So, at my first job today, there was an add-on.
The list of materials to be added changed several times. Tomorrow is the last delivery to that job site. The job site is 300 miles away. Thus, it is VITAL to get it right. A small mistake can equal hundreds of dollars in additional shipping costs. This does NOT, in contradiction of all you think of me, make for a happy Weasel.
So I asked the guy doing the material list to provide me a new list.
He asked, in complete, 100% seriousness, "Do you need an accurate list?"
Not to get more time for it. The final, approved list was done.
Not as a joke.
He was 100% serious. After I believe 9 changes to this list, he wanted to just verbally make the final 3 changes.
"Yes. I need an accurate hard copy of the list."
"I just told you the accurate list."
"And you have a long history of verbally giving me bad lists. We just went over this Friday. And Wednesday. And Tuesday."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes, I am sure. I need an accurate list."
"Okay, just work off what I told you and I will give it to you tomorrow."
Wow. Like that is going to fly. Like...ever.
I have made no secret of my distaste for my company since they out and out stole over a thousand bucks for me, devastated my shoulder and illegally forced me to take time off unpaid.
At the same time...I do a good job. I would argue a great job. I have made changes that have saved us hundreds of dollars in shipping costs on multiple jobs. Clients routinely go out of their way to compliment my performance to multiple people...my self, the outside sales reps, the branch manager...I even had one call one of our suppliers and discuss how much they like working with me.
The point is...I am not going to allow someone else doing a pathetic, half-hearted, no effort job that costs my client time, the company money, or makes the person arranging shipment's life more miserable.
Has not been more than a week since he and I had a shouting match in front of basically the entire branch in which I informed him in no uncertain terms that his choosing to do other projects was making the jobs of the various people more difficult, that he needed to prioritize better.
I also informed him the material list he gave me on that one was garbage. I pointed out the various hand-written corrections that had gotten so bad they were largely illegible and the ones that were legible were so confusing I had no idea what was supposed to ship.
So it is not as if my having issues with him are new. I mean, they ARE...but they are not.
I can count on two fingers the number of times I have had vociferous arguments with co-workers in my 23ish years of working life.
I simply prefer to find other ways to deal with these things. Usually I can find a workaround.
At least I have an easy excuse...stress of separation.
Except it really is not an excuse. I just need to calm down, relax, and remember...in six months, I will not even remember this material list incident.
Then again...if I ever hear the words "Do you need an accurate list?" again, it might just push me over the edge...
3 years ago
4 comments:
Do you need an accurate list? No, you prefer to have them get things wrong. WTF!
You do a great job, and I'm with you on really getting pissed off when people show up for work, collect money, and then don't do their jobs, thus making life difficult for the rest of us. Plus it just sucks when people don't care.
Welcome to the world of the guv'ment.
May you live long, keep all of your hair and give 'em hell when you finally leave.
Do you need an accurate list?!?! Now, of course you don't! Aren't you Darth Weasel, the man/whatever who reads minds?
RK, totally with you. I try to work hard, keep my head down, and move on to the important things in life as soon as the clock hits quit-thirty.
G, wish I worked for the guv'ment...I would get paid a lot more than I currently do! And have better benefits. I once had written an exit letter, but decided it was too mean. It told the truth. So I deleted it. Probably wise...
Scribe, I would read his mind...if he were literate...
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