Thrown under the bus first thing this morning by the office manager.

[lunchbox]

Did you consider going to the office manager afterwards and asking why she threw you under the bus? Politely ask "did you forget about our conversation a few days ago..?".

She might have decided to go back and take some responsibility then. In the heat of the moment it's hard to do.

Just act like an adult, fer Chrissakes. Don't hold a grudge against her, go confront her in her office and have a conversation, explain that you thought that she should have been up-front to the boss about her role in your decision to do what you did, etc.

What have I done that's childish?

And no, that conversation would not go well in my work environment. My best option is to see through to the end of my probation period, garner some more experience during that time, and move along. I know she lied, and she knows she lied to save her own ass. Karma will take care of it. I'm just here to vent, and apparently as a reminder or lesson for the uninformed as to what to do in these types of situations. Maybe my example will help some other MLP'ers.

 

[tenchijin2]

What have I done that's childish?

And no, that conversation would not go well in my work environment. My best option is to see through to the end of my probation period, garner some more experience during that time, and move along. I know she lied, and she knows she lied to save her own ass. Karma will take care of it. I'm just here to vent, and apparently as a reminder or lesson for the uninformed as to what to do in these types of situations. Maybe my example will help some other MLP'ers.

You seem to have a healthy perspective on this. Well done, sir.

 

[CodeMonk]

Yup, now that you know where you stand, it's real simple. Email.

"Hey, Flounderflaps, per our conversation, you said I should do [task] in [stupid way the manager wants]. Earlier, Boss said [do task in Boss's stupid way]. I am not certain how to proceed given this discrepancy, and I don't want a repeat of the confusion we had [when you screwed me like you were a roofie dealer and I was a drunken Catholic school girl at a frat party]. Please advise."

BCC: Boss.

FTFY
At least thats the way I would do it. Maybe

 

[lunchbox]

FTFY
At least thats the way I would do it. Maybe

Actually, they took the BCC function out of Outlook where I work, probably for this exact reason.

 

[CodeMonk]

Actually, they took the BCC function out of Outlook where I work, probably for this exact reason.

Bummer.
I haven't been in the corporate world for about 7 years.

 

[mudfinger]

FTFY
At least thats the way I would do it. Maybe

Nah, best to be open about it. It'll tend to keep folks in line from the get go if they know that their conversation isn't private.

 

[CodeMonk]

Nah, best to be open about it. It'll tend to keep folks in line from the get go if they know that their conversation isn't private.

Thats why I added the "Maybe".
I dunno if I would do it that way myself.
And anyone in a corporate environment should consider anything on the computer they use is not totally private (in-house) anyway.

 

[mudfinger]

Thats why I added the "Maybe".
I dunno if I would do it that way myself.
And anyone in a corporate environment should consider anything on the computer they use is not totally private (in-house) anyway.

True that.

 

[Ed B]

Have you ever been in the military? You do not 'stand up for yourself'. You do as you're told, period. I didn't do exactly as I was told because I was sidetracked and misled by someone that is in charge for the next step in the routing of the work.

She's also got 'manager' in her title. I don't. I'm bottom of the rung with only 7 months in, 5 more months of probation where I can be released for any infraction whatsoever, and a family to feed.

I think I picked my battle wisely. I'll let them know how I feel on my last day in the next year or so.

Bottom line; I let her sidetrack me when that wasn't what I was told to do. I should have just said no to her and let the boss know. Lesson learned.

I haven't been in the military. I can't relate to your boss being a helo pilot. My boss was fighter pilot in the Marines, literally. He does not run our office like a boot camp. If it weren't for his helmets and pics in his office you would never know.

I hope you don't think I'm playing armchair quarterback over here. My advice was based on over 15 years experience in an office environment. I've stood up to liars like this on more than one occasion. I've never let anyone make me look like a liar.

If you are content with how you handled this situation, so am I. Good luck.

 

[fett]

I am so glad I don't to deal with that anymore. I never won. It doesn't matter whether you are right. All that mattered was the boss. I could write a book "My Work Experience. 1967 to 1991". You don't want to.

 

[Shred Astaire]

You guys...

Office Job...Manual Labor Job....Military Job...Hospitality Job...

There are asshole bosses (and politics) everywhere and they will throw you under the bus. This is not limited to offices as some of you seem to think.

I've worked at the same company for 16 years now and haven't had any of the issues that I see popping up in here as "normal" in office jobs. No it ain't perfect and people are dicks sometimes, but that's part of life.

You address it and handle it, or you don't. Those are the only two choices.

Lots of generalizing in this thread...my worst bosses and glory hogs were not in an office. I dealt with it. (And that doesn't mean I did nothing)

 

[fett]

I kinda disagree. I also complement you for knowing how to do that. It's one of things I never got.

 

[Spartom]

Actually, they took the BCC function out of Outlook where I work, probably for this exact reason.

You sure about that? You won't see the BCC field where you see the To: and CC: fields while you're typing the body of the email. But if you click on either the To: or CC: buttons it should bring up your contacts or the company's global directory. In that window you should see the BCC field.

 

[ErictheRed]

What have I done that's childish?

And no, that conversation would not go well in my work environment. My best option is to see through to the end of my probation period, garner some more experience during that time, and move along. I know she lied, and she knows she lied to save her own ass. Karma will take care of it. I'm just here to vent, and apparently as a reminder or lesson for the uninformed as to what to do in these types of situations. Maybe my example will help some other MLP'ers.

There's more than one side to every story. Obviously I wasn't there and don't know what happened, but calling someone a "****ing bitch" behind their back without even attempting to discuss the problem in a mature manner? Nothing childish about that at all, no.

 

[Actinic]

To the OP, now you know what the workers on Deepwater Horizon felt like after they got the orders from BP to drill, baby, drill. At least you are still alive and gainfully employed. Working sucks, and bad bosses are one of the known hazards.

 

[lunchbox]

There's more than one side to every story. Obviously I wasn't there and don't know what happened, but calling someone a "****ing bitch" behind their back without even attempting to discuss the problem in a mature manner? Nothing childish about that at all, no.

Well, I guess now we can all be 100% certain that you've never, ever done this.

So, since you're apparently new to this, it's called venting, and it's much more harmless to my position than if I were to stir the pot in my office environment, while I'm still on probation, by trying to come to some sort of mature conclusion with someone that obviously doesn't give a shit, or worse.

 

[SteveGangi]

There's more than one side to every story. Obviously I wasn't there and don't know what happened, but calling someone a "****ing bitch" behind their back without even attempting to discuss the problem in a mature manner? Nothing childish about that at all, no.

Some people are "****ing bitches". It's a simple fact.

 

[ErictheRed]

Clearly I am in the wrong, and no possible good could have come from attempting a mature conversation with the ****ing bitch. Accept my sincerest apologies for suggesting otherwise.

 

[lunchbox]

Clearly I am in the wrong, and no possible good could have come from attempting a mature conversation with the ****ing bitch. Accept my sincerest apologies for suggesting otherwise.

In this situation, that's exactly correct.

Know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em. It's a battle I would have lost, to the detriment of my family.

 

[LtDave32]

On Friday, Boss tells me to do something one way, and the office manager says no, that's not how it's done. Boss isn't around to ask. I tell her again that it's what he wants, and she says no. Having been here only 7 months I don't want to start a war with the office manager, so I say ok, whatever works for your needs, thinking if there's a problem later I can blame her.

This morning, boss calls me in and berates me for not doing what he told me to do. I tell him that the office manager said that it wasn't how she wanted things routed. He calls her in...she denies ever saying that. Berating continues....

****ing bitch.

If she thinks I'll ever forget that, she's very mistaken.

If you ask me, you've learned a valuable lesson about her, and rather cheaply; it didn't cost you that much (losing your job, etc). You've learned that she cannot be trusted with anything. Now you know where the lines are drawn, and to watch your six, whenever she is in the mix.

Next time something like this comes up, be sure and cover yourself, and do whatever the big dog says, regardless on how she feels about it. He's the guy who signs your check.

..and document everything. If her wishes go against what the boss told you, get it in writing, or have a witness; letting her know you're not going to let that happen again.