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dear roger, let's talk work

Started by rong, February 09, 2012, 09:45:22 PM

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rong

From what I can gather, you are the equivalent of my boss's boss.

A couple weeks ago I was sent home for being insubordinate.

The day prior I replaced a non-critical sensor that failed because it was fucking cold outside.  My boss wouldn't let me take the 12 mile round trip to get proper gear from home to work in -25 F wind chill, so I did the job in my work clothes and light jacket.

Guess what? It was fucking cold again and the new sensor failed that night.

My boss told me to put the original, failed, sensor back up on the 30' silo (it was 10 degrees colder that day) and I told him no.

I got sent home for being insubordinate.

Was I out of line?
"a real smart feller, he felt smart"

rong

"a real smart feller, he felt smart"

Luna

Quote from: rong on February 09, 2012, 10:36:31 PM
This is why I lurk.

Tell me that you're not all butthurt because you addressed a post to a specific person, and he hasn't responded to you within an hour.  He hasn't even been logged in since you posted.
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The Rev

As a former Supervisor of Electricians I never would have asked you to put a defective sensor back in place without damn good reason, but if I had asked I would have much preferred dialogue instead of outright refusal.

rong

I get the feeling I'm generally ignored.
"a real smart feller, he felt smart"

Nephew Twiddleton

Youve been annoying in the past but youve been pretty quality as of late. Just gotta learn patience.
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The Good Reverend Roger

Quote from: rong on February 09, 2012, 09:45:22 PM
From what I can gather, you are the equivalent of my boss's boss.

A couple weeks ago I was sent home for being insubordinate.

The day prior I replaced a non-critical sensor that failed because it was fucking cold outside.  My boss wouldn't let me take the 12 mile round trip to get proper gear from home to work in -25 F wind chill, so I did the job in my work clothes and light jacket.

Guess what? It was fucking cold again and the new sensor failed that night.

My boss told me to put the original, failed, sensor back up on the 30' silo (it was 10 degrees colder that day) and I told him no.

I got sent home for being insubordinate.

Was I out of line?

Nope.  Parts don't heal.  We had two air compressors, one busted, one working (this was when I first took the job).  The control solenoid failed on the running one, and after troubleshooting it, I told the I&E techs to change the solenoid.  My predecessor - who was still there with a week til retirement - told them to grab the solenoid off the old compressor.  They did, and the compressor still didn't work.  The useless old bastard looked at me in triumph, until I pointed out the record that showed they'd already swapped those parts in the past.  So my first rule for the crew became "Use known good parts, not scavenged crap".

Now, as far as insubordination goes, what matters is HOW you told him "no".
" It's just that Depeche Mode were a bunch of optimistic loveburgers."
- TGRR, shaming himself forever, 7/8/2017

"Billy, when I say that ethics is our number one priority and safety is also our number one priority, you should take that to mean exactly what I said. Also quality. That's our number one priority as well. Don't look at me that way, you're in the corporate world now and this is how it works."
- TGRR, raising the bar at work.

The Good Reverend Roger

Quote from: rong on February 09, 2012, 10:36:31 PM
This is why I lurk.

Sorry, I have an old Cabal member from Illinois in visiting, so I'm only gonna be online here & there.
" It's just that Depeche Mode were a bunch of optimistic loveburgers."
- TGRR, shaming himself forever, 7/8/2017

"Billy, when I say that ethics is our number one priority and safety is also our number one priority, you should take that to mean exactly what I said. Also quality. That's our number one priority as well. Don't look at me that way, you're in the corporate world now and this is how it works."
- TGRR, raising the bar at work.

rong

fair enough - and, that's true - the HOW is important.  although, its not like I flipped out and told him off or anything. 
"a real smart feller, he felt smart"

The Good Reverend Roger

Quote from: rong on February 10, 2012, 11:05:16 AM
fair enough - and, that's true - the HOW is important.  although, its not like I flipped out and told him off or anything.

Sounds like your boss is a fucking douchebag.

When I tell my crew to do something, and they have an objection, the very least I'm going to do is hear them out.  I may tell them to do it anyway, but it doesn't cost a dime to listen, and it may save me considerable grief.

One of the very worst things that can happen to a maintenance foreman or manager is to have his crew suddenly get all dumb and do precisely what they're told.  It's a nasty form of revenge that can sink a supervisor in a matter of days or weeks.
" It's just that Depeche Mode were a bunch of optimistic loveburgers."
- TGRR, shaming himself forever, 7/8/2017

"Billy, when I say that ethics is our number one priority and safety is also our number one priority, you should take that to mean exactly what I said. Also quality. That's our number one priority as well. Don't look at me that way, you're in the corporate world now and this is how it works."
- TGRR, raising the bar at work.

LMNO

I heard a story about the French railroads, where they weren't allowed to go on strike. What they did instead was to enforce literally every rule from the government regulations, which made everything grind to a halt.

Might be urban legend, but there you go.

The Good Reverend Roger

Quote from: LMNO, PhD (life continues) on February 10, 2012, 03:34:28 PM
I heard a story about the French railroads, where they weren't allowed to go on strike. What they did instead was to enforce literally every rule from the government regulations, which made everything grind to a halt.

Might be urban legend, but there you go.

Thing is, it doesn't pay to be a douchebag boss.  Sure, you can get short-term results that way, but within a few months, all the good techs leave for other jobs, and all you have left are sheep with no initiative.
" It's just that Depeche Mode were a bunch of optimistic loveburgers."
- TGRR, shaming himself forever, 7/8/2017

"Billy, when I say that ethics is our number one priority and safety is also our number one priority, you should take that to mean exactly what I said. Also quality. That's our number one priority as well. Don't look at me that way, you're in the corporate world now and this is how it works."
- TGRR, raising the bar at work.

rong

So, I ended up having a meeting with my boss, his boss and the plant manager.  They seemed to take my side for the most part.

I'm considering putting together a presentation on the dunning-kruger effect for the management.  You know, for SCIENCE!
"a real smart feller, he felt smart"

The Good Reverend Roger

Quote from: rong on February 11, 2012, 12:12:03 AM
So, I ended up having a meeting with my boss, his boss and the plant manager.  They seemed to take my side for the most part.

I'm considering putting together a presentation on the dunning-kruger effect for the management.  You know, for SCIENCE!

I'd advise against that.

Once they know it exists, you can't use it as a handle to manipulate them, and frankly, manipulation is THE key to survival in the maintenance field.
" It's just that Depeche Mode were a bunch of optimistic loveburgers."
- TGRR, shaming himself forever, 7/8/2017

"Billy, when I say that ethics is our number one priority and safety is also our number one priority, you should take that to mean exactly what I said. Also quality. That's our number one priority as well. Don't look at me that way, you're in the corporate world now and this is how it works."
- TGRR, raising the bar at work.

rong

I hear what you're saying, but I am and always will be at the bottom. 

I kinda figure I have nothing to lose, and who can fault a guy for sharing information?
"a real smart feller, he felt smart"