There is nothing more satisfying...

CrispyDelicious · #1 03-17-2009, 02:29 PM

... than coming out on top in a battle with a manager/higher-echelon employee.

After an issue arose in which I called out a staff member on their ineptitude, her manager, and a couple other top dogs were discussing my bluntness and "unprofessional attitude".

I heard about these backroom goings-on, so I called up the VP operations and sat down with her and the manager who felt I had insulted her staff, and set her straight. No sugar coating, no fluffy words - your staff keep ******* up one of my functions and it is unacceptable. At one point my words were "We are not splitting the atom here. It takes about three brain cells to do this right and still your staff consistently **** this up. This is unadultered laziness on their part and it is completely unacceptable." The VP operations was on my side the whole way, and the manager in question left knowing she didn't have a leg to stand on. I have no tolerance for people who repeatedly allow their staff to fail. God that felt good.

/rant

MakiSupaStar · #2 03-17-2009, 02:30 PM

Pat yourself on the back once you return to your cubicle with the shanty roof.

i_got_a_mohawk · #3 03-17-2009, 02:35 PM

I know that feeling (kind of).

Had a PhD interview last monday. When responding to one of the questions, one guy (who had been grilling me all through), starting tearing it apart saying it was pointless and bla bla bla. To which he finished with "unless anyone else has anything to add", with which one of the interviews turned, told him that I had been right, and he had been wrong. Win

(probably wont get it tho)

DudeistMonk · #4 03-17-2009, 02:36 PM

Perhaps nothing better than pwning management. I used to love it when my old boss would blame me for something and then I would prove it wasn't me and he would come out all apologetic....never happens around here though...even when management is wrong they are right.

Relic · #5 03-17-2009, 02:49 PM

well.... it always feels good to lay things out the way they need to be. The only clincher is that that sort of thing will often either lead to you being in management or unemployed..

mjolnir · #6 03-17-2009, 03:03 PM

'Round here, if a lower level guy dukes it out with management, people get fired.

...Strangely enough, someone who wasn't involved is just as likely to get canned as someone who was.

hbarcat · #7 03-17-2009, 03:10 PM

That type of thing really doesn't come up where I work and I don't miss it. The company is small (less than ten employees) and everyone knows their jobs without having to be told what to do or get in each other's way.

At a place I worked about fifteen years ago, I publicly corrected an incompetent supervisor about how to properly do a job even though I had only been an employee there for a month. and it was kind of fun making her frustrated and embarassed.

Actually working there was no fun, though, because the place was a virtual circus. The owner, manager and two of the three supervisors were fools and working in such surroundings is bad for everyone's morale.

**embellisher** · #8 03-17-2009, 09:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Relic

The only clincher is that that sort of thing will often either lead to you being in management or unemployed..

Quote:

Originally Posted by mjolnir

'Round here, if a lower level guy dukes it out with management, people get fired.

+1 to both of these. Watch your back.

L-A · #9 03-17-2009, 10:05 PM

I never hesitate to do it. When something doesn't work with a manager, I present the situation to whoever is over him/her.

I've been told that it's a characteristic of the younger generation, to reach up like this.

Jim Campbell · #10 03-17-2009, 10:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by embellisher

+1 to both of these. Watch your back.

amen..some of these types have long memories and know how to play the game......calling out subordinates for screw ups in public may be satisfying short term but the time may come when a few allies are needed......

MJ5150 · #11 03-17-2009, 10:57 PM

Even though you may have been right about the inept employee, you were still unprofessional in handling it. Especially if you really did talk in the meeting like you are telling us you did.

-Mike

Ground Pounder · #12 03-17-2009, 11:10 PM

Quote:

I've been told that it's a characteristic of the younger generation, to reach up like this.

Kissing up and kicking down is a pretty age-old strategy.

Think about that the next time you see a grumpy, overworked smart guy who works alone and has a million responsibilities that it seems no one else is able to do.

CrispyDelicious · #13 03-18-2009, 07:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MakiSupaStar

Pat yourself on the back once you return to your cubicle with the shanty roof.

Hey! It's an office with a shanty roof, not a cubicle!

In all seriousness to the people warning against this kind of thing, I do hear you. I do my best to not get out of line, and stay on the management's good side. The thing about this company is their turnover rate is insane; I've been here 3.5 years and already I have a longer run than all the managers. My position is not managerial, yet I report directly to the VP operations and the owner/president of the company. They have come to recognize that generally I do see the problems that go unaddressed and that, holy crap, this guy actually has a fully functional brain. As much as some of the managers can't stand when I call them out on their errors, or the problems with their staff, the owner and VP know that I'm generally right (I'm never a jerk for no reason!), so they allow my shenanigans; in the end, they want the company running as best as possible, and if I'm the one to point out some of the kinks, they don't mind.

hover · #14 03-18-2009, 08:13 AM

Congrats. You are the (knowingly) underpaid "smart guy", and that is where you'll stay. There's a reason you're not management, I suspect, is because of said "shenanigans". They keep you for your knowledge (you are their keep it all in check guy), yet won't promote you for fear said shenanigans might rear their head in a professional setting, say like with clients.

If the turnover were so high as you say, and you proved yourself with them, sans shenanigans, you'd BE management by now.

I work with many of you types. Not saying the knowledge isn't worth every penny you make, but a modicum of tact in these situations would be so much more to your favor.

machine gewehr · #15 03-18-2009, 08:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by L-A

I never hesitate to do it. When something doesn't work with a manager, I present the situation to whoever is over him/her.

I've been told that it's a characteristic of the younger generation, to reach up like this.

I used to do that during my education life before college.I gave that up after being fired out of schools a few times.Now I gave that up management is always right.Guess what?My life's already ruined.

Phalex · #16 03-18-2009, 08:23 AM

The owner of the company is my boss. I do not argue. Resistance is futile.

CrispyDelicious · #17 03-18-2009, 08:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hover

Congrats. You are the (knowingly) underpaid "smart guy", and that is where you'll stay. There's a reason you're not management, I suspect, is because of said "shenanigans". They keep you for your knowledge (you are their keep it all in check guy), yet won't promote you for fear said shenanigans might rear their head in a professional setting, say like with clients.

If the turnover were so high as you say, and you proved yourself with them, sans shenanigans, you'd BE management by now.

I work with many of you types. Not saying the knowledge isn't worth every penny you make, but a modicum of tact in these situations would be so much more to your favor.

Not that I'm disagreeing with you, (you are 100% right), but they won't put me in another position for two reasons. One, I'm the only person here who has any idea how I do what I do (in many ways, I created the job I have over the past couple of years - I started as a warehouse grunt, got a promotion, and have completely restructured the job I was given), and two, I told them from the get-go what my plans are, that I expect to finish school and go into teaching within a couple of years (I'm 26). They have approached me several times about developing my job further but I keep reminding them that I'm going to be gone in less than two years.

CrispyDelicious · #18 03-18-2009, 08:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phalex

The owner of the company is my boss. I do not argue. Resistance is futile.

HAH! Classic!

L-A · #19 03-18-2009, 08:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hover

Congrats. You are the (knowingly) underpaid "smart guy", and that is where you'll stay. There's a reason you're not management, I suspect, is because of said "shenanigans". They keep you for your knowledge (you are their keep it all in check guy), yet won't promote you for fear said shenanigans might rear their head in a professional setting, say like with clients.

If the turnover were so high as you say, and you proved yourself with them, sans shenanigans, you'd BE management by now.

Or maybe he doesn't want to be management? My experience of these situations is limited, but at a seasonal job I have been promoted from handyman to crew chief and I came back the next year saying that I'm willing to work, even do the training, but I do not want to be crew chief.

Guess what? Back to handyman, I take the training part, and I keep the crew chief salary.

The intelligent yet underpaid guy is the one who does not realize his own value, and won't take the risk of asking what he, and his work, are really worth.

Of course no two companies are the same, but I also often see management keep an employee at a advantageous rate, sometimes even over his/her manager's, because he is a truly valuable asset. Many times, you couldn't present the guy, because he's asocial and/or socially inapt (!).

I understand the recession changes the perspective for many people, so this is just my view of what would ideally happen. Take whatever portion of it suits you.

excane · #20 03-18-2009, 09:04 AM

Way to stick it to tha man.

Be careful though, as others have said....this can go down 2 completely opposite paths.

I've been in situations like this and watched others take this route as well....it can be the greatest feeling to triumph over management OR you can get bruised from the door hitting you in the ass on the way out.