No, I’m not dead. Yet. There’s someone looking for me to kill me, sure, but they haven’t found me yet, because I’ve been buried under a file.
One file. Singular. I’m afraid that’s what will kill me.
Been working on the same presentation for a week and a half, burning the proverbial midnight oil (and the never-talked-about early morning oil), and I’m nowhere close to completion.
Because I’m not a fucking mind reader.
I don’t understand what There’s something wrong with it but I’m not sure what is supposed to mean, or how to interpret things like I don’t like that color, use something else or personally, I don’t like that box. Okay, I understand it doesn’t have that wow factor, but usually I’d expect that to be followed by a list of things I can do to make it better.
Putting your foot down with Oh but that’s a subjective opinion clearly doesn’t work and invites a serving don’t get defensive and don’t make my life difficult with a side order of I’ve been wanting to tell you this for months.
Quick tip: Excuse me?! How is that being defensive? is NOT the right thing to say here.
If you suppress that urge and come up with something creative, say – what do you want me to do, someone might say in so many words, I want the headers to get the first glance, so you should work on the visual hierarchy.
Beats the fuck out of logic, but so does the whole controversy around PK.
Do you face similar difficulties at work? How do you deal with them? If you faced this on a bi-weekly basis, and you knew the person wasn’t open to feedback and had the potential to make your life more miserable than it already is, what would you do?
Anawnimiss 
I once found a way to deal with the inconsistencies in logical parameters that people bring in to work to stir shit up. But the stupid doctor says I may overdose. Psssst it’s the blue pill, not the red one.
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Dangit. You should’ve told me that earlier.
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That is literally me. In college. Nonetheless, same story. New year, same trauma.
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I cry with you, sister. I don’t understand why people can’t make up their minds about what they want in the first place!
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And always be ambiguous about it. I feel like smashing my laptop sometimes. But then, my life (unfortunately) depends on this thing.
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I hate that feeling! 😐
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As long as you document the issues so your boss doesn’t blame you if the presentation fails. Maybe you need a new boss.
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You’re dealing with a passive aggressive co-worker.
You can’t win this one. She/he just wants to make you miserable.
I would second Paul’s suggestion. Document everything you have been asked to do and pretend that you don’t see the (obvious) hostility.
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Nope. Things are simply ducky where I work. We all get along and laugh all day long. Any suggestion that I make is met with joy and celebration. 😀
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Yeah I know that feeling. It’s frustrating and very much demoralizing. I think you should put everything in mail and ask for suggestions over mail only. And remember, this too shall pass 😀
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Frustrating is an understatement! And the mail trick doesn’t work with this one. The moment I send a mail, I get a call that almost always begins with “I thought we could just quickly talk about this.”
This isn’t passing soon enough! 😦
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You’re a lucky guy, Rob. I get along just fine with this lady – but I just don’t understand her working style. Wish I had an office like yours!
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I was only kidding. I work next to a person who doesn’t stop talking. Every thought that drops into her head immediately flies out of her mouth. I’m fatigued by the end of the day and burnt out.
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And to top that, this person has seen stuff (you know what I mean)!
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No, that’s my boss. This is my peer. Thank God she doesn’t have that thumbdrive. 😀
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That’s what they do when they have nothing better to do. That’s what they think there job is – to make their subordinates lives miserable. And, they do their job to perfection. I had such a job. I switched. I’m heavily over-worked but I’m a much happier person. The person above me knows exactly what he wants and how he can do it himself, if I didn’t do it. And that’s how people-at-your-top should be.
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Then shouldn’t they be the ones moving out? It sucks that you had to leave because of your manager!
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Well, that can happen but you have to take a stand, isn’t it? Gather up people who all feel that way and report him. That works too.
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Barely. You get labeled ‘jhansi ki rani’ and ‘labor union’. Try fighting with that. 😀
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Why would u fight such courageous labels!? They just prove that you’re not part of the crowd and have the spine to stand against the spine-less, bossy, shitty ppl!
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Because the “labor” in the “labor union” isn’t unified enough to stand with me, and leaves me in the lurch.
Also, because in this case, I’m her only reportee. 😦
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Ohh dear! Poor u. Then, you’ve little option but to crib and survive…till u get to stand up for yourself..
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I try not to crib until I just can’t take it anymore. I have a ten day limit 😉
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On the contrary, I find it extremely liberating to just crib it out and get over with. Waiting for 10-days, just to blow out the steam – you gonna hit the roof, like a volcano. Women underestimate the power of cribbing! 🙂 😛
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And things like that are usually coupled with “Don’t come to me with problems. Come to me with alternate solutions and we will finalise”. My new year is not happy because of one client who has filed his returns for 4 years WITHOUT assessing the facts at all and I need to frame a report around that return! Like “Find X” 😦
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Ha ha.. finding X sounds like a cakewalk compared to what you’ve been asked to do.
And the whole – don’t come to me with problems, come to me with solutions – man! If I had a solution, why would I come to you in the first place, moron!
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Thats a trap. All the problem-solving-skills talked about at the internal review meetings and the dialogue “I want to know what solution you come up with even if it seems stupid” is bullshit. Because at the time of appraisal, the same people will tell you “you give stupid suggestions! You don’t really need a promotion!”
I wish you are saved from that singular file! And get whatever the hell is wrong in there! All the best girl!
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Glad to see you blogging again! It seems like some people get a kick out of making other peoples jobs harder. Or maybe she is trying to deflect blame on to you to cover some poor performance of her own..
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I know for a fact that she can’t make up her mind as to what she wants. This is a daily feature with her. So I guess you may be right about her in general!
Btw, I’m happy to be back too!
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Yes Yes. I really wanna say something! 😀
I have been reading ur blog since yesterday. N I m so in love with your writing! Glad I found u.
Did not comment on any other posts but I can relate to this so well. couldn’t stop myself for commenting. I don’t have a solution to ur problem rather m looking for one. I m facing a similar issue.
Everytime the review has to be negative, even if the new task on hand is as per the comments given by the boss in the previous review. I feel like – It is the way YOU wanted it earlier. And now YOU want it to be something else!! Phew!
I really don’t know how to cope with this 😦 Do let me know if u find a solution 😐
Sorry for the rants in your comment section 😦
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Join the club! None of us here knows how to deal with indecisive bosses. It’s an epidemic – they’re everywhere!
And your rants are more than welcome here. That’s all we do here 🙂
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Epidemic!! You couldn’t have given it a better word!! 😀
Tysm! Keep writing 🙂
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This is why I have been a freelancer or run my own business for the past 15+ years, I can hire and fire my bosses at will.
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