Taking action at work

[Anglewannabe]

As I have shared numerous times, I am underemployed but thank God everyday I have a pay check.

I am a temp at work. I have tried really hard to go along with what everyone wants and not get angry when things do not go the right way. One thing I was hired to do was clean up a big account. In order for me to do this, I need to ask this one guy I will call ‘Norm’ for information.

I have tried to organize my questions in a nice organizational format and have all the leg work done before I approach him. I gave him a stack of papers with my questions nicely organized. I have no idea where he put them. Anything I have done to organize the procedure and make it go smoothly was met with resistance by him. I have even tried to tell him I am starting to get heat from my manager because this is not getting done and he just says he is busy with other stuff. Norm is the type of guy I can get along with socially but he has no respect for my time work wise.

My manager has made it crystal clear that I am to start getting this work done. When I told her that I did not feel comfortable as a temp telling a co-worker that was fairly high up what to do because he would then think ‘Who is this Angie to tell me what to do, get rid of her’ my manager said ‘You have been here 6 months it is ok to start pressuring him’

Well…I suspect Norm is one of those people who has a problem with authority and the more he is asked to something the more he will interpret it as nagging and purposely not do it. He strikes me as the type who comes and goes as he pleases and will not let anyone change that.

This is my idea and I am wondering what people think. I promise this time not to get mad at anyone who posts

Norm has a different manager than me and my manager will be out of the office most of next week. So when I do see her, this is what I am planning on saying: Anything I have tried in the past to get things happening has not worked. I have an idea of a plan of attack that could work. However with out ‘Joe’s’ (Joe is the big wig that wants this done) OK, I don’t feel comfortable doing it. I know you are busy and I respect your authority and do NOT want to go over your head. Would you be OK if I brought my plan of attack to Joe, explained to him that if he is OK I could tell Norm this is what Joe wants. Then I would feel more comfortable putting the heat on Mike because I would feel I had Joe’s backing and I would be open to changing my plan to however Joe wants it done

How does that sound? The problem I am having is I really am not comfortable criticise Norm’s disorganization and lack of work even in a polite matter because I am a temp

Angie

 

[Xantippe]

How about documenting your requests to Norm by talking to him, following up by email with a summary of your request and ccing your manager? Obviously, don’t flood your manager’s inbox, but make it clear that you are not the obstacle.

 

[Bulbasaur05]

If I were in your position I would make a prayer request in this forum. I have had long stretches of unemployment and I used the periods to find spiritual poverty and engrossed myself in loads of prayer. I have a great job now, and although I am very blessed and grateful, I find myself nowhere near as prayerful and much more worldly.

 

[retire_early]

How about documenting your requests to Norm by talking to him, following up by email with a summary of your request and ccing your manager? Obviously, don’t flood your manager’s inbox, but make it clear that you are not the obstacle.

Exactly my thought!

 

[Petaro]

Exactly my thought!

I would also cc Norm’s manager. The question I would have would be why there is resistance. No possibility of malfeasance ? Just a thought. God Bless!

 

[CAROLOFTHEBELLS]

Good suggestion. Maybe even email your request first, follow up with an in person drop by (just in the neighborhood type thing) soon after.

Also, my thoughts are that since your manager made it crystal clear that you are to start getting this work done it is best to focus on what your manager expects, not your perception of Norm, and push aside your uncomfortable feelings in favor of attacking the work. My personality would make me somewhat shy and timid in this situation, but I would know I have to bite the bullet and jump in and push a bit, politely.

I have never been a temp, but I see your position as a great help and it would be a disappointment to me if I were a manager or supervisor if you would not come through just because you feel ackward or reluctant. I think she was trying to tell you to raise the bar for yourself a bit.

I would not wait or try making the situation more comfortable, as tempting as those ideas are. If I understand your idea correctly, getting a more senior manager involved or whoever is lead on the project, may backfire by making you appear to not have a clear grasp of what is needed. If you understand what is needed, don’t make yourself look as if you don’t just because of your perceptions of Norm. I would try to get as much accomplished as possible before she returns. Document all interactions.

Having said that, only you know your work situation and personalities. So it is up to you and your own judgement. As you know, I have been unemployed for a very long time, so I don’t know how much you can trust me. LOL In the past, though, I had jobs with deadlines and know I could not get much done when I focused on my feelings about the people involved. I have also supervised people, although I had a pretty easy time of it I suppose, and I really appreciated when temps and work study employees (and volunteers) went out if their way to help our office get projects completed.

By the way, I once had a new supervisor who I suppose was intimidated by me because I worked there longer, had more knowledge of some of the work involved in running our program, and had been a candidate for her position (admittedly, I was jealous that she was promoted, though I did not show it to her). There were a couple of times when she asked me to do work or to assist her in outreach when I sensed she was uncomforable approaching me and I wished she did not feel that way. I was willing and able to do what she wanted.

 

[anonymous_in_fl]

I agree with what everyone has already posted, but I would suggest also you start looking for a job elsewhere. Unfortunately, you may get branded as a troublemaker for (accurately) pointing out the errors of a more senior employee. Just be aware.

 

[lalindsay225]

I agree that any further requests for information from Norm should be made via e-mail, cc’ing both your boss and his. This will document your attempts to get the information, as well as his noncompliance. Don’t let this man damage your career.

 

[1ke]

Dear Norm,

I need XYZ by Friday in order to keep on schedule for this project. I will be by your office at 9 a.m. to pick it up. If you will not be able to accommodate this request, please let me know today along with what date you will be able to have XYZ completed so that I can notify of the timeline. I have been given deliverable dates that need to be met, so any delay or conflicting priorities will need to be negotiated between and .

Thank you,
Jane

When Friday comes and goes, forward the email to your boss and Norm’s boss asking for assistance.

Done.

 

[Xantippe]

1ke,

That’s brilliant.

 

[Cat]

Dear Norm,

I need XYZ by Friday in order to keep on schedule for this project. I will be by your office at 9 a.m. to pick it up. If you will not be able to accommodate this request, please let me know today along with what date you will be able to have XYZ completed so that I can notify of the timeline. I have been given deliverable dates that need to be met, so any delay or conflicting priorities will need to be negotiated between and .

Thank you,
Jane

When Friday comes and goes, forward the email to your boss and Norm’s boss asking for assistance.

Done.

This is the way to go. Now just go do it.

 

[Anglewannabe]

How about documenting your requests to Norm by talking to him, following up by email with a summary of your request and ccing your manager? Obviously, don’t flood your manager’s inbox, but make it clear that you are not the obstacle.

I tried that and got no where

 

[Anglewannabe]

Also, my thoughts are that since your manager made it crystal clear that you are to start getting this work done it is best to focus on what your manager expects, not your perception of Norm, and push aside your uncomfortable feelings in favor of attacking the work. .

The thing is I have a clear perception of what needs to be done. I just can not move ahead any further until Norm gives me the information I need. If I pressure Norm, my fear is he will purposely resist giving it to me because he will see it as a control thing.

I think she was trying to tell you to raise the bar for yourself a bit. .

The only bar she wants me to raise is to get information out of Norm quicker and again, this is a very delicate situation because one false move on my part and I will look bad.

If I understand your idea correctly, getting a more senior manager involved or whoever is lead on the project, may backfire by making you appear to not have a clear grasp of what is needed. If you understand what is needed, don’t make yourself look as if you don’t just because of your perceptions of Norm. .

My plan of attack in a nut shell is I have 100 questions for Norm. I wanted to set a goal for example : We answer 10 of these questions per week and in 10 weeks the work is complete. Norm is the only person who can answer this because technically it is his job to keep this information organized

I would try to get as much accomplished as possible before she returns. Document all interactions. .

Again, I have done everything I could, gave all the paper to Mike and have no idea where he put it. I will have to do it again but at least I have learned to save a copy.

I had jobs with deadlines and know I could not get much done when I focused on my feelings about the people involved. .

That is the whole problem, there is NO deadline so I have no ammunition to use against Norm

 

[Anglewannabe]

Dear Norm,

I need XYZ by Friday in order to keep on schedule for this project. I will be by your office at 9 a.m. to pick it up. If you will not be able to accommodate this request, please let me know today along with what date you will be able to have XYZ completed so that I can notify of the timeline. I have been given deliverable dates that need to be met, so any delay or conflicting priorities will need to be negotiated between and .

Thank you,
Jane

When Friday comes and goes, forward the email to your boss and Norm’s boss asking for assistance.

Done.

I would LOVE to be able to do this. However, as I mentioned before, the is no deadline or time line or deliverables. Basically the plan of attack I wanted to bring to the senior manager was a schedule of milestones to be met so that the project could be completed in 2 months. Then I would have explained to the senior manager that it is because I feel asking Norm to spend anymore time on it would not be realistic

 

[Xantippe]

Ask for a deadline.

Norm needs a sense of urgency.

Also, your “100 questions” for Norm sounds like a huge time suck for Norm. No wonder he’s being uncooperative. Can you trim it down a bit?

 

[Xantippe]

Maybe you can book some time to “work with him” on this? Namely, hang around while he retrieves the information?

I have the feeling that this is not a person you can just hand a pile of papers and walk off and expect to get anything back.

 

[Anglewannabe]

Ask for a deadline.

Norm needs a sense of urgency.

Also, your “100 questions” for Norm sounds like a huge time suck for Norm. No wonder he’s being uncooperative. Can you trim it down a bit?

The truth is, Norm has set up a procedure so that I can figure a few things out for myself. However, he never told me about it until we were in a meeting with my manager and I said to him ‘I mean this in a polite way but when I ask I give you a chart of all the information and all I need is the certificate, you have been putting certificates on my desk and not giving me back the chart so I am not able to figure out where to use the certificate. It would be help full if you gave me back the chart at the same time as the certificate’. He pointed his finger at me and said 'that is because you have not been including xyz on you chart. I never knew he needed xyz until then. But I bit my tongue and said 'Thank you for telling me. Now that I know I will include xyz. But I honestly NEVER knew it would be helpful or that it could even be used because he added it to the procedure and never told me.

So, yes I could trim it down but I still would have 90 questions

 

[Anglewannabe]

Maybe you can book some time to “work with him” on this? Namely, hang around while he retrieves the information?

I have one that numerous times and he will spend over 50% of the time answering his cell phone about other things. He will answer a question and then get up from his desk and say 'I am going to talk to Bob about something else I will be back in a minute. And he doesn’t return for 10 minutes. I honestly will spend hours at his desk literally watching him work and he will accomplish may 20 minutes worth of work that is helpful to me. If anything, I think that is the problem. I have been going along with his time wasting for too long and I am planning on stopping that.

I have the feeling that this is not a person you can just hand a pile of papers and walk off and expect to get anything back.

I 100% agree which is why I am taking the suggestion of putting it all in an email and then I will be able to go back to my manager and prove I when I asked for it.