What do you do in this (stupid) work situation

[Schfifty Five]

i call bullshit on the bolded/underlined.

He probably meant "or", hundreds or thousands of miles.

 

[GagHalfrunt]

Agree, kick up the food chain. Make it her friggin problem. Don't you all work for the same company?

PS where is the website so we can laugh at the typos?

You kick it up the food chain, but you don't make it her problem. That sounds personal and petty. You kick it up the food chain saying that it is a company problem and that having a site with errors makes you all look unprofessional.

 

[Attic]

She's an internal customer and probably feels put upon or sidestepped. Apologize for stepping on her toes and ask for her help in making the website as professional as you know her capable of. A little sunshine and flattery does wonders. Bring her some coffee/tea/chocolate. Don't waste energy on negatives waves, Moriarty.

This for a number of reasons.

Things are rarely what they seem. I understand from a distant perspective this woman comes off quite obnoxious and difficult to work with, but if you were to be aware of all the nuances playing into her day/decision it would be different. So quoted approach goes a long way to ensuring you get what you need and that you don't perpetuate any problems with communication in this chain.

 

[smackababy]

I'm going to be on her side. So if she starts to fix all errors what going to stop people who create the docs in the first place from making more errors? If they know the web master will fix it anyways why should they put any effort in getting right the first time. All it does is create lazy people to push it down the line. 8 freaken people to review a 4 page doc what joke. IT TAKES 8 PEOPLE TO REVIEW a 4 page doc already the laziness has started.

This. If you take it up the chain, what answer do you expect? Here is what I would say if I was a higher up: "So, you fucked up and submitted bad content and want me to make someone else fix your mistakes? Perhaps, next time YOU shouldn't make them. Fix them yourself and resubmit the content."

You entire "We had 8 people review it!" is complete BS if there were so many glaring errors. Either all your reviewers are crap / lazy, or something is wrong with your review system.

 

[dabuddha]

I'm going to be on her side. So if she starts to fix all errors what going to stop people who create the docs in the first place from making more errors? If they know the web master will fix it anyways why should they put any effort in getting right the first time. All it does is create lazy people to push it down the line. 8 freaken people to review a 4 page doc what joke. IT TAKES 8 PEOPLE TO REVIEW a 4 page doc already the laziness has started.

I see so you're saying she's making the company more efficient by instead of creating 8 lazy people, she's transformed herself into a lazy sack of shit that doesn't want to do her job or be a team player.

 

[pete6032]

Well I spoke to her this morning and things are OK. I think she was just having a shitty day yesterday.

 

[smackababy]

I see so you're saying she's making the company more efficient by instead of creating 8 lazy people, she's transformed herself into a lazy sack of shit that doesn't want to do her job or be a team player.

Except, her job doesn't sound like it is to edit content and fix mistakes from the fuck ups who submitted it. Not only would she have to fix the mistakes, she would have to find them.

Had the OP done his job correctly in the first place, this problem wouldn't exist. Why should someone else have to clean up his mess?

 

[pete6032]

delete

 

[M0oG0oGaiPan]

maybe it's more an issue of an internal life cycle thing. do you guys make changes directly to the live site or do you have a separate testing environment?

 

[billclutterman]

Except, her job doesn't sound like it is to edit content and fix mistakes from the fuck ups who submitted it. Not only would she have to fix the mistakes, she would have to find them.

Had the OP done his job correctly in the first place, this problem wouldn't exist. Why should someone else have to clean up his mess?

+1


OP, If you do decide to take it up the chain, firstly admit that it was your mistake though something is definitely screwed up with the reviewing process/reviewers.

 

[Jeffg010]

+1


OP, If you do decide to take it up the chain, firstly admit that it was your mistake though something is definitely screwed up with the reviewing process/reviewers.

OP make sure the hire ups know that it took 8 people to review the doc. That should let them know how efficient you guys are.

 

[Phoenix86]

She knows she doesn't have the authority to make a change (policy I'm sure), knows this is an approved document (likely in the back story) and has the ethics to follow all those rules and you idiots blame the web manager?

The fuck?

I realize it's simple, but you have no idea what the situation in their department is. Previous web manager could have been shit canned for side-stepping a simple policy.

YOU know it's not their job. They said they couldn't do it for valid reasons. Fix the fucking document yourself, get it re-approved (likely only need one approval not the full chain) and be done with it.

 

[Kev]

Escalate to her manager or your manager. She is being an asshole.

 

[Newell Steamer]

How about you proof check the mother fucker 1st??

Sure, if something was botched in the transfer, call her out on it and have her fix it. But, she is right; don't send her shit that isn't correct to begin with.

Also, just as some people have recommended escalating, she can escalate it that you aren't doing your job to begin with and she has to pick up the slack instead.

I suggest you nice guy it and do your job properly from the get go next time.

 

[trungma]

Well I spoke to her this morning and things are OK. I think she was just having a shitty day yesterday.

Glad it worked out. If I get an email that sounds snarky/short/agressive I usually give the person a call. Most of time, it's just the way the person writes his email. Emails are horible at portraying emotions.

T

 

[pete6032]

As far as some of these responses are concerned, this person is both communications editor and Website content poster, so yes she does have authority to edit content we send to her. She was one of the original proof readers.

As far as typos go they weren't glaringly obvious, just some final changes to formal diction and adding a few things to enhance the flow of the text after seeing it for the first time on a website instead of in Microsoft Word.

 

[smackababy]

As far as some of these responses are concerned, this person is both communications editor and Website content poster, so yes she does have authority to edit content we send to her.

As far as typos go they weren't glaringly obvious, just some final changes to formal diction and adding a few things to enhance the flow of the text after seeing it for the first time on a website instead of in Microsoft Word.

Maybe you should test it on a website before putting it in your production environment.

Also, having the ability and authority doesn't change the fact that it wasn't her job to fix your (maybe not you exactly, but your team's) mistakes.

 

[lxskllr]

As far as typos go they weren't glaringly obvious, just some final changes...

You're on the wrong forum pal. ATOT doesn't make mistakes at work, and every precious gem we create is etched in granite to be admired and marveled over for generations to come. I'm afraid you don't meet spec. Sorry...

 

[pete6032]

Maybe you should test it on a website before putting it in your production environment.

Also, having the ability and authority doesn't change the fact that it wasn't her job to fix your (maybe not you exactly, but your team's) mistakes.

We don't have a test environment, and nobody but her is allowed to use the Website editing tools we have.

Also this thread was never about assigning blame for the situation, it was asking how to move forward and handle the situation.

 

[smackababy]

We don't have a test environment, and nobody but her is allowed to use the Website editing tools we have.

Also this thread was never about assigning blame for the situation, it was asking how to move forward and handle the situation.

No, this thread was about you assigning work to someone because you messed it up and how to respond to her telling you nope.

Perhaps, since this is obviously something that comes up in possible problems, you ask your manager to get you guys a test environment.

 

[MongGrel]

I prefer the new twat punt from GOT

 

[Jaskalas]

Do people really lack social skills this badly? A very minor, simple problem and you can't figure out how to deal with it? This isn't rocket science, its basic human interaction. Man...this country is screwed.

People bind themselves to contracts and cannot make a decision for themselves without a legal team to review changes. Free choice is a recipe for lawsuits and legal action.

 

[Sheep]

I'm going to be on her side. So if she starts to fix all errors what going to stop people who create the docs in the first place from making more errors? If they know the web master will fix it anyways why should they put any effort in getting right the first time. All it does is create lazy people to push it down the line. 8 freaken people to review a 4 page doc what joke. IT TAKES 8 PEOPLE TO REVIEW a 4 page doc already the laziness has started.

A million times this. Workflow exists for a reason, one of which is to minimize the back and forth required to get things done which saves everyone time. If other people started doing the same thing with the attitude of "it's easy fixes for the web master to implement" even after she already did her job, it'd be a waste of time on everyone's part.

 

[dr150]

I would bring higher up into the email chain. This sounds like a simple changes that literally take less than 5 minutes to do it.

Then I would complain to her manager that she's not fit to do her job. But that's just me.

I would contact her manager that she's resisting some basic but essential work.

Ask her boss if he can intervene anonymously (ALWAYS go high up when you need to get shit done. Establish a goood rappore with them).

BTW....this shit happens all the time even in highly regarded companies. Too many personal stories on this front.

....There's always the "HTF is this person still employed" mouth breathers you have to work around on, then the complacent "'don't bother me too much' 5PM call-it-a-day crew", then 1-2 A-level people that carry the group(s) projects forward.

 

[dabuddha]

Except, her job doesn't sound like it is to edit content and fix mistakes from the fuck ups who submitted it. Not only would she have to fix the mistakes, she would have to find them.

Had the OP done his job correctly in the first place, this problem wouldn't exist. Why should someone else have to clean up his mess?

Her job (again neither one of us can say for sure) is to be the web admin. That entails allowing updates to content that's been pushed to the web server especially if there are errors. It reflects poorly on her as an employee/team player and it reflects poorly on the company. Her job isn't to make lame attempts at power tripping.