W
Wretched_sinner
Guest
What a sordid mess I have gotten myself into…
At work, about 2 years ago, the manager of my department told me that a person, call him H., was being considered for management by the Number 2 and 3 persons in charge of our entire organization.
H. is not a bad man, but in my opinion (and in the opinion of my co-workers and manager at the time) he is arrogant, boastful, and simply doesn’t have the personality to be a manager in our department. I do not judge the man’s soul and he can be genuinely good when you are alone with him, but he seems (and not only to me) “puffed up” somehow, as if he thinks he is simply meant to be in charge. In some of his actions, he would show very little respect for the organization and my manager in particular. He spent 20 years in the army and ended up as a sargeant of some sort. He used the GI Bill to earn a Bachelors degree in Business Administration.
Having said all this I think he has the job knowledge and technical skill to be in management, but lacks the personality and diplomatic skills needed in our particular organization.
Now when I heard from my manager that H. was being considered for management by the 2nd and 3rd persons in charge of our organization, instead of keeping my own thoughts and minding my own business I went to another one of my coworkers and told her what I had heard.
This other coworker, call her J., is extremely close friends with the number 1 in our organization. Some would say she has an inordinate pull with him. She also does not like H. very much at all. I told her because I knew that she would go to Number 1 to try and ask him not to consider H. for the management position.
Sure enough, she went to Number 1 and he told her not to worry, he wouldn’t make H. a manager. I have a feeling that J. had spoken to Number 1 about H. before, so Number 1 was already disposed to not consider H. for management. However, I cannot be sure of this.
I admit it was wrong to do what I did.
Now, fast forward to the present. I am now the manager of the department. At the time the above events took place, however, I didn’t do what I did to simply clear myself a path for advancement, at least not consciously. I was more worried about having to work for the guy and about the supposed “injustice” of the whole situation if H. was promoted. Sin distorts everything, as you can see.
Now I find myself needing a possible Assistant Manager. H. is still in the department and would want the position. J. is still in the department and still has influence with Number 1.
Even where I am now, I still do not think that H. would make a good manager because of the personality issue.
In order to try and repair some of the damage I have done to H. by my indiscretion in telling J. those years ago (which was at the very least a contributing factor in H. not being considered), does justice require that I recommend H. for the promotion? I honestly don’t think he would be a good fit for the position.
How do you begin to make restitution for using evil means (telling J.) to achieve an end that you judged was right, even though it was not your judgement to make? Now that it is your judgement to make, are you required to use a means that would be dishonest (recommending H.) to achieve an end that you believe would be detrimental, in order to make restitution for the previously used evil means?
H. is a good employee, but now as a manager myself I don’t think he would be a good assistant manager in our department.
As a bit of a postscript, J. has attempted over the past year and a half (since I became manager) to get H. fired through her influence with Number 1. I have done everything I can (and will continue to do so as long as H. is in my deparment) to defend and protect H from getting fired. As long as the situation is just, I would defend H. at the cost of my job, if necessary.
The evil of one sin winds it’s way through all these lives…
Your thoughts, please.
-Wretched Sinner
At work, about 2 years ago, the manager of my department told me that a person, call him H., was being considered for management by the Number 2 and 3 persons in charge of our entire organization.
H. is not a bad man, but in my opinion (and in the opinion of my co-workers and manager at the time) he is arrogant, boastful, and simply doesn’t have the personality to be a manager in our department. I do not judge the man’s soul and he can be genuinely good when you are alone with him, but he seems (and not only to me) “puffed up” somehow, as if he thinks he is simply meant to be in charge. In some of his actions, he would show very little respect for the organization and my manager in particular. He spent 20 years in the army and ended up as a sargeant of some sort. He used the GI Bill to earn a Bachelors degree in Business Administration.
Having said all this I think he has the job knowledge and technical skill to be in management, but lacks the personality and diplomatic skills needed in our particular organization.
Now when I heard from my manager that H. was being considered for management by the 2nd and 3rd persons in charge of our organization, instead of keeping my own thoughts and minding my own business I went to another one of my coworkers and told her what I had heard.
This other coworker, call her J., is extremely close friends with the number 1 in our organization. Some would say she has an inordinate pull with him. She also does not like H. very much at all. I told her because I knew that she would go to Number 1 to try and ask him not to consider H. for the management position.
Sure enough, she went to Number 1 and he told her not to worry, he wouldn’t make H. a manager. I have a feeling that J. had spoken to Number 1 about H. before, so Number 1 was already disposed to not consider H. for management. However, I cannot be sure of this.
I admit it was wrong to do what I did.
Now, fast forward to the present. I am now the manager of the department. At the time the above events took place, however, I didn’t do what I did to simply clear myself a path for advancement, at least not consciously. I was more worried about having to work for the guy and about the supposed “injustice” of the whole situation if H. was promoted. Sin distorts everything, as you can see.
Now I find myself needing a possible Assistant Manager. H. is still in the department and would want the position. J. is still in the department and still has influence with Number 1.
Even where I am now, I still do not think that H. would make a good manager because of the personality issue.
In order to try and repair some of the damage I have done to H. by my indiscretion in telling J. those years ago (which was at the very least a contributing factor in H. not being considered), does justice require that I recommend H. for the promotion? I honestly don’t think he would be a good fit for the position.
How do you begin to make restitution for using evil means (telling J.) to achieve an end that you judged was right, even though it was not your judgement to make? Now that it is your judgement to make, are you required to use a means that would be dishonest (recommending H.) to achieve an end that you believe would be detrimental, in order to make restitution for the previously used evil means?
H. is a good employee, but now as a manager myself I don’t think he would be a good assistant manager in our department.
As a bit of a postscript, J. has attempted over the past year and a half (since I became manager) to get H. fired through her influence with Number 1. I have done everything I can (and will continue to do so as long as H. is in my deparment) to defend and protect H from getting fired. As long as the situation is just, I would defend H. at the cost of my job, if necessary.
The evil of one sin winds it’s way through all these lives…
Your thoughts, please.
-Wretched Sinner
