Work Day from Hell
Well, I'm off to Virginia for the big family reunion/baby shower - will blog later on about my day today, which turned out to be perhaps the worst day in my working career. Its official, I have the boss from hell!!
In a nutshell, he's a micro-manager to the extreme and has begun to itemize every little thing I do the slightest bit wrong. The increased scrutiny has made me even more prone to mistakes, aye! Today he reamed me out big time for:
1. Failing to remind him immediately when he walked through the door of things he said I was to remind him off.
2. daring to touch a shared spreadsheet when he said "give me a list" which is not the same thing as a spreadsheet apparently and than not following his directions on project - though I did exactly as he asked. oh also I am not allowed to touch any spreadsheets without his consent.
3. Sending an internal email with a mistake in it and not realizing that I should have asked him first before proceeding. I am not allowed to email without his consent.
4. Not contacting another professor about a project, despite the fact that this project doesn't have a deadline.
Aye! It looks like I might get the ax, I say 50/50 shot that when I get into the office on Monday morning I get the big termination letter. On one hand I wouldn't care because I can't stand my manager but on the other hand, we could use the money for sure and I hate the idea that I would be fired, which has never happened to me before, like there is something wrong with me. What bothers me most is that he seems to be itemizing my every mistake and I am not allowed any learning curve. Any suggestions??
posted by Virginia Gal @ 2:09 AM
6 Comments:
Start looking for another job. Working for that guy isn't working, and life is too short to be berated every day. Don't quit until you get a new one though, the money is nice.
I agree with Joe, but I would also just become the micro-managed employee from hell.
If he's not allowing you to have authority over your goings-on, then hand EVERYTHING over to him. Go into his office before EVERY email with the draft printed out and have him okay it. Before EVERY phone call, let him know who you need to call, and when, and tell him you want to know what language to use/tone to strike, etc. Tell him when you're going to the bathroom and that you anticipate returning in X minutes. Don't do ANY work without his explicit, immediate knowledge and consent. And if he bitches at you for delaying work due to waiting for his consent, politely let him know that the last time you took the initiative to do work w/o his knowledge or consent, he got angry. "I'm just trying to meet your wishes." If he asks you to remind him of something in the morning, DO NOT wait until the next morning. Send him an email that night to be waiting for him in his inbox. Do you share a calendar? PUT IT IN HIS CALENDAR. Print out the list and put it on his desk. These are pains in the ass, but not as ass-painy as getting yelled at. Do all of this sweetly, cordially and professionally. It's all about covering your ass.
I don't know his side of the story, but I've had bosses that don't want reasoning, self-starting employees, they want servants. When you give them the servant they want, at some point they become annoyed and just let you use your own judgement. It's obnoxious, but hang in there.
I had the day from hell, too, and changes at the office mean that the fun will continue on pretty much a daily basis. Fight or flight, I guess. I'll either get them to fix the problem or find a way to get out.
Only stay with a bad boss long enough to find a new one. I wish I had done that, and I wish my ex had done that too. Unfortunately, bad bosses are rampant. I think there's a special place in hell for them, frankly.
AND I had a call from hell yesterday... LITERALLY, according to the caller. But that's a story for another day.
And I thought Halloween was over for this year.
If you need to job, you just lay as low as possible while you search for a better one.
Joe - thanks I have already started looking : )
Molly - thanks, I've taken your advice to heart!
Merci - aye, I feel your pain and please feel free to come over here to Gyspy Thoughts to vent, without venting we will go insane.
Secret Agent - will take your advice, lay low, thanks!
hello there thanks for your grat post, as usual ((o:
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