Another one of my work threads

[Anglewannabe]

Ok, here is the background. I work for a company that has facilities all across Canada. They had several offices across Canada. They decided to move a lot of the client admin services to one location and thus hired several people (me being one of them). There is a lady ‘Sally’ who use to handle the duties for our office. She inherited the same duties from other offices that let staff go.

I do similar duties to Sally for other offices. However there are certain duties from my offices that Sally does since she is considered higher up than me.

After being a client for 3 months, customers get certain discounts and perks. They need to fill out paper work to receive these perks. Every time there is a new client in office X, Sally asked me for the ‘3 month paper work’. And every time I call office X, I talk to Julie in office X who I have a good relationship with. Julie tells me that her office does not want to fill out all that paper work when half the time, the client goes elsewhere. When I tell Sally ‘We will have the paper work in 3 months’ she gives me an earful about how that is not efficient procedures.

I am fed up with being the monkey in the middle. So last week I sent an email to Sally, Julie and Julie’s boss. I stated that office X wants to wait three month and my office wants the paper work ASAP and requested that we have a discussion to find a solution that would be agreeable to everyone. Julie’s boss wrote back saying ‘I will have to talk to the guys in office X and get back to you’. Sally blatantly ignored me.

Monday I went to Sally’s office. I told her that I honestly didn’t care what procedure we followed as long as there was a set procedure everyone agreed to. I also told her that office X told me they have been waiting 3 months for years and never had a problem. I tried to politely tell Sally that if she is the one who wants a change in procedures, it is up to her to tell office X. Sally is one to change the topic when she doesn’t like what is going on and I suspect she likes to play dumb rather than listen. The reason I say ‘she likes to play dumb’ is because she make some really ridiculous statements and I can believe she means them, but them, who knows. Finally Sally said she would email office X Tuesday. Well she didn’t

What is really concerning me in this situation is Sally told me point blank that if she didn’t get the paper work when she wanted it, she was not going to do her job :eek. This concerns me because first off, I think it is immoral to cheat a client out of something owed to the clients. But also, if the client does not get what was promised, I fear Julie will get an earful because she works in office X.

I called Julie to tell her what Sally said. Some might say it was gossip, I think Julie deserved to know the score.

So my question is, do I let it go and if ever there is a disgruntled client deal with it then? My fear is I will get the heat for not making office X send in the paper work on time. Or, do I tell my boss about it and let him make the decision. Sally has the same boss and she will obviously know it was me who told and she does strike me as the passive aggressive type that will make me pay for what I did no matter how professionally any interaction goes down

Angie

 

[Hoosier_Daddy]

Oh goodie another work thread!

Here is my take. Everything up to and including the email was perfect! You did an excellent job of handeling it and the email was perfect. But after that, let Julie’s boss or any boss handle it. I think you probably should not have told one person what the other one said. You stated you didn’t want to be the I between monkey but then you kinda made sure you were.
It also kinda looks like your sweet talk to Sally is a little devious.

So my advice is let the chips fall where they may. You may have to remind the boss this is an issue and follow up to get a definitive answer.

 

[underacloud]

Oh goodie another work thread!

Here is my take. Everything up to and including the email was perfect! You did an excellent job of handeling it and the email was perfect. But after that, let Julie’s boss or any boss handle it. I think you probably should not have told one person what the other one said. You stated you didn’t want to be the I between monkey but then you kinda made sure you were.
It also kinda looks like your sweet talk to Sally is a little devious.

So my advice is let the chips fall where they may. You may have to remind the boss this is an issue and follow up to get a definitive answer.

Yes.

 

[Petaro]

Always consider firstly, what power a person has over you. If they can do you damage, tread carefully. If you have done what you can, leave it alone. Just make sure you have everything in writing. I would email your boss setting out what she agreed with you to do and then file it away. I would approach clients as most companies do, with extreme arrogance and disdain of their purported ‘rights’. Always watch your back. Care less about others and more about yourself and you should fit into the culture very well. The workplace is a horrid cesspit of spite and venom. Don’t try to improve it or it will destroy you.
Is there anything more we can do for you? Have a nice day!

 

[mommy_k]

Even though you like julie this is between her and sally. Email requests to Julie and only cc sally.

For this time, and the future, just tell sally that u requested it and she should talk to Julie. Deflect it back to her to act on it. If she instists you act- resend original email. Procedures need not be discussed by you, it should have been discussed by those two.

Im pretty good at flying under the radar at work with things like this and know the less u say the better, and the less people involved the better too. When u have to communicate, do it in email form and be friendly. Include only the 2 people involved. Let them frustrate each other, and go to the bosses, not you.

For this time, just keep deflecting to them and stay out of it. It is their debate on procedures, you just need to know the solution, and I would tell them this.

 

[pianistclare]

Yes, this^^^.
When you took it upon yourself to email both women AND their boss…well…
No bueno.
You just don’t do that. You pressed the issue and then are upset that people are mad at you.

When you called and got a negative response, your answer to Sally should have been, "they said “no”.
The truth is always better than forcing a boss to fix it. Since Sally is considered “higher up” than you, SHE could have gotten to the bottom of it. You’re in the middle because you tend to think you have the best answer and you place yourself there.
Wait until you are management to make management decisions.
Less stress, and less drama around the office.

 

[1ke]

Follow whatever the procedure actually IS. Whatever the written policy or procedure currently says. Not what people think it should say-- what it says.

If there is no procedure, ask your boss.

I’ve said this in past threads, I think it bears repeating: stop doing your boss’s job.

 

[E_7]

Follow whatever the procedure actually IS. Whatever the written policy or procedure currently says. Not what people think it should say-- what it says.

If there is no procedure, ask your boss.

I second this.

 

[BellsMom]

I highly recommend CCing all parties for any emails regarding this issue. It will help cut down on miscommunication. No need to worry about someone mis-characterizing what you’ve said as it’s right there in black and white. This needs to be handled by Sally and Julie’s boss from what it sounds like.

I also find it helpful to be able to forward the email back later when it becomes necessary, something like “Hi remember when we all talked about this? Has something changed that I missed?”.

 

[Anglewannabe]

I would email your boss setting out what she agreed with you to do and then file it away.

Sally promised to email office X. I think it would have looked really bad for me to write my boss and say ‘Sally promised to email office X’ without giving her a couple of day to get around to it

I would approach clients as most companies do, with extreme arrogance and disdain of their purported ‘rights’. .

I don’t have any actually contact with clients. But I do know from experience that if a company does not make good on their promise, clients go elsewhere

Always watch your back.

That’s what I was trying to do. If I had a procedure in writing then I can follow it and not worry

 

[Anglewannabe]

For this time, and the future, just tell sally that u requested it and she should talk to Julie. Deflect it back to her to act on it. .

So in other words, if I have it in an email from Julie that she always waits 3 months before sending in the paper work, if Sally asks for it earlier just use the broken record ‘As per Julie’s email she won’t send it in for 3 months’ ?

 

[Anglewannabe]

When you took it upon yourself to email both women AND their boss…well…
No bueno. .

I NEVER emailed Sally’s boss. I only emailed Julie’s boss because I have had some discussions with him about procedures.

You’re in the middle because you tend to think you have the best answer and you place yourself there. .

NO. I am in the middle because people from both sides come to me and I NEVER said I had the best answer. I tried to get a discussion going to find a solution agreeable to everyone and I was willing to respect what others decided.

It is very obvious you did not pay attention to what I wrote in my post. But then again, you do criticize everything I say

 

[Hoosier_Daddy]

So in other words, if I have it in an email from Julie that she always waits 3 months before sending in the paper work, if Sally asks for it earlier just use the broken record ‘As per Julie’s email she won’t send it in for 3 months’ ?

“Sally, the paperwork is about 90 days out. I would be happy to participate in a meeting detailing our policies and procedures if you wish to facilitate one. If you wish to know more, I can direct you Julie or our supervisors. I eagerly look forward to working with all involved to streamline and clarify our process.”

 

[Anglewannabe]

Well, this is what ended up happening.

This morning I went into my bosses office and asked if he had 10 minutes. He asked about what and I said 'There is a bit of an issue with handing in the paper work and I was looking for a positive solution. If you are busy it can wait. He said he would get me in the afternoon.

Then, Julie sent me an email that Sally sent out late last night to everyone but me. She totally changed her tune and said ‘As long as the paper work gets to me a week before I need to have it in the computer, it is fine’ Well that was definitely a 180 degree turn.

So I sent the email to my boss saying ‘I had not be copied on this thread, the issue is solved no need to meet’

So, as much as I find Sally to be quite the two faced person. At least now I have everything in writing and will have ammunition to cover my back

Angie

 

[Hoosier_Daddy]

Well, this is what ended up happening.

This morning I went into my bosses office and asked if he had 10 minutes. He asked about what and I said 'There is a bit of an issue with handing in the paper work and I was looking for a positive solution. If you are busy it can wait. He said he would get me in the afternoon.

Then, Julie sent me an email that Sally sent out late last night to everyone but me. She totally changed her tune and said ‘As long as the paper work gets to me a week before I need to have it in the computer, it is fine’ Well that was definitely a 180 degree turn.

So I sent the email to my boss saying ‘I had not be copied on this thread, the issue is solved no need to meet’

So, as much as I find Sally to be quite the two faced person. At least now I have everything in writing and will have ammunition to cover my back

Angie

Angie, Put your head down and do your job to the best of your ability.

 

[Petaro]

Well, this is what ended up happening.

This morning I went into my bosses office and asked if he had 10 minutes. He asked about what and I said 'There is a bit of an issue with handing in the paper work and I was looking for a positive solution. If you are busy it can wait. He said he would get me in the afternoon.

Then, Julie sent me an email that Sally sent out late last night to everyone but me. She totally changed her tune and said ‘As long as the paper work gets to me a week before I need to have it in the computer, it is fine’ Well that was definitely a 180 degree turn.

So I sent the email to my boss saying ‘I had not be copied on this thread, the issue is solved no need to meet’

So, as much as I find Sally to be quite the two faced person. At least now I have everything in writing and will have ammunition to cover my back

Angie

All is well that ends well. Don’t let the little things affect your enjoyment of your work. You are there too many hours. People are human. Give them a bit of slack and do your own job to the best of your ability. God Bless.

 

[EasterJoy]

Well, this is what ended up happening.

This morning I went into my bosses office and asked if he had 10 minutes. He asked about what and I said 'There is a bit of an issue with handing in the paper work and I was looking for a positive solution. If you are busy it can wait. He said he would get me in the afternoon.

Then, Julie sent me an email that Sally sent out late last night to everyone but me. She totally changed her tune and said ‘As long as the paper work gets to me a week before I need to have it in the computer, it is fine’ Well that was definitely a 180 degree turn.

So I sent the email to my boss saying ‘I had not be copied on this thread, the issue is solved no need to meet’

So, as much as I find Sally to be quite the two faced person. At least now I have everything in writing and will have ammunition to cover my back

Angie

Sally may not have felt that the e-mail that went out to several people and concerned her performance and not sent with a prior heads-up to her from you was fair, either. It doesn’t matter whether or not it was fair. It matters how Sally perceives you.

When you say that Sally “plays dumb” when she doesn’t want to do something, you’re describing covert aggression. Middle school girls are famous for it, but any group of human beings might exhibit it when there is a social requirement to always appear to get along and be a team. We are an intensely social species, complete with heirarchies that evolve with the help of complex social cues, so humans are very capable of playing one role while pursuing goals incompatible with that role. It it what we do.

When you’re getting covert aggression coming at you from someone up the ladder, it may be time to look at whether you have diplomatic relations to do. This is life in an office where everyone has to appear to get along all the time, which is essentially every office you will ever work in. You can’t escape this game by finding another job, so you may as well learn how to navigate it. Don’t resent it, either, because the alternative ways of working out conflicts wouldn’t necessarily yield prettier results.

 

[Anglewannabe]

“Sally, the paperwork is about 90 days out. I would be happy to participate in a meeting detailing our policies and procedures if you wish to facilitate one. If you wish to know more, I can direct you Julie or our supervisors. I eagerly look forward to working with all involved to streamline and clarify our process.”

That’s a good one to keep in my tool box for next time

 

[Anglewannabe]

Sally may not have felt that the e-mail that went out to several people and concerned her performance and not sent with a prior heads-up to her from you was fair, either. It doesn’t matter whether or not it was fair. It matters how Sally perceives you…

True, but somehow I have the feeling anything I did that would equate to Sally not getting her way would have made her feel it is unfair. Unfortunately if there was a next time, all I can do is what is the best course of action and Sally still will not like it

When you’re getting covert aggression coming at you from someone up the ladder, it may be time to look at whether you have diplomatic relations to do. .

I have no idea what is meant by that

 

[pianistclare]

True, but somehow I have the feeling anything I did that would equate to Sally not getting her way would have made her feel it is unfair. Unfortunately if there was a next time, all I can do is what is the best course of action and Sally still will not like it

I have no idea what is meant by that

It means you have to be careful who you offend.
In your efforts to tell on people they got offended. That’s why she didn’t copy you.
She did to you what you did to her. Went around you.
And she’s higher up than you in the food chain.
No bueno.

As HD says…keep your head DOWN.