#034 Reverse-DelegaShawn

Another crap day at work, but something changed.

I was alone in the department today, my co-worker took a personal day, as well the Accounts Receivable girl was not in. The Auditors are still in the office, and it was month end for Finance. 

I was everyone's best friend and most needed co-worker. By 9:30am I had a list of 11 'urgent request', another 6 'can I have by noon?'  4 'by end of the day, please' and 2 leftovers from Friday afternoon.  At 10 AM anyone that came to my desk, and they kept on coming in a steady stream, were answered with the following; "No. Sorry. I won't be able to accommodate your request. Please speak to my Manager and he will assign your request if he feels it necessary." 

I got a few looks, and an "Are you kidding?"  I politely showed them the list and said, it's not going to happen. One of the Finance Department said they would be addressing this to my Boss' Manager when she returned from Vacation. I said that's a perfectly reasonable reaction for someone from a department of eight employees that expects their work to be done by one person from a department of five, who was already doing the work of three people. I'm sure she'll be very understanding to your needs.

I don't think I've ever said 'No" so much in my life. And I'll tell you what, it felt AMAZING!

Up until Friday of last week, I'd just keep letting people dump their crap work on my desk and would just barrel through, often taking a very late lunch or none at all.  Well no more. 

I am certainly a team player, but there are limits. I want my direct Manager to see just exactly what is being asked of me from other departments, on top of my expected duties.  We're in the midst of our annual review and set up of our personal objectives for the following year. I realized after completing my part of the review, just how much of other people's work I am doing.  If he want's me to do it, I'll do it, but something from my existing deliverable will have to be removed. 

In the mean time, if you need something from me, go see my Boss first. 

#009 SuggestShawn

There comes a time on one's life when you just have to say, 'Fuck it! Y'on your own."

I have a co-worker that talks... NON. STOP. She offers colour commentary to absolutely every single thing she does throughout the day, including vocalizing what she's thinking about doing.

On top of that, she asks questions. Questions. Questions. Questions. She ask's what you'd do? What is your opinion? What does this mean? What is that? How can I find such and such? Where is that thing?

So as a person that's not a total dick, *I* answer those questions. I offer my opinions. I make suggestions. I help out where I can.

And never once is anything I say taken into consideration. It's as if, regardless of what I answer, she goes with the opposite. At first I used to think that I was just imagining it. But I've tested this over time. I'll actually answer contrary to what I even want to say. I'll actually give the wrong answer. I've even answered the same questions (posed at different times) with the opposite answer of the original response, sometimes days or weeks in the past; and she still goes to the opposite answer I just gave.

Well today I drew a line in the sand. And after going on and on about a work situation that we were both dealing with -  I was done with it for over an hour, she was still chugging along because, of course, she was T A L K I N G    N O N    S T  O P...  She asked, how I was done so quickly? I told her I ran a quick report based on historical data from our clients and was able to use that to base who I should and shouldn't call. instead of just calling all my clients (even those that do not purchase the product in question) blindly. Then... get this, I offered her the report so she can cut to the chase and just call the necessary clients.  Well she said that it was a "waste of paper" (the report was 24 pages). This from the person that prints all her email. ALL of them.

I calmly looked at her and said, "While I disagree with what you consider a waste of paper, you're more than welcome to spend the next couple of hours calling clients you don't need to. It's really not my problem. I'll just sit over here not listening to you complain about how behind you are." 

And while I was at it, I said, "And in the future, I suggest, unless you're talking about one of my clients, don't bother asking me anything because it's just a waste of my time."

Yea, that was a dick thing to do, true; but stick a fork in me, I am done.