Chewed out my boss today.

[Evans, Marv]

930,
I chewed a boss (owner) out once. He didn't know anything about what was going on at the time (contructing wingwalls for a small bridge) & told me to have the guys mix concrete using the wrong proportions. He was about 40 years older than I was at the time. I stood for it as long as I could & finally let go telling him he didn't know what the hell was going on & what he was wanting would ruin the project. Next I told him if he was 30 years younger, I'd kick his ass. Plus I was getting so fed up he could give me my pay & I'd leave right now. He told me to calm down, appologized & asked me not to leave. I told him I'd stay if he would tell me what he wanted & not bother me after that & give me a raise while I was thinking about it. We agreed on that and got along great afterwards. Afterwards I couldn't believe I had done it.

[Zeke]

Sounds like most of you know the corporate rules pretty well. Too bad.

I don't think I could work for a "boss" very long or go to work at the same place everyday. I've never done both for more than a month and if you count all those months, you might get a year.

The last guy I worked for was no better or worse than the others. One day I told him I'd be in late the next day because I was driving the kids to school as my wife had just come home from the hospital after surgery. The boss told me don't come in at all if not on time. I think that was 27 years ago. I haven't sanswered to anyone about anything since.

With 35 years experience in my field, a decent set of manners and an IQ that would be considered "above average," I think it's a priviledge if I can do work for my next prospect and it's his priviledge that I'm there. Anything less and I'm in the truck headed home.

If anyone ever asks me if I know what I'm doing, I tell them, "We'll never know." I read every day now that the young companies like Google operate pretty much the same way. And who's this new phone guru that wants the whole world to have free anywhere calling? I read he doesn't even have a private desk. Sits anywhere and others sit at his when he's gone. All folks are on an equal basis and you pull the line or pull out.

No mid-level "bosses" there.

Anyone read how you get a job at Google? Solve the riddle and you're in. Where's the riddle? That's part of the riddle. (Last I knew, it was a set of numbers on a hiway billboard. Solved, it led to Google's HR people. But few could solve it, let alone even understand what those numbers were. ) I won't be at Google soon......but I like their "open" office. Wanna sit by the window? Take your notebook over there and sit, stand or lie down. Cool. Wanna do your laundry? They have washing machines. 2XCool! And a barber......and...and...

[oldE]

Many years ago, in my not-so-wasted youth, My boss & I worked in offices 120 miles apart. He would frequently call me up and add something more to my list of 'things to do'. Inevitably, I fell behind in several projects and, when he called up one day to find out how things were progressing, I had to admit a, b & c weren't done. He chewed me out pretty well and hung up.
I sat there for a few minutes, stunned by the event, got angry and called him back. Ripping mad, I pointed out that the reason those things weren't done was he had kept piling on work with no consideration of my resources and told him he had no idea of what went on in the branch operations.
To my surprise, he laughed and said,"Let that be a lesson to you. When somebody asks you to do something you can't do: tell them!"
It was one of the best lessons I learned from him. we went on to work together for another 2 very good and constructive years.

Les

[TerryBPP]

It sounds cliche, but don't burn bridges. The best thing to do if you feel unappreciated is starting looking for another position. Take all emotions out of the workplace except for fun and you'll be better off.

[cool_chick]

Originally posted by TerryBPP
It sounds cliche, but don't burn bridges. The best thing to do if you feel unappreciated is starting looking for another position. Take all emotions out of the workplace except for fun and you'll be better off.

+1

[KFC911]

Originally posted by TerryBPP
It sounds cliche, but don't burn bridges.... .

-1 .... sometimes the best damn thing you can do is 'burn the bridge' ! 930, I also responded in your earlier thread regarding IT postions. IMO, 'supertechies' are worth their weight in gold and incompetent managers are a 'dime-a-dozen'....life is just to short to put up with that sort of bs...good luck!

[legion]

Originally posted by oldE
To my surprise, he laughed and said,"Let that be a lesson to you. When somebody asks you to do something you can't do: tell them!"

Yep. There are so many people I know that haven't learned that lesson. (Oddly, it is mostly the women I work with who have a problem refusing more work.) When someone presents me with more work, my first response is not to refuse, but to explain exactly how it will affect the timelines on the other work I have. Sometimes that means I don't take the assignment, but sometimes it is okay to let my other work slide to accomplish the new task. I realize that the people who dole out the work aren't watching my workload, they are just looking for a place to park work.

[TerryBPP]

Originally posted by KC911
-1 .... sometimes the best damn thing you can do is 'burn the bridge' ! 930, I also responded in your earlier thread regarding IT postions. IMO, 'supertechies' are worth their weight in gold and incompetent managers are a 'dime-a-dozen'....life is just to short to put up with that sort of bs...good luck!

And the worst type of employee is one that thinks they are unreplaceble.

[legion]

I am not irreplaceable. It might take them a year or two to recover if I left, but it that's certainly not forever.

I am fully aware of the fact that there is a point where if I become a big enough pain in the ass, taking a year or two to get going again is the better option.

[Moses]

My career advice to my three kids always resonates with a common theme; "Be the boss."

I have had so many jobs in my life, working for talentless a-holes. Every day is torture. You're like a worm writhing on a fish hook. No way to live. For my kids, I always point out the endless opportunities for self employment; the neighbor who runs a small landscaping company, the guy who runs a small advertising agency in his home, the neighbor who quit his 9-5 corporate job to do consulting. All these folks are hard working, successful...and HAPPY.

I work 60 hour or more every week, but I love it. No moronic boss hovering over me.

[KFC911]

Originally posted by TerryBPP
And the worst type of employee is one that thinks they are unreplaceble.

I won't argue with ya on that one either .... But, 'IF' you are really good at what you do imo (regardless of your field), you can almost always easily replace a job...life's just too short to put up with bs if you don't have to...

[bryanthompson]

nobody is indespensible. Chewing out a manager is about the worst thing I could imagine doing. If the company has no career advancement paths (i.e.: taking his job or moving into another dept.), then the company has their collective heads up their own asses anyway. Managers protect each other. How do you know his bosses aren't as incompetent as he is? Maybe they play golf together, or are trying to hide their collective head-up-ass-ness.

[RickM]

Unfortunately it's very common for individuals to get promoted into managerial positions for the wrong reasons.....seniority, lack of resources, "the next step", reorgs, etc.

With that in mind I believe many of these managers incapable of proper organization, workload management, prioritization skills and lack of experience to push back on upper management when necessary.

Being a yes man simply sets one up for failure and the low man on the totem pole ends up being the scapegoat.

Good advice on not burning bridges and looking for another position. It's a small world out there.

[KFC911]

Moses, that's excellent advice too! If I had it to do over again, I'd pick a career that didn't depend on 'corporate america'....DAMN them 'golden handcuffs' !!!

[RickM]

Originally posted by Moses
My career advice to my three kids always resonates with a common theme; "Be the boss."

I have had so many jobs in my life, working for talentless a-holes. Every day is torture. You're like a worm writhing on a fish hook. No way to live. For my kids, I always point out the endless opportunities for self employment; the neighbor who runs a small landscaping company, the guy who runs a small advertising agency in his home, the neighbor who quit his 9-5 corporate job to do consulting. All these folks are hard working, successful...and HAPPY.

I work 60 hour or more every week, but I love it. No moronic boss hovering over me.

Great advice....what I try to instill in my daughter every chance I get.

[cool_chick]

Originally posted by KC911
I won't argue with ya on that one either .... But, 'IF' you are really good at what you do imo (regardless of your field), you can almost always easily replace a job...life's just too short to put up with bs if you don't have to...

You are correct. You don't have to "put up with BS," but you should behave professionally at work at all times.

Not to mention, you'd be surprised how small this world really is and how word gets around amongst managers/directors in other companies.

Attitude problems greatly decrease the value of an employee.

I would strongly recommend against telling off a superior, and just go and get another job instead, then simply smile and wave goodbye when you leave.

[KFC911]

Originally posted by cool_chick
You are correct. You don't have to "put up with BS," but you should behave professionally at work at all times.

Not to mention, you'd be surprised how small this world really is and how word gets around amongst managers/directors in other companies.

Attitude problems greatly decrease the value of an employee.

I would strongly recommend against telling off a superior, and just go and get another job instead, then simply smile and wave goodbye when you leave.

I wouldn't argue with any of that either CC ....

[Craig 930 RS]

930 -

Sounds like you have the 'pointy haired boss' in the cartoon Dilbert.
Sometimes stress relief makes it worth it.

[JavaBrewer]

I can't echo enough how important it is to NOT burn bridges. I would not be where I am today had I lost my cool with previous employers and/or peers. I exited a mis-managed/staffed project 8 years ago. I spent many sleepless nights fixing other peoples crap so that I would not look bad. When I left I was honest about the issues but never attacked/blamed anyone personally. I find that unprofessional. Last week I attended a design review for an ongoing project we just joined. Lots of familiar faces...we went out for a social beer after. My old boss talked about a couple new contracts they had and asked if I was open to an offer... Not today, but then again whose to say about tomorrow. This is not a hobby ya know.

[RANDY P]

Originally posted by Moses
My career advice to my three kids always resonates with a common theme; "Be the boss."

I have had so many jobs in my life, working for talentless a-holes. Every day is torture. You're like a worm writhing on a fish hook. No way to live. For my kids, I always point out the endless opportunities for self employment; the neighbor who runs a small landscaping company, the guy who runs a small advertising agency in his home, the neighbor who quit his 9-5 corporate job to do consulting. All these folks are hard working, successful...and HAPPY.

I work 60 hour or more every week, but I love it. No moronic boss hovering over me.

Amen. My dad did the same thing to me when I was a kid..I thank him for it frequently. Dad hasn't answered to anyone (except Mom and us kids) since 1974. He came to this country in 1965.

Dad's my hero.

rjp