My job (2 Viewers)

[shadyridr]

I understand people not wanting a micromanager but I don’t get some of these complaints.  You don’t like talking to your boss a few times a week?   How do you expect to get feedback or expect someone to coach you.

i don’t get shady’s most of all.  Your boss is calling you a few times a week for what sounds like getting your input on strategy. That means he respects your opinion and expertise.  

A few times A DAY

 

[shuke]

A few times A DAY

Oh, got it. 

 

[TheIronSheik]

Funny story:

Our company just hired a new President.  Just started last week.  He came around and introduced himself to everyone and when I spoke with him, we talked about college basketball.  Good guy.  Well, this morning my boss was talking with me about the plan for the day and midway through the conversation, the new president came over and interrupted my boss to start talking hoops with me.  (It's important to note my boss hates sports.)  We joked around, laughed about some of the games and I took a shot at his school's team.  Then, as we both kind of did that weird point at each other and laughed, he looked at my boss and goes, "Hey.  I'm so and so, the new president.  I don't think we've met."  They shook hands and then the president turned to me and said, "We'll see what happens later this week", as he pointed again and walked away.  I then turned to my boss and said, "I'm sorry.  You were saying?"  

Not even kidding around, it was like something you'd see in a sitcom, he stammered and blinked as I could literally see his brain trying to wrap his head around what just transpired in front of him.  He finally shook his head slightly and said, "Uh, I lost my train of thought."  

 

[TheIronSheik]

One thing I should point out that's kind of important.  When I was young, I'd want to beat my boss if he played a game like this.  But as I've gotten older, all out war means nobody wins.  My goal is to both get along.  Work together.  My last couple of jobs, I was able to attain that status and life was so easy.  

 

[shadyridr]

My boss is NOT a micro-manager but he loves to call me a few times a day about work related things. Not to see how Im doing but to spitball ideas he has or asking me to run something for him, etc. Hes a chatter too so every time he asks "gotta minute?" he really means a half hour. He is located in another state so basically get these calls every single day. I get most of my work done when hes out of the office. Anyway, I was getting so frustrated by it I was going to talk to his manager but I decided to wait until after review/bonus season. He ended up giving me a stellar review and highest bonus I ever got so I decided to just suck it up and play nice.

UPDATE:

This guy was getting worse and worse. Micro-managing, censoring my work, not giving me a voice. It got so bad I spoke to the head of the whole department. Today my manager was fired.

 

[SWC]

my big thing is that relationships whether at home or at work are a two way street and i take no joy in someone getting fired because it means they failed i failed and others failed to get along work things out and be productive and if someone gets the axe then that is someone in panic mode looking for a new job wondering where the next check is coming from and wondering how they are going to keep the bills paid and there family fed but hey i do not do the high stakes stuff you bromigos do i just punch a clock i guess so thats just me talking take that to the bank 

 

[TheIronSheik]

So I still hate my boss but I've managed to get along with him.  I had to have several talks with HR about him.  He's the type of guy that just can't admit I'm ever right.  Like it kills him.  And while I thought about leaving the company, my bonus is tied to not only how well I do, but half of it is determined by how well the company does.  And the company has grown like 3x the size it was forecasted for this year.  So I'm at least sticking it out until the bonus check comes in.

Anyway, this past week I'm trying to get in touch with a vendor of ours.  Guy who used to be my contact recently left the company and is replaced by this new kid.  I've spoken with him a couple times and everything seemed fine.  But then comes Wednesday and I'm trying to get some work done through their company.  No need to go into details, but I ask for something in email the way I always have and he calls me.  I pick up thinking he has a question but instead he starts to tell me this isn't the way things are done and I need to start following the procedures of their company.  He's very condescending and I cut him off midway through his rehearsed speech.  I say, "Look, I don't know who you think you're talking to, but we are a customer of yours.  And I don't appreciate the attitude."  His demeanor changes a little but he's still a jerk.  I finally just tell him I don't have time for him right now and hang up.

He then sends an email to me explaining the new procedures.  He CC's my boss and the President.  Poor kid must have thought he was in the right, and by emailing people above me, he must have thought an apology would be coming his way.  In the words of Ronald Reagan, "He counted wrong."  So I send back a reply that's about 100 times more smartass than his.  He obviously didn't grow up on fantasy football message boards, because his smartass game was no match for my SUPER ELITE UPPER TIER.  After I send the email, I go to my boss's office and ask if he read the emails.  He says yes and then reads the emails.    

My boss then tries to tell me why we were both in the wrong.  I cut my boss off and tell him to stop.  I explain that they are the customer and they should not talk to us that way.  He says, "Yeah, but..."  And I stop him again.  I say, "Look.  If there was ever a time for you to admit I was right and you have my back, this is the time."  I could see the gears in his head working as he scrunched his face and let out a high pitched noise like he wanted to start talking but couldn't.  Then finally he said, "The thing is..."  And I said, "OK.  We'll just have to agree to disagree again.  But I'm disappointed that you couldn't even back me on this one.  This was an easy one for you to do."  

Well, the President was out until today and I guess he just read the email, because he replied back to my email "reply all" blasting the guy for being disrespectful and condescending in the email.  He said he applauded me for answering as nice as I did because if it was him, he would have been much more upset.  I'm offsite so I haven't gotten to see my boss's face yet, but I can't wait to bring this up tomorrow and see how he reacts.  God, I hate that guy.

Side note, brought my wife to the Christmas party and every time he went to talk, she cut him off.  She thought it was the funniest thing.  He's such a doormat.  Hard to respect him.

 

[Judge Smails]

Side note, brought my wife to the Christmas party and every time he went to talk, she cut him off.  She thought it was the funniest thing.  He's such a doormat.  Hard to respect him.

I dunno.  Doesn't seem so elite upper tier

 

[Van Dyman]

I dunno.  Doesn't seem so elite upper tier

TIS or his wife?

 

[TheIronSheik]

I dunno.  Doesn't seem so elite upper tier

My wife is only ELITE UPPER TIER.  And honestly, she was UPPER TIER before she married me.  

Also, don't ever tell her I said this joke. 

 

[xemrac]

Something else he does now in IM is he'll ask me a question and I'll answer it.  And he'll write "Correct, unless..."

And I know he wants me to come up with some odd scenario where it doesn't apply.  But I just don't answer.  And when he finally acknowledges that I haven't answered, I reply back, "Oh.  I was waiting on you to continue your train of thought."

I had a similar experience when starting my current job; my boss was in a remote office but I experienced most of the behaviors that you are citing and I was about to bolt.  It was only after I was assigned a big corporate project that required my travel to the boss’s office in NY that things got better...  After spending several weeks working on the same project and gaining an understanding (and perhaps confidence) in how we each worked/communicated, I am now her solid #2 and likely successor..

 

[TheIronSheik]

I had a similar experience when starting my current job; my boss was in a remote office but I experienced most of the behaviors that you are citing and I was about to bolt.  It was only after I was assigned a big corporate project that required my travel to the boss’s office in NY that things got better...  After spending several weeks working on the same project and gaining an understanding (and perhaps confidence) in how we each worked/communicated, I am now her solid #2 and likely successor..

I wish that was the case with this idiot.  I work with him every day and have proven myself over and over.  Since I've been here, I've implemented procedures and applications that save us hundreds of thousands of dollars.  And while every other person will thank me and tell me good job, he'll come over to my desk and be like, "I noticed you didn't update your goals from last week.  Do we need to have a meeting about that?"  

I can tell he's worried that I'll come after his job.  And I don't want his job.  But he thinks if he compliments me, it'll make him look bad. The only reason he's in a managerial position is because the company was a small company and he was the only IT guy here.  As they grew, he was promoted into the position.  He has no prior experience with it nor has he ever been a manager before.  I found out that he's run off two prior people that worked here.  They quit after a short time saying they couldn't work for him.  And another lady moved departments to get away from him.  She's the one who has told me about his past.  And on top of all that, besides my complaints to HR, he apparently has at least one from the three people I just mentioned.  So I'm not really sure why he still has a job here, really.

 

[xemrac]

I wish that was the case with this idiot.  I work with him every day and have proven myself over and over.  Since I've been here, I've implemented procedures and applications that save us hundreds of thousands of dollars.  And while every other person will thank me and tell me good job, he'll come over to my desk and be like, "I noticed you didn't update your goals from last week.  Do we need to have a meeting about that?"  

I can tell he's worried that I'll come after his job.  And I don't want his job.  But he thinks if he compliments me, it'll make him look bad. The only reason he's in a managerial position is because the company was a small company and he was the only IT guy here.  As they grew, he was promoted into the position.  He has no prior experience with it nor has he ever been a manager before.  I found out that he's run off two prior people that worked here.  They quit after a short time saying they couldn't work for him.  And another lady moved departments to get away from him.  She's the one who has told me about his past.  And on top of all that, besides my complaints to HR, he apparently has at least one from the three people I just mentioned.  So I'm not really sure why he still has a job here, really.

After reading some of your other posts it is obvious that he is threatened; if also inexperienced behaving immaturely, that is a terrible combination!  Good luck,, GB - I hope it continues to get better or the dream job finds you soon!

 

[Sand]

After I send the email, I go to my boss's office and ask if he read the emails.  He says yes and then reads the emails.    

Your boss sounds like a dillweed, but I'll admit I've done this.  When drinking from a firehose sadly this happens more than I'd like.

"I noticed you didn't update your goals from last week.  Do we need to have a meeting about that?"  

Weekly goals?  Damn, he's much higher level than just a dillweed.  If my boss did this I'd show him my 40 item to-do list and ask where in the priority order it goes.

 

[TheIronSheik]

Weekly goals?  Damn, he's much higher level than just a dillweed.  If my boss did this I'd show him my 40 item to-do list and ask where in the priority order it goes.

This is a company thing.  And it's still stupid.  This company is in love with meetings about meetings.  Once a week we have to meet as a group, once as a team and once individually.  It's so dumb.  I don't understand why companies think more meetings = better workers.

 

[TheIronSheik]

This guy is a moron.  I'm working on a big project and it's terrible.  They want me to roll out a new update to software when I don't know how to use the software.  I told them that I've made wonderful software upgrades for Oil & Gas companies, but I don't know anything about that.  I need someone who does who can fill in the knowledge gaps.  They won't give me that guy.  So, that's stupid to start.  

But we were in a meeting yesterday and he asked for an update and I told him it wasn't happening.  He told me to try to figure out what issues could arise at the rollout and fix them ahead of time.  Brilliant.