What's a tactful way to tell your boss that he needs to take care of something instead of asking you to do it?

Question

My boss is horribly shy and would much rather talk about science than be a manager (we're a genetics lab). I'm a graduate student and am in charge of lab safety (I keep records and am responsible for clean-up for inspections). I've gone over the procedures again and again and there's one person that is massively violating procedure and endangering other people in the lab. At this point, it's intentional because I've had a million lab meetings on the topic. Every time I mention something he's done, he gets really defensive and stops speaking to me. Others in the lab are getting very upset and something has to be done. I talked to my boss about it and he told me I needed to meet with this person about technique. It's not my job to do that and this guy doesn't see me as an authority figure since I'm a graduate student and he's a post-doc. How can I pass the buck to my boss without seeming rude or in-your-face? I talked to the university's safety office and they agreed that my boss needs to be the one to take care of it.

Answer 1

Just ask him.

"Listen, Mr. Boss, I am having some trouble, and I wanted to ask your help.  I've spoken to so-and-so several times about this lab safety issue, and I don't feel I'm getting through.  (insert a few specific examples here)  I feel this is a very important issue, but I don't seem to be getting anywhere with him.  Could you help me?  I think if you speak to him, he might actually listen."

By doing it this way, you are making it hard for him to refuse.  You are being polite, which is always good; asking for help, which will appeal to his ego; and you're reminding him that he's the boss and higher authority, something he seems to want to avoid.

Answer 2

Well, since he's the boss and he has delegated you to meet with the guy to discuss technique, you first need to do that. I would suggest that you then memorialize everything in a memorandum from your boss to the offender.

Start with "I'd like to reiterate the steps involved in ... as [your name] explained them to you in detail today". Then recap everything in excruciating detail. Have your boss sign it. It's all about covering yourself.

Answer 3

From someone who works in science to another I understand the post-doc thing. Tell your PI that you are going to talk to them one more time (and this time tell the post-doc that the PI has asked you to run through this with them again) and schedule a time to do it. If the post-doc won't comply then go again to the PI and ask them to speak with them or try to schedule a meeting with the three of you. You might also try to stage an intervention at your next lab meeting since his actions are affecting everyone. If the issue is something like radioactivity or something that is violating code and will get you fined by OSHA or some other government authority you will need to have the protocols ready to show your PI what is being done as opposed to what is supposed to be done. At some point though, you aren't going to be able to do anything if the post-doc is still knot headed. Hopefully your PI will end up stepping up before something major happens.