klmno
Active Member
I've been working out of my home for another small group of professionals in my same field. My "supervisor" or the person who's actually managing this work has less experience than I do but I didn't care because I was happy to get the work and she was involved with this particular client from the beginning, etc. So, things have been going ok except for two things- 1) she is constantly changing the direction she sends me in, then the head guy questions either why I have that many hours to bill for or why I don't have more done; 2) when the head guy starts to get agitated about things not going the way he wants, I get these emails from her saying she told me to do XYZ, but yet that isn't exactly correct.
Two weeks ago the head guy said he wanted me to put more hours in- which I had been trying to get all along but I had to subtly and politely push this lady to send me enough work to put more hours in- she kept saying she had to spend some time on it too get it together. That might be true, however, the head guy should have been told that by her if it was the case. Then, she sent work, but emailed every day or two changing what I was to do on it. Then, she told me that I could expect more changes from the client. On Friday she sent an email telliong me to hold off and not do anymore work due to the amount of changes expected from the client. This weekend I tried to get things coordinated enough to make sense without actually changing anything more and sent her files, per her request. I also sent an invoice, which should have been there Friday afternoon so I'll take the blame for sending it at 7:50 this morning instead.
Now, I have rec'd and email from this lady thanking me for sending this stuff but saying "however, I had sent you several emails telling you to stop work". I went back and read them aggain. I have two from earlier last week saying "maybe we shouldn't make this change yet" but then within a day I'd get another saying "well, ok, go ahead and make the change". The ONLY one that said Stop or Hold Off working on this project wzas the one that came in Friday at lunch time.
I need to email her back acknowledging that I have stopped work- meaning of coourse that I can't put more hours in like the head guy had asked. But also, I feel a little defensive for her trying to say that she had told me before to stop when she hadn't. I think the head guy questions her and when he does, she points the finger at me. I don't know which one is the problem but it appears like poor managgement is the problem to me. I'm not getting in the middle of that- I just want the head guy to know that if I am to putt more hours in, I need the work given to me and that the work I have been doing or not doing has been per her direction, which keeps changing.
Suggestions of how to respond to her? This is such a close-knit profession that going behind her back and talking to the head guy would probably backfire because she has been working for him for several years. Also, I should note that in this profession at least, this tactic of blaming the "new guy" is VERY common.
Two weeks ago the head guy said he wanted me to put more hours in- which I had been trying to get all along but I had to subtly and politely push this lady to send me enough work to put more hours in- she kept saying she had to spend some time on it too get it together. That might be true, however, the head guy should have been told that by her if it was the case. Then, she sent work, but emailed every day or two changing what I was to do on it. Then, she told me that I could expect more changes from the client. On Friday she sent an email telliong me to hold off and not do anymore work due to the amount of changes expected from the client. This weekend I tried to get things coordinated enough to make sense without actually changing anything more and sent her files, per her request. I also sent an invoice, which should have been there Friday afternoon so I'll take the blame for sending it at 7:50 this morning instead.
Now, I have rec'd and email from this lady thanking me for sending this stuff but saying "however, I had sent you several emails telling you to stop work". I went back and read them aggain. I have two from earlier last week saying "maybe we shouldn't make this change yet" but then within a day I'd get another saying "well, ok, go ahead and make the change". The ONLY one that said Stop or Hold Off working on this project wzas the one that came in Friday at lunch time.
I need to email her back acknowledging that I have stopped work- meaning of coourse that I can't put more hours in like the head guy had asked. But also, I feel a little defensive for her trying to say that she had told me before to stop when she hadn't. I think the head guy questions her and when he does, she points the finger at me. I don't know which one is the problem but it appears like poor managgement is the problem to me. I'm not getting in the middle of that- I just want the head guy to know that if I am to putt more hours in, I need the work given to me and that the work I have been doing or not doing has been per her direction, which keeps changing.
Suggestions of how to respond to her? This is such a close-knit profession that going behind her back and talking to the head guy would probably backfire because she has been working for him for several years. Also, I should note that in this profession at least, this tactic of blaming the "new guy" is VERY common.