you ever draw a hardline in the sand, and have your supervisor erase it?

[vash]

damn. i couldnt sleep last night.

i have a complete whiney beotch of a contractor. he talks more about what he cant do, rather than what he can do. if he doesnt get his way..he throws an adult tantrum.

yesterday, i enforced the specs as directed by my boss. i looked the contractor in the eye and said.."no. do it like the plans and specs say..no exceptions!" well, they went over my head. now i have to retract my memo.

i guess it happens. i am in cover my ass mode.

short vent over.

[biosurfer1]

yep...I call them "former bosses" now. For a boss to side with a contractor without even talking to you is BS.

[stomachmonkey]

Kick every issue with the contractor up to the Supervisor. Document in an email.

Only accept spec changes if relayed via documentation, email, memo, etc...

Supervisor will eventually tire of contractor.

[Jim Richards]

Yep. Just remember, Cliff, if it's in sand, it can shift depending on the prevailing winds.

[Laneco]

At a certain point in your work life, you stop choosing jobs and start choosing bosses...

I think someone on this site posted that - can't remember who, but it's definately stuck with me.

angela

[vash]

makes me feel better that my direct supervisors are as crushed about this as i am.

[widgeon13]

I used to get overruled all the time before I retired but I never got fired. Thirty years with the same company, worked for seven different presidents. It's called executive privilege. Two presidents retired, two left the company and three were fired. I survived but left with high BP.

[Hads930]

Drew a line in the sand with one of the owners of my company last month. Was passed over for a promotion for a director position because I am "too valuable" to the client and project that I am on. I told him I figured as much and knew I would not be promoted. I also told him that the benefit to he and our client could not cost me money and promotion. He asked if I wanted an assistant title and I let him know that cash would suffice and that I expected to be compensated as a director.

He erased my line in the sand yesterday with a beautiful check, details of a contribution to my retirement, and my raise percentage. A good group of guys that kept their word. The other partner was almost speechless when I called him on my way home to tell him thank you. His response was that getting my call to show my appreciation was worth the money. Not a bad Monday.

I would agree with the others, if this continues to happen, you need to fire your boss. Document everything until then.

[aigel]

Time to have an honest word with the guy. Wait a week to collect your thoughts and cool off. Maybe talk to him if you are in a 1 on 1 situation already, so you don't have to go see him for it. If you are already 1 to 1 you can bring it up in the end.

Don't whine about it, but try to explain that not running this past you is counterproductive to the project and the company. You don't care that he stepped on your toes - he is the boss - but he undermined your authority with the contractor which is essential for success.

If it doesn't help and this continues, go look for a new boss. Often this is easily achieved internally. I have had some real poor bosses and in hindsight I am upset with myself for not quitting them earlier than I did.

G

[schamp]

Keep the memo. Things like this tend to see the light of day a second time. You want to be able to show you tried to do the right thing.

[sc_rufctr]

Document everything and document any conversations you have with this contractor and your supervisor.

Who did they go over your head to? Document that as well.

I learnt to cover my a$$ long ago. Long story but right now I have a "difficult" client. Things are so bad that I'm at the point now of recording all of the conversations I have with him over the phone. That means when he calls me I do not answer the phone. I let it go to voice mail then call him back with a microphone suction cupped to my phone. I don't expect to ever use the recordings because he doesn't know I'm doing it but I use them to document what was said between us in writing in my diary. It's just so I get the facts right and don't miss anything.

My guess is he's difficult because he has type two diabetes and he's not doing a very good job of controlling his blood sugar levels. He abusive to his staff and just loves singleing out one of them and then makes fun of them to get a laugh. He thinks he's some sort of comedian.

The point of telling you all of this is because at work you'll always have difficult people who you have to deal with. You just need to get on with it and do your job. Don't let yourself get dragged into some sort of political issue.

But as I said before document everything. Just a hand written note in your diary could save your butt.

[vash]

i'm over it.

i covered my ass. boss man signed my memo..so my name is not associated with it. ironically, my life just got way easier. i put everything in my daily report..should i get called into court, i will appreciate the memory assistance. huge, complicated submittals that need calculations checked? forget it..the contractor just got away with not submitting them.. i will have nothing to review and approve...the work they are doing in the field? i dont need to inspect it.because we dont have a submittal's specs to inspect to!!

long lunches..internet searches..

i'm cool. (got a resume going out soon too)

[legion]

Constantly. I get a new boss every 6 months - 3 years.

In my "Salt" threads, I detailed a business partner in another department who was a bully and everything he wanted was an emergency (even if he sat on it for six months). On average, it would take each new boss about a year to catch on that everything was an emergency because we were not informed by him of his needs in a timely manner. They flat out wouldn't believe me when I told it to them up front, and I would be told to "go ahead and do it this time" for the first 2-3 "emergencies". This guy basically counted on me getting a new boss periodically so that he was never really held accountable for his lack of planning.

[Noah930]

Originally Posted by vash

i'm over it.

Good for you. Don't be a whiney beotch about it, but be diplomatic, CYA, and let others with a higher pay grade take the heat down the road. (Well, as long as public safety is not grossly at risk.)



Nice story, Hads.

[stomachmonkey]

Originally Posted by vash

i'm over it.

i covered my ass. boss man signed my memo..so my name is not associated with it. ironically, my life just got way easier. i put everything in my daily report..should i get called into court, i will appreciate the memory assistance. huge, complicated submittals that need calculations checked? forget it..the contractor just got away with not submitting them.. i will have nothing to review and approve...the work they are doing in the field? i dont need to inspect it.because we dont have a submittal's specs to inspect to!!

long lunches..internet searches..

i'm cool. (got a resume going out soon too)

IIRC you build stuff. Big public works type of projects? Tunnels?

So hypothetically what happens if the calculations go unchecked and there is some catastrophic failure that leads to loss of life?

What is your exposure for not blowing the proverbial whistle?