Work vent.. I love my job but I think I may lose it.

I am one of those strange folks. I actually like my job. I do really! It’s fun, challenging and every day is different.

Lately I’ve had some ‘issues’. Mostly stress related and feeling unwanted. I’ve got a co-worker who is a whole lot less qualified than me telling me how to do my job and being rude and obnoxious. It finally got to me and I brought it up. My bad. Never complain about things that aren’t really your concern, as I was told. They give her more leeway because … well who knows why.

So I bit my tongue and tried to just work hard and keep my head low. Things seemed to be working out just fine, until this morning. I was pulled aside (again) to be spoken with. I was told that there have been complaints. What I don’t get was these were the three complaints:

Not meeting deadlines
Work Product quality
Professionalism
Always saying I’m too busy to help

I was floored. I had to know. Who have I ever told that I was ‘too busy’. She said “well no one, but you get the idea”. Actually no I don’t get the idea, but I let it go. Later in the ‘meeting’ I asked if there was a deadline I missed that I should be aware of since it was brought up, she says “No, no one has reported any deadline issues with you, you’re very timely with your work”. Hrm. Now I’m getting lost. When I asked “ok, so what project did I fumble that my work product was brought to question because you know I pride myself in my work” again she says “actually no one has complained about your work either.

OK, is it just me or would YOU be confused?

Professionalism she snags me on EVERYTIME. Today it was “you think you’re up here, but you really down here, you need to see that” – talk about a real pleasant thing to hear. She slipped once and said “you’re walking a thin line”. She took it back and said “What I meant to say was the spotlight is on you.”

This SUX!

Since this is the second time I’ve been spoken to in less than 45 days I am sure to have this put into my file. She’s already told me as nicely as she could my next review will not have a positive reflection on teamwork. DAMN IT!

The only saving grace is that she sees my work product, my attitude and my deadlines. I work with her as much as the others. She has no complaints and is going to try to ‘work with’ me to gain the confidence of my coworkers again!

I seriously seriously do NOT need this stress!

Sorry to hear you are having this problem. I am confused, if no one has specfically said those things about you why did she mention them?

thankfully my supervisor sees it my way.

A LOT of what I do is very much proof of my dedication to my job. In other words a lot of what I do ends up on paper. So it's not like its hidden.

I don't get why she brought up those things if no one is complaining about them.

I spoke with a coworker (just sorta sly) and I gotta feeling she's the one who did it. Innocently enough, no less. Someone said something and she got dragged in about handing off her work to me. Now she assumed it was me complaining about doing her work since I am more knowledgable and shouldnt have to work 'for her'. Dummy! I can see where she may get the idea, but I would have told her to her face.

Anyway she got defense and told my head boss that she thinks I have a problem with her authority and that I use the 'im busy' as an excuse.

I nearly died.

She and I just had a good long talk and she now realizes it A) wasnt me who said crap B) Oh yeah, you do work for me on stuff with no complaints, dont you (Duh) C) Yes, we hit heads on stuff but I NEVER go over her head I take it to her door and we work it out and D) She wonders if maybe she said some really bad things in the heat of the moment.

Bah!

Drama!

My boss and I have some ideas to work this out. Firstly I ran through every project on every account Im assigned to, the progress and deadlines, the communication cycles and the responses to date. Then i went through all the projects Im working on that I've been taking up the slack for the girl who quit last month and gave the same details. Finally went through accounts which the advisors gave a 'don't need you' response to. Even then I went through all the team projects I head up or work with the department leaders to complete for our team.

She just stared at me. 'You seem like you have a full plate' That's when I asked who said I was too busy and she said 'actually no one' I'm never too busy to lend a hand. I just helped her and two others with a pesty task that had them working late. I'm not part of that account nor did I know squat about the project, but I walked over and put in some elbow grease to make sure the client was happy and the project was complete so they could go home on time (not that I ever go home at ALL). She knows that too.

It's just a REALLY tough place for me to be in right now.

I'm sorry you are having such a hard time at work. I hope it gets better real soon.

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Posted by smm2675

holy cow! that is just too much drama for one job - do u work for the white house or NASA?? you know, where the little things matter.

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Ha ha.. I needed that.

It feels like it. I work for the largest insurance broker in the world. Yeah us. *shrug* Over 60,000 employees world wide and 1600 in this building. Can we all say little fish big pond? Why do I know these stupid stats? Because we had a town hall meeting where all 1600 were required to gather and hear about how GRAND New York is and how we fit into the big picture. (shoved us into the Grand Hyatt Ballroom, nice place btw but under construction)

She's not sly.. she's slow.
Really.

She's been in America 2 years and thinks I should out rank her because Im smarter, faster and have more experience. She so doesnt get office politics. She has the college degree, I don't. Believe it or not, that really *IS* the only reason I don't out rank her. But I'm ok with that (starting school this fall).

For now Im just gonna try extra hard to be in the good light for everyone and ask a whole lot more 'can I help you?'.


ETA: Just read what I wrote. that last line about 'can I help you' maybe I should apply at Walmart if this job falls through heh

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Posted by Xelindrya


Ha ha.. I needed that.

It feels like it. I work for the largest insurance broker in the world. Yeah us. *shrug* Over 60,000 employees world wide and 1600 in this building. Can we all say little fish big pond? Why do I know these stupid stats? Because we had a town hall meeting where all 1600 were required to gather and hear about how GRAND New York is and how we fit into the big picture. (shoved us into the Grand Hyatt Ballroom, nice place btw but under construction)

She's not sly.. she's slow.
Really.

She's been in America 2 years and thinks I should out rank her because Im smarter, faster and have more experience. She so doesnt get office politics. She has the college degree, I don't. Believe it or not, that really *IS* the only reason I don't out rank her. But I'm ok with that (starting school this fall).

For now Im just gonna try extra hard to be in the good light for everyone and ask a whole lot more 'can I help you?'.


ETA: Just read what I wrote. that last line about 'can I help you' maybe I should apply at Walmart if this job falls through heh

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It sounds like she gets it just fine if people are talking to you about non-performance and teamwork issues while admitting they aren't issues at all.

Good luck!

Sorry about the work issues. Hopefully it will pass soon.