OK- now what?? (job related)

klmno

Active Member
I get what you all are saying, but there's a little more to it than I am comfortable putting here. When I worked at a company and we provided a service to clients as our job, I would never go to a client about internal issues, office politics, complaints or anything like that. This isn't that kind of situation. I just haven't figured out a way yet to explain it better without revealing more than I'm comfortable doing publicly.

I am happy keeping low key but it just doesn't work that way with boss. Really. He will be the one who stirs koi up and has an agenda already scripted. The only choice is how to react to it and I'm doing the ebst I can but a person can only take so much. How long could you sit there and listen to your boss bring up a subject a 3rd time after you have moved onto something else and go off on you? Do you cry, yell, walk out, or think you can sit there forever when you finally realize that he'll keep doing this until you do something? And the issue he keeps bringing up is something you were directed to do in the first place.

Yes, I would (and will) happily move on and put it behind me when/if I find another job. In the meantime, I have no choice but to work thru this as best I can because I'm simply in no position to quit. But, given the agency involved and the clearance process and my future career needs, I am expected to do something and not cover certain things up. That could come back to bite me bigger than getting a bad reference from this company.

I have found out, from this last person I interviewed with, that my 3 references (which are my 3 previous employers) are giving me really good praises so that helps.

Now as far as production- boss doesn't make the client any money. He is here to manage people who are working on a database. Many are questioning why, after several years, it is still in this bad of shape. They aren't doing this because he's given the client a good job. They are doing it because they have no one to replace him with and they have to have someone in that position to get the next contract.

I'm just trying to muddle thru a step at a time. If he thinks I'm going to be a doormat though, he'll stomp harder, I'm sure of that at this point. Really- we aren't just talking about a control freak or powerr trip- I think this guy honestly has some major psychiatric issues.
 

mom_to_3

Active Member
The only choice is how to react to it and I'm doing the ebst I can but a person can only take so much. How long could you sit there and listen to your boss bring up a subject a 3rd time after you have moved onto something else and go off on you? Do you cry, yell, walk out, or think you can sit there forever when you finally realize that he'll keep doing this until you do something? And the issue he keeps bringing up is something you were directed to do in the first place.

Thats the point exactly! Don't react. Reacting fuels his fire and lets him know you are easy prey. I personally couldn't sit there long, that is why I would have to move along........ The first thing we must realize is that in the grand scheme of things at work, how you feel or don't feel really doesn't matter. What matters is that you do exactly what your boss asks of you no matter how idiotic it is or how many times he changes his mind. Do it with a smile and do your best! Always document and as Marcie said email back to him a confirmation of your understanding.

It's not your job to try to get your boss fired, or to get others to take notice of how bad he is, no matter how much you dislike him or how underhanded you believe him to be. Your boss will show his a** one too many times and he will take care of his own undoing very well on his own. If you want your job, lay low, comply with what he asks (I know this is difficult) and keep a positive attitude (even more difficult). If you are so unhappy that you are able to do this, you need to move on. If you continue on as you are, you will appear to be a trouble maker that is uncompliant instead of a team player working with others to get the job done.

The next time he brings up something you've already discussed that he's changed his mind on, I would say "Oh, I'm so sorry! I must have misunderstood the last directions you emailed to me. Let me pull up that email so that you can you clarify what I should have done differently. Sometimes, you can nicely confront "these types" and while being "nice" let them know, that you did exactly what they asked for and that you have proof that is what they asked for. Nonconfrontational of course!

I'd keep my eyes open for another job for sure!
 

klmno

Active Member
He usually won't email them. And he conveniently forgets previous directions- even if they were just a few hours ago. He won't read or respond to half the emails he gets, whining that it's just too much for him to keep up with. He has directed me to put a report together and at another time, a list together, and both times asked me to email them to him so he could send them out. Then, he never sent either out or even read them. He asked me to email him a resume for pursuit of the new contract, I did, then 3-4 weeks later asked why I never emailed it to him. He's not that stupid though- he's CYAing. he's devious. I do see what you are saying, but it's like living with a difficult child who rages and has drastic mood swings and forceful, persistent manipulation and passive agressive tendencies. I'm not trying to get the guy fired. They could fire me at any moment. If they want to, they can do it today or Monday. If they don't, someone needs to at least address the situation so boss and I can muddle threw. Will they? Slim to none chance, yes I know. But "moving on" isn't something that can be done in one week.

I'm not trying to find a permanent solution here- I'm trying to get through one hour at a time with him.

on the other hand, there is a point in that if no employees ever complain, then they must be happy with their supervisor so why would upper management ever look into what's really going on? If employees start letting upper management know that there's an issue with this person, they probably will ignore the first 20, but eventually, they have to start getting a clue, whether they do anything about it or not. Upper management for this company isn't even in this state so they have no clue what this guy does or doesn't do. That's a big part of the problem- but, no, I'm not trying to change that.
 
Last edited:
Top