My former boss asking me to do his job.

[Zeze]

I'll try to be brief as I can.

• I mentioned in the prior boss thread about my boss. Let's call him Chris. In short, he's lazy, 'checked-out', simply does not give a crap. He's 62 yo, but I don't think I can blame his age. He's just a lazy individual. He works from home like 2-3x a week and his messenger status is Away lots of times.
• Well I used to report to him informally, then ultimately to our common boss Steve.
• Through re-org he's no longer my boss and is just a delivery manager. Now he's part of my team that consists of developers, tech lead, product owner, etc.
• So he essentially took over the role of the former DM who was very very thorough.
• He just doesn't give a fack. If we're planning to do a release, we have to meticulously fill out bunch of forms / do tasks or they'll get rejected. This dumbass doesn't even begin to think this. He just says, "I'll fill it out."
• He also wanted me to send out email to everyone for using a new template. I asked him, you want ME to send that email? He says, "Isn't this what you're supposed to do?"
• He's a lazy ass that'll compromise our releases. And he leverages his former boss position & lack of clear responsibilities between him and I to have me do most things.
• Now, if above was just it, it's easy. I can just talk to our common boss and hash it out. But another layer of complication is that I'm a consultant, mostly others are employees. So I can't just go to my employee boss Steve and freely complain. He can probably side with his pack (employees) then I'm screwed.
• What do you think I should do?

 

[mikeymikec]

What's your motivation to say anything about it? Do you want what appears to be his former role (it looks to me like he's getting side-lined) and become a proper employee?

As an outside consultant, I am used to being consulted for the expertise that they call upon me for; it's a simple transaction and little can go wrong with it. Straying outside that however is basically doing things other than what they're calling you for and is basically asking for trouble IMO. If I ever go back to employment, I'm going to have to try quite hard to keep my mouth shut about things that aren't 100% relevant to my job description (and even then, be careful about 'upsetting the apple cart'). As an outside consultant it concerns me somewhat less because I'm not there full-time/most of the time; whatever silly games a company wants to play is entirely their own business, provided that they pay me for my time and I don't feel like my involvement is a waste of my time.

 

[ultimatebob]

Why do you care? I figured that you have "F U Money" from your Bitcoin investments by now. It's time to quit, and enjoy the good life of beer and strippers.

 

[Zeze]

What's your motivation to say anything about it? Do you want what appears to be his former role (it looks to me like he's getting side-lined) and become a proper employee?

No his role and mine are distinctly different. But he tacks on his crap over to me because he thinks he can. And that happens because those tasks aren't split by hair who has ownership.

 

[Exterous]

But he tacks on his crap over to me because he thinks he can.

I found your problem. Don't let him. "Doing that is why you get paid the big bucks" "No sorry I don't have time" "Actually its Steve's job" "I was told you need to do that" You can vary the tone from joking to forceful as needed

Edit: Also setting clear and documented expectations helps a lot

 

[mikeymikec]

No his role and mine are distinctly different. But he tacks on his crap over to me because he thinks he can. And that happens because those tasks aren't split by hair who has ownership.

Are you paid by the hour? If so, more work = more pay, which is a situation that I personally would be quite happy with. If I'm assuming the situation correctly, and if I was worried that I might end up with a conversation from my actual boss asking me why such-and-such took so long, I'd double-check with him that what <other guy> has been putting on my plate is actually appropriate, or ask actual boss for a conformation that you're priorising your workload correctly (which would obviously also include mentioning the work that <other guy> has been putting on your plate).

 

[BurnItDwn]

Sorry Zeze, your in a tough position, but, I think Exterous more or less spelled it out. Hopefully standing your ground and being a little bit stubborn and direct will tell him he can not walk all over you.

 

[Zeze]

Sorry Zeze, your in a tough position, but, I think Exterous more or less spelled it out. Hopefully standing your ground and being a little bit stubborn and direct will tell him he can not walk all over you.

I did just that on today's call. It seemed to work. He has this crappy technique that if something needs to be done that has no clear ownership, he just asks everyone on the call who should do it.

Well I effin spoke up and said, "yea Chris, just do this little thing". He conceded.

More to come. He's not my boss and I won't easily always just say yes. That's probably a first big step and he'll get the message.

 

[pete6032]

I'll try to be brief as I can.

• What do you think I should do?

I would try and cash out any tether you own ASAP and put it into Neo. People say Neo is oversold but I think it will change the world.

 

[AdamK47]

I think you should get serious about crytocurrency investing, sell the dog, and quit this contract job.

 

[zinfamous]

Maybe ask him to install a pulley in the warehouse so that he stays distracted and out of everyone else's way. From what I know about pulleys, he'll never be able to figure that out.

 

[Zeze]

Jesus Christ.

Same crap after 15 years. At least be clever or original with your wise cracks.

Oh-I'm-cross-posting-I'm-so-funny.

How about just copy paste a joke. That's at least entertaining.

 

[Zeze]

Maybe ask him to install a pulley in the warehouse so that he stays distracted and out of everyone else's way. From what I know about pulleys, he'll never be able to figure that out.

Ya old fart. Install a new sense of humor... it's 2018 not 2004 ATOT.

 

[AdamK47]

I have a new goal now. To cross post as many references I can from your previous threads into a single post under a new thread you create.

 

[Exterous]

Same crap after 15 years.

If its the same crap after 15 years why did you expect this time would be different? Thats on you - not us

 

[Zeze]

I have a new goal now. To cross post as many references I can from your previous threads into a single post under a new thread you create.

Don't you dare otherwise I'll tell my boss to trade my bitcoin for taking away my dog all supported by pulleys.

 

[zinfamous]

Ya old fart. Install a new sense of humor... it's 2018 not 2004 ATOT.

2004 ATOT was more active and more funny. Just trying to help, bro.

 

[Zeze]

2004 ATOT was more active and more funny. Just trying to help, bro.

Remember just 6-7 yrs ago we were able to play Werewolf here?

 

[bshole]

I did just that on today's call. It seemed to work. He has this crappy technique that if something needs to be done that has no clear ownership, he just asks everyone on the call who should do it.

Well I effin spoke up and said, "yea Chris, just do this little thing". He conceded.

More to come. He's not my boss and I won't easily always just say yes. That's probably a first big step and he'll get the message.

Dude you make no sense. I have worked with consultants like you. They are paid by the hour and still try to talk themselves out of work. I always ask why are you trying to talk us out of giving you more money? By your own admission, you are intentionally making yourself less useful to the company. I can't see that as a working out in the long run.

 

[ultimatebob]

Dude you make no sense. I have worked with consultants like you. They are paid by the hour and still try to talk themselves out of work. I always ask why are you trying to talk us out of giving you more money? By your own admission, you are intentionally making yourself less useful to the company. I can't see that as a working out in the long run.

He needs more time today to panic sell his Bitcoin, I guess.

 

[dave_the_nerd]

If you're a contractor, there should be a nice contract scope defining your responsibilities.

If it were me, I'd do his work for him, but leave my fingerprints all over it so it was painfully obvious to his boss that he's a do-nothing.

And bill them for it, of course.

You can only get away with that if you're as awesome IRL as most ATOTers claim they are on ATOT.

 

[Herr Kutz]

What line of work are you in?

 

[Zeze]

What line of work are you in?

Buying bicoin, firing my dog, learning my boss, and sell my pulleys.. and unbreak the frozen pipes in my driveway

 

[Herr Kutz]

Buying bicoin, firing my dog, learning my boss, and sell my pulleys.. and unbreak the frozen pipes in my driveway

What's bicoin?

 

[dave_the_nerd]

What's bicoin?

Latest Bitcoin fork. It's the real deal, not coopted by the NSA.