Power Maniac on the loose 7

[rphips]

Helo everyone,

I have a very sticky situation here that I hope someone out there has delt with before and can assist.

I work for a small comapny and really enjoy working for my boss and this company. I get to venture into tech realms and work with equipment that other engineers dream of, from simple network development to major robotics - and animation. and my boss is always challenging me to reach the next level.

But the problem is there is this older women who is in our department and her main job is to run reports and sit around clipping coupons. (shes basically his secratary) Now this doesn't bother me because she has been here a while and she stays out of my hair as I stretch my mind in technical affairs. But when my boss is gone she turns into a little tyrant and acts like she runs the whole department.
I mean there is nothing more annoying then someone (who doesn't have clue) telling you what to do and how to do it in a real loud voice and if you say something she just yells "thats your job, now do it" and that what really tees me off.
Also she has demanded that I CC her on all my email correspondance even though she has no clue on what I am doing or even talking about.

Needless to say I don't CC her and I really try hard to ignore her but when your boss is gone 60% of the time it is rough.

I don't want to quit this perfect job because of someone who thinks they are in charge but I am finding it harder and harder to deal with .

any suggestions.

bob

 

[Bandenjamin]

Simple answer here is to go to your boss and ask him to clarify roles with her. Let your boss know that she makes your job more difficult with these demands. Honestly I would just CC her on all the emails that are relevant, maybe CC your boss as well. Otherwise just ignore her and pick the battles that are worth fighting

--Dan
Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect.
Mark Twain

 

[SQLSister]

I suspect you aren't going to like my answer.

First clarify with your boss what her role is when he is out. It is entirely possible that she is in fact in charge when he is gone and that you are the problem by resisting her direction. In fact you are the propblem anyway even if she isn't in charge because of how you behave towards her and because the only person's behavior you change is your own. If you stop treating her like some dumb secretary I can't be bothered to deal with, she might be more cooperative with you as well. Funny thing about that.

When you have a personality conflict at work, you need to do these things:
Make sure that what you are assuming about that person's duties is in fact true. The person may have responsibilites you do no know about.
Discuss the issues face to face and in a calm professional manner. If you think she is asking for things that are unreasonable, then discuss with her and your boss how your job impacts hers and exactly what the process is for handling items when the boss is not present. Don't get angry or behave badly or evryone will think you are the problem.
Learn to get along with people you don't like. Every job has them. You don't have to behave badly just because someone else does. You don't have to resist legitimate requests because you don't like the requester.
Do the tasks you are asked to do without bitching about them. If asked to cc her, then check with your boss and if he says to cc her, then do so whether you think she should get a copy or not. Frankly refusing to do so comes across as unprofessional and immature. You do not know what her responsibilites are that may require her to know what is going on in your area.

You have not mentioned anything about ever discussing these issues with your boss or with the person you are complaining about. If the responsibility she has is not clear to you, it is far better to talk to your boss about it and let him handle it if she is overstepping or to adjust your attitude if she is not than it is to simply behave like a spoiled child.


"NOTHING is more important in a database than integrity." ESquared

 

[rosieb]

As above...

I agree, establish what the lines of authority "really" are. Ask your boss - but do it gently. "In your absence, who do I report to?" type of thing.

But:

What is your problem on cc'ing her? What harm can that do?

Have you tried talking to her? Explain what you are doing, and why. Maybe if she knows what you are doing she'd feel more confident about you, trust you more.

You say she's basically a secretary, but do you know exactly what she really does? Find out. She may well be much more than you realise.

With a bit of effort, you could, possibly,turn her into an ally.

Rosie
"It doesn't matter how beautiful your theory is, it doesn't matter how smart you are. If it doesn't agree with experiment, it's wrong." Richard Feynman

 

[rphips]

Good day

what you have said doesn't bother me in the least bit -

Mainly because you have not grasp what I have said or I have said it so poorly that I have lead you down the wrong path.

To clairify - she is a secretary and her job is to run reports and perform the backups when I am not here. Thats it nothing else , nothing more. I am not trying to belittle her but thats is all she is responsible for.

Now no where in my original did I said I treat her like a dumb secretary - in fact there is no such creature as a dumb secretary - they usally know more of what is going on than anybody else in the company.

Now is she part of our IT team - according to the boss NO, when he has his meetings with us she sit to the side and takes notes for him while we discuss the upcoming projects. Have I tried to get her involved? Well,I have tried a multitude of times to show her the network and how to do things - like make a user, set up printing, or have her assist in setting up a cluster of Linux servers - to only get thats your job - you do it.

And believe it or not its not that she walks around acting like she is the boss (cause that attitude just flows by me like the breeze) its the yelling and demanding that irks me. and that wouldn't bother me either if she knew what she was talking about or even cared. It is all just a show and most of the time we just laugh. But you can tell it gets on everybodys nerves.

Now as far as talking to the boss - yeah right - you don't know this company. My boss is a jelly fish and half baked out of his mind. Don't get me wrong he is a great boss just not all there (great technical mind, and nothing else).
and she is the one who keeps him grounded and in touch with reality she is like his mother.

She really is a nice person until he is gone. It usally takes a couple of days then she starts to turn - now I am starting to wonder if it is withdraw symptoms with no one around to mother????


And no she is not left in charge or does she have the responsibility to run the department while the boss is away.

 

[zarkon4]

lol, get half baked with him and when you both are half baked or baked, tell him "Mom is harpin' on me man, can you help?"

I'm sorry, I just couldn't resist the urge for some humor.

 

[sha76]

Maybe she feels the boss is the only one who takes any notice of her? Try asking her for help with something (something that she genuinely can help you with. I'd say she's right, network admin is an IT job, not a secretary's), it could be all that it needs to change her attitude towards you & maybe to change the way you viww her.

"Your rock is eroding wrong." -Dogbert

 

[sleipnir214]

her main job is to run reports and sit around clipping coupons.

I am not trying to belittle her

now I am starting to wonder if it is withdraw symptoms with no one around to mother????

I'm having difficulty reconciling these statements.

and my boss is always challenging me to reach the next level

My boss is a jelly fish and half baked out of his mind.

I'm having trouble reconciling these statements, too.


The way I see it, you're the one who is dissatisfied with the situation (at least you haven't mentioned coworkers who are dissatisfied, too), so you must be the agent of change. Either confront your boss about this or confront the secretary the next time she treats you in a way you don't like. But either way, your success will depend on your forcing the issue. I recommend that you be polite but implacably firm.

Were it me, I'd record one of her outbursts then take a duplicate of that recording to the boss when next he returns to the office.





Want to ask the best questions? Read Eric S. Raymond's essay "How To Ask Questions The Smart Way". TANSTAAFL!

 

[aarenot]

O.K. I think that everyone can have, and is entitled to an attitude, and even to think they are superior to others. They have a right to think that someone else is just a secretary, or just a janitor, or just an IT guy, or whatever.
That being said, no one has a right to treat other people poorly, belittle people, or act badly regardless of what their personal, and privledged to have opinion, or attitude is. In other words, be angry all you want, but keep it to yourself, and don't take it out on others, even if they tell you what to think, what to do, and how to feel.

I would record her yelling crap, or covertly be on the phone to the boss while she is doing it. I would also ask her in a overlty calm, cool, and collected whispering voice, " I do not disrespect you, yelling, screaming, and barking out orders like a first sargeant, and I would appreciate it if you would kindly return the proffessional courtesy. If not, I will have to ask you to refrain from speaking to me, and to limit your communication to EM when the boss is not around. I may also find it neccesary to report to HR that you seem to be having a hard time dealing with the stress, and are having angry, and verbally agressive outbursts, and that they may need to intervene, and get her some help like counseling for your anger management issues.

Cut this person break, at least he is trying to seek advice in his/her frustration with this co-worker via tek-tips, not just taking it out on them by childish outbursts of temper tantrums.

Bottom line her yelling, and screaming is not proffessional, and her public, and unsolicited private review of your performance is out of line totally if you are not her direct report.

 

[wlemery]

I agree with aarenot, with the only caveat being that recording a conversation without the other person's knowledge is illegal in some states and under certain conditions. I suggest you consult a lawyer before you try this, and while you're at it, check the legalities about providing a hostile work environment and acceptable management behavior.

 

[aarenot]

Most of the US of A have laws regarding recording phone calls, not recording conversations.
Many states only require that one party on a phone call be aware the call is being recorded for it to be legal.
In most cases it is not ilegal to record any converstaion, yet the recording may be inadmissible as evidence in a court of law just the same.
I would consider reporting her to HR for her behaviour regardless of if she ends up being in charge when the boss is gone.

 

[wlemery]

Doing a quick search on the Internet for privacy law yielded that Federal law does not prohibit recording a conversation between people so long as the person doing the recording can hear the conversation without the aid of technology. States have their own laws on this, with some being much more stringent than others.

Not that I don't believe aarenot (who sounds reasonable and believable) or everything I read on the Internet, but I'd still consult a lawyer.

If you plan to complain about this kind of behavior to HR, begin documenting incidents immediately and make sure to note anyone who witnessed this abuse, which is what you're describing.

 

[lhuegele]

Companies are required to provide a workplace that is free from harrassment, hostility, and intimidation. Stick to that and like wlemery stated, start documenting every incident - dates, times, and list of people who witnessed the behavior.

Your employer is required to address the situation, but you must provide details, which is why you need to document everything.

Good luck,

 

[burtsbees]

Don't play shrink---that's for a shrink. Have you tried just setting the old bat on fire?

Burt

 

[Toni269]

Yeah I'm with lhuegele, you shoulden't have to put up with that.

But if you love the job, tough it out, the irritating people always end up leaving sooner or later.