in the right context
Much of this terminology is not generic. It is specific to a company. What one company calls its "Leadership Team", another might call "Management Committee" and a third "Senior Staff Group". When working in a company, you have to get used to the terms and phrases that are company specific.
However "Manager" and "line manager" (for your immediate manager) are quite widely used in many organisations.
Culturally, "superior" is a word that is not often used. It has connotations that the person is not only above you in an organisation, but is better than you. It is sometimes used to translate words like "senpai" from other cultures (Japanese), but this tends to result in "translationese".