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To Err is Human - 12/22/2013 4:33:01 PM

YourBigDaddy67

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I've been with my company for about 2 years now. If for Any reason, that I could miss one of their quality reviews, they call me into my manager's office and give me as they say in the south "Down the Country". Meaning they Chew me out about it for a good twenty minutes to a half an hour.

I am not stupid, I know that my manager is required to do their own quality reviews of my work. I know that my manager is required to give me feed back once a month and that feed back shows that I am meeting their requirements monthly.

But I am quite tired of being Chewed out, by some manager that is younger than I, has less education than I do and is taking their management technique straight out of short term counseling handbooks.

I am human, I make a mistake from time to time, my mistakes do not make me a baby killer or a child molester or a serial killer. PLEASE do not try to counsel me like I was one.

If you want to write me up, fine, write me up. You want to fire me, Fine Terminate my Employment, I want us to have to go before the unemployment board and have you explain why you fired me when I was meeting my requirements and in many instances exceeding your requirement.

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RE: To Err is Human - 12/22/2013 4:40:32 PM

OsideGirl

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You may wish to have a discussion above his/her head or with HR. Because It's probably not just happening to you and non-constructive criticism lowers morale in the work place driving down productivity.

I once worked for a manager like you describe. It was so bad that other divisions called our division "The Gestapo". (She wouldn't even let people transfer out of the division) Then one year they decided to do peer reviews. She was gone within six months.

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RE: To Err is Human - 12/22/2013 4:43:14 PM

HipPoindexter

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hi there, yourbigdaddy. we noticed you had some concerns about management practices and i just wanted to "take a moment" to process your feelings with you.

first of all, yourbigdaddy, can i call you bigdaddy? terrific. i think that a casual and open atmosphere is the best way to approach workplace issues and one great way to foster such an attitude is to use more familiar names. no no, you don't have to call me Mr. Poindexter. Mir Poindexter is my dad. lol. you can just call me "hip."

so anyway, bigdaddy, i hear that you're concerned about some of our motivational practices. let me assure you that coaching sessions should never be taken personally. we are all accountable to someone. i'm accountable to my boss too and i bet i get coached just as much as you. and my boss likes to use salty language and doesn't like to "pull her punches" the way that i do. that's right, my boss is a woman. ha ha. what an age we live in.

listen, bigdaddy, you're a highly valued member of our team and you will remain a highly valued member of our team just so long as you continue to meet quotas and can avoid letting these informal coaching sessions turn into anything more serious, such as written reports that turn up in your personnel file. now there is no correlation between "squeaky wheels" and "written reports" but you should keep in mind that the more a wheel squeaks, so to speak, the more likely i am to, well you know, look at that wheel. scrutinize it, if you will. and the more someone is scrutinized, the more likely it is that some concerns will become evident, some of which would have to be documented. it would never be personal, just a formal record of concerns about where you, er, the wheel, might deviate from best practices as outlined in our handbook.. it's a big thick handbook, bigdaddy. big and thick.

so are we on the same page? we are? terrific! hey thanks a bundle for taking the time to have this little chat with me. you can close your door on the way out. and have a great day!

your pal,

skip (your much younger boss)

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RE: To Err is Human - 12/22/2013 4:50:55 PM

torsionman

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I say "KUDOS"!

I can't tell you how many times I've been through similar circumstances. I have no desire to be the boss, be the company owner or partner. I only wish to do the job I was hired for, I do it well but golly... I am human and make mistakes. Encouragement works sooo much better than chastisment. The differance with me is most times I'm doing the job better than, and the one chastising me is older and in the business longer. Didn't they get a longer opportunity to "GROW UP"?? When you exceed the boss' requirments and are still being chastised, it may mean a move to a better company is needed.
I wonder if the good job you're doing is a threat to the boss? A comment like, "I expect you to make ME look better" from him and his encouragement works.
Respect from a boss does wonders.

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RE: To Err is Human - 12/22/2013 6:27:52 PM

YourBigDaddy67

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Thank you for your words of encouragement. I know as of last year, I was on a roll of 36 straight evaluations with 94% or above. This Month I had two 100% evaluations one at 91% and one at 92%.

My last evaluation was scored at zero because the reviewer said that I didn't get enough information from this person. I know that Monday, I am going to get called into my bosses office and reamed yet again.

The QA staff seems to do nothing more sometimes that find some paragraph in the policy manual that are as obscure as hen's teeth, to rant about. Hell back in June my boss sat there and told me that I did my job and should be commended on the job. QA found 1 sentence in the policy manual to scream about that I didn't do. What was it, I did the person's job for them, rather than letting them do it themselves. For that I am treated like I have committed infanticide!

I am an adult, and expect when I go to a job to be treated like one. I am not saying that I am perfect and I walk on water. However, every company I have ever been associated with before has factored in a percentage of error, into their data.

Taking me into the office, and reaming me out, when I have their own metrics to back me up, makes no sense to me.

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RE: To Err is Human - 12/22/2013 6:53:24 PM

MasterCaneman

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Some bosses like to practice MBF (Management By Fear). It generally is employed by managers who either lack the experience to know better, the hard-core skills of the job, or are insecure tyrants by nature. Have you considered checking up on your boss's background? There are a number of sites (of which I can't name one), that business professionals use to network, and sometimes the comments aren't too flattering. Long shot, yes, but only a suggestion.

My guess is, your boss is either threatened by either your age, qualifications, or work history, and in order to prop up their own position, they resort to making sure their underlings are perceived as less desirable. And what OsideGirl said is very true. A manager like that can drive a company or division into the ground if permitted to. If it helps, don't think of doing it for yourself, do it for the company. That argument generally carries more water than what some management types would perceive as 'sour grapes' from an unhappy worker.

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RE: To Err is Human - 12/22/2013 9:26:09 PM

AthenaSurrenders

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quote:

ORIGINAL: HipPoindexter

hi there, yourbigdaddy. we noticed you had some concerns about management practices and i just wanted to "take a moment" to process your feelings with you.

I like this guy, can we keep him?

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RE: To Err is Human - 12/22/2013 11:18:07 PM

tiggerspoohbear

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Yup, methinks we should. Another keeper, Christmas week no less.

As for the OP, I've worked for various companies & corporations throughout the years, always related to customer service. I was hired to represent said companies, make sure the customer got first class treatment. I too had reviews. For the majority of them I did very well, I was considered a valued employee.

There was always one supervisor/manager though, wherever I was, that didn't appreciate my efforts. I let it slide. I knew my work ethic was excellent, the company was well represented and the client came first. That's why I was hired.

I began working full time at the age of 18. I was well trained. I was taught customer care came first. That stuck with me throughout the various jobs I held. It's a lesson I never forgot, one I remember 32 years later.

< Message edited by tiggerspoohbear -- 12/22/2013 11:19:50 PM >

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RE: To Err is Human - 12/23/2013 10:44:48 AM

HipPoindexter

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quote:

ORIGINAL: AthenaSurrenders

quote:

ORIGINAL: HipPoindexter

hi there, yourbigdaddy. we noticed you had some concerns about management practices and i just wanted to "take a moment" to process your feelings with you.

I like this guy, can we keep him?

aww shucks thanks! thanks to you too tiggerspoohbear!

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RE: To Err is Human - 12/23/2013 4:06:45 PM

tiggerspoohbear

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You're welcome. It's great to see fresh blood, and you fit right in. So glad to have you aboard. Aaaargh matey, avast and all that stuff!!

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RE: To Err is Human - 12/23/2013 8:55:38 PM

littlewonder

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You know, in twenty years time, I have never had a bad quality review. Yeah, I've been chewed out at ONE job because the manager had mental issues and everyone knew and I quit. But even with her, my reviews were still always above satisfaction/excellent.

When I hear people like this post, it really makes me wonder about the employee.....

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RE: To Err is Human - 12/23/2013 9:15:54 PM

FelineRanger

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quote:

ORIGINAL: littlewonder

You know, in twenty years time, I have never had a bad quality review. Yeah, I've been chewed out at ONE job because the manager had mental issues and everyone knew and I quit. But even with her, my reviews were still always above satisfaction/excellent.

When I hear people like this post, it really makes me wonder about the employee.....

It is very possible, even probable that actually performing your job above expectations does make you a threat to an under-qualified or outright clueless "superior." I have been on the receiving end of poor reviews even though downtime was way down on the machines I was responsible for and, of course, productivity was up. So why did I get those poor reviews? Because after I undid all the jury-rigging of previous techs and got the machines as close to manufacturer's spec as possible, I was then able to pinpoint the operators who were dragging their feet or even intentionally jamming machinery. Said operators were also the ones who were massively brown-nosing the supervisor. Hence my bad reviews.

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RE: To Err is Human - 12/24/2013 6:00:08 PM

YourBigDaddy67

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quote:

It is very possible, even probable that actually performing your job above expectations does make you a threat to an under-qualified or outright clueless "superior." I have been on the receiving end of poor reviews even though downtime was way down on the machines I was responsible for and, of course, productivity was up. So why did I get those poor reviews? Because after I undid all the jury-rigging of previous techs and got the machines as close to manufacturer's spec as possible, I was then able to pinpoint the operators who were dragging their feet or even intentionally jamming machinery. Said operators were also the ones who were massively brown-nosing the supervisor. Hence my bad reviews.

This isn't the first job that I have had that I was doing the job the right the first time, and management felt threatened by me.

Years Ago, I Worked for a large chain grocery store that had a video rental department. The video Store manager, was quitting to go to seminary. I was told they wanted to have a day manager and a night manager. and So I would be put in to do the job for 30 days and then the other candidate would be allowed to do the job for 30 days.

I had already put in my two weeks vacation and they told me, "Oh Go Ahead and take your two weeks, and we will let you know when you get back, if you are they day or the night shift guy."

I came back, and the Assistant Store Manager asked to see me in her office. She closed the door and she told me "What I am about to tell you *cannot* leave this office. If you tell anyone I will deny it totally. We think you are the person to take over the whole department, However Cheryl (The Other Candidate) Wrote a letter to corporate HQ and told them that if she was not put in as the manager of the department that she would file a racial discrimination lawsuit on us. So Rather than get in a lawsuit, We told her that we were going to move you back to the Cashier line, But what we didn't tell her was that we are giving you a raise and not her. Don't say one thing about it. I am sorry that this happened"

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