getting rid of weasels at work

[rob]

So. Yesterday, my team and I are presenting a prototype to our Dear Leader. Dear Leader surprises us by giving us a deadline much earlier than anticipated. Of course, our guy doing the presenting rolls with the punches and says, "no problem," because that's just what you do when the Bossman asks you to do something.

 

Afterwards, when we're alone, we all start stressing out about this new deliverable and how we hope he isn't expecting much, etc.

 

Today, across the hall in Dear Leader's office, I hear one of the guys who was there yesterday telling him all about "what he missed" after he left the meeting and having a bit of a laugh over it.

 

So, what do you do with a guy like this at work?

 

 

[KaskadskyjKozak]

So. Yesterday, my team and I are presenting a prototype to our Dear Leader. Dear Leader surprises us by giving us a deadline much earlier than anticipated. Of course, our guy doing the presenting rolls with the punches and says, "no problem," because that's just what you do when the Bossman asks you to do something.

 

Afterwards, when we're alone, we all start stressing out about this new deliverable and how we hope he isn't expecting much, etc.

 

Today, across the hall in Dear Leader's office, I hear one of the guys who was there yesterday telling him all about "what he missed" after he left the meeting and having a bit of a laugh over it.

 

So, what do you do with a guy like this at work?

 

 

throw him a "blanket party"

[prole]

Promote him to management.

[KaskadskyjKozak]

 

drop a laxative in his coffee

[Stefan]

Um. Ya. I'm going to need you to come into the office on Saturday Rob.

[dmuja]

Invite him to go climbing

[G-spotter]

TAKE THIS JOB AND SHOVE IT

I AINT WORKIN HERE NO MORE

[bradleym]

put up with him and the dear leader until you can find a new job.

 

sounds like you might be in the software business, and if the dear leader is the one setting your dates, then you are in a no-win situation, unless he'll also agree to cut features when things don't add up.

 

bear in mind too, that although the leader might be especially dear to you, chances are he too has some dear leaders who are placing pressure on him.

[olyclimber]

I would have a sit down face to face meeting and put employee interactions at the top of the agenda. I would ensure there were lots of coffee and donuts so the meeting was a success. Then work the issue on a white board. Don't be afraid to float some outrageous thought balloons, this is the brain storming portion of the exercise. Be sure to get input from everyone, not everyone speaks up, people have different ways of expressing themselves. Be sure to have plenty of metrics available to make some concrete decisions. Don't give in to the easy way out, sometimes work is just work! When things are worked out between you two, its helpful to have an post mortem of the situation, and go over lessons learned. Consider implementing a program like Sixth Sigma.

[Skeezix]

Break his computer.

[KaskadskyjKozak]

put up with him and the dear leader until you can find a new job.

 

sounds like you might be in the software business, and if the dear leader is the one setting your dates, then you are in a no-win situation, unless he'll also agree to cut features when things don't add up.

 

bear in mind too, that although the leader might be especially dear to you, chances are he too has some dear leaders who are placing pressure on him.

 

Rob just found a new job recently. Out of the frying pan and into the fire.

 

Sounds like Rob is more pissed about the weasel than the unfair change of schedule. The latter sucks, but the weasel makes it far worse.

 

[Dechristo]

As this photo suggests, put an electrical cord in his ass and plug him in to the handiest wall outlet.

[marylou]

Weasels must be ignored.

[astrov]

glue his phone into the handset. He won't know until he has an incoming call

[Hugh Conway]

time to find a new industry.

 

my boss cut and pasted my joke to others (unattributed) today

[bstach]

Changing jobs isn't the answer. There are still weasels in the greener grass on the other side. I hope you didn't say anything you regret the dear leader hearing. If you kept it professional, there is little to worry about. In fact, a good leader will want to know that its not 'no problem' so the challenges can be acknowledged and mitigated if possible.

 

If it was more of a a no-holds-barred venting session, then yeah, that sucks. Moral of the story is don't vent to your team mates. Certainly don't say anything you wouldn't want the boss to hear.

 

As for the weasel..karma is a bitch. Being known as the weasel is punishment enough.

[Bug]

I would have a sit down face to face meeting and put employee interactions at the top of the agenda. I would ensure there were lots of coffee and donuts so the meeting was a success. Then work the issue on a white board. Don't be afraid to float some outrageous thought balloons, this is the brain storming portion of the exercise. Be sure to get input from everyone, not everyone speaks up, people have different ways of expressing themselves. Be sure to have plenty of metrics available to make some concrete decisions. Don't give in to the easy way out, sometimes work is just work! When things are worked out between you two, its helpful to have an post mortem of the situation, and go over lessons learned. Consider implementing a program like Sixth Sigma.

I smell "Diversity Training In the Workplace".

[denalidave]

drop a laxative in his coffee

And a whole bunch of acid, dude.

[lI1|1!]

 

my boss cut and pasted my joke to others (unattributed) today

 

My God Hugh I had no idea you toiled in such inhumane and miserable working conditions!

 

What was the joke?

[Hugh Conway]

I had no idea you toiled in such inhumane and miserable working conditions!

 

I know, it's a surprise given my sunny, personable and cheerful demeanor.

 

bosses continually taking credit for the work their underlings do pisses me off.

[hafilax]

Get a Dachshund?

[img:left]http://puppydogweb.com/gallery/dachshunds/dachshund_darci.jpg[/img]

[tvashtarkatena]

In such a situation, continue to shuffle your feet, eyes downcast, head bowed, whispering "Yassa Massa" over and over.

Edited December 12, 2008 by tvashtarkatena

[bstach]

So. Yesterday, my team and I are presenting a prototype to our Dear Leader. Dear Leader surprises us by giving us a deadline much earlier than anticipated. Of course, our guy doing the presenting rolls with the punches and says, "no problem," because that's just what you do when the Bossman asks you to do something.

 

Afterwards, when we're alone, we all start stressing out about this new deliverable and how we hope he isn't expecting much, etc.

 

Today, across the hall in Dear Leader's office, I hear one of the guys who was there yesterday telling him all about "what he missed" after he left the meeting and having a bit of a laugh over it.

 

So, what do you do with a guy like this at work?

 

 

Here is a tip: Don't let your prototype look too polished. Otherwise, the dear leader will think it is closer to completion or easier to implement than it really is and give you an earlier deadline. I would suggest hand drawings are best for UI prototypes in this respect. The closer you get to something that actually looks like operational software, the greater chance you have of some executive reeling in your deadline or some sales idiot promising a customer delivery next month. More mature companies have more discipline in this regard, you'll have to figure out where the line is in your specific company.

 

I read a paper a while back that observed the rougher (less complete) the prototype looked, the better feedback it got. Completed UIs get feedback such as "change this button text/color" or "move this button over there" while hand drawings got feedback like "I really need the system to be able to do X" or "this creen doesn't fit with the way i like to do my work".

 

I'll post it here if i can find it again.