Tank Slap - Motorcycle Forum

I have some job enjoyment at last.. sadly it has nothing to do with my primary role and everything to do with my part in the charity committee. The difficult part is not spending all my time doing what I'm enjoying now.

Delivered a presentation to the executive team today and received 3 compliments on my diplomacy... you know... the thing my Line Manager has reprimanded me for numerous time last year.

Such satisfaction from that it's hard to convey.

But anyway, the presentation went very well and we were also complimented on our delivery, the plan and the presentation itself. All round it was a huge success! And now the real work starts, planning and delivering on our promise.

Well done!.....Did you change your methods of diplomacy, or keep it more or less the same & the line manager was wrong??

I was me.. not changed a thing.

I love the irony of it and I honestly think the company will be better when my manager leaves.. just don't know if I will be there long enough to see it

I've started a title-less tally on the whiteboard in our office. Only I know what it's for.

It's currently standing at 5 having started it 20 minutes ago.... it's the number of times I've wanted to go home.

Lunch time update... we're standing tall at 11!

Technical issues, dealing with narcissists and having to explain to someone that "no, I don't have a copy of a power of attorney document for the company I work for!"

"These go to 11"....Nigel Tufnel, rock God.

Is there nothing else on the horizon?

Nothing realistic currently, it seems that the right balance of pay, role and distance isn't presenting itself currently. I have slowed down my search since we became pregnant again too

Another morning updating the project plan... because it's now out of date because I spent all my time working to the constantly changing plans. Oh and I've been reprimanded AGAIN because I sent work through manufacturing instead of doing it myself which goes against my training plan - WHICH I DIDN'T KNOW EXISTED!!!

From what i see of what you post about work Cav, your management sounds disastrous (we've all been there).

You also seem to be clever enough to know that being positive with the idiots who manage you will help your cause should they start trying to manage you out the business, which is a sad part of work life in some places.

Document everything and reply in writing to any issues they identify with positivity and clear reasoning.
You need to play a cleverer game than them sadly.

Keep looking for new employment - it will turn up - usually when you least expect it!

Whats most important is trying to not let it piss you off - i know it will, but being able to switch off is a real skill. Appearing to care but not caring about your current employ is the way, it really is. The only thing in life thats important is you and your family.

C00kiemonster wrote: Whats most important is trying to not let it piss you off - i know it will, but being able to switch off is a real skill. Appearing to care but not caring about your current employ is the way, it really is. The only thing in life thats important is you and your family.

100% this! This was my biggest takeaway from 13 years of contracting. Since learning this skill I've been a much happier person in my life.


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So I've just had this email exchange this morning.. what do you make of this?

Back story is that I had a development batch fail due to an intermittent problem causing a strange cut to the front of the product.

Good morning Both,

Thinking about this first 500 batch over the weekend, not sure we need to repeat it

What are cutting tests like on the good ones?

If these are acceptable, then we should be able to move on to the 2,000

The issue is almost certainly caused by machine settings, not program or design, unless an infeed rate is too high.

If cutting tests are good, we should move onto the 2000 off but put some inspection criteria in the process

100% inspection of first 25 off burs

100% Visual inspection of next 50 burs, can be done by swapping out cassette whilst machine is running

100% Visual inspection of next 100 burs, once again can be done by swapping out cassette whilst machine is running

If any issues found then we need to define RCA, which ideally we should have done on the first batch

Is the same machine still available to us?

Thanks

Best regards

Manager

Hi Manager,

Is this a conversation better had in person?

A replacement batch of 500 has been issued already and the 2000 job is raised awaiting issue.

I have only cut by hand with a couple of samples and they cut very well – I’m yet to jump on the cutting rig.

Best regards,
Cav

Cav,

Whether you believe this should be face to face or not, we need to be more pragmatic about the development process

Yes, it seems the process needs to be reviewed, there are other things that need to be added, i.e., once program has been created and a number of burs cut we need to carry out testing, not wait for the first 500 burs to be cut, this should be common sense, in case frost design does not meet requirements

I will put a review meeting for later this week.

Development has to be a robust process but also has to be timely, and certainly the latter needs to be reviewed, and may be some simple steps and order added to it

Like carrying out load testing on blanks after the first 25 or so have been formed, so this can the be passed off before the rest of the 500 are scrapped

I have asked Jack to put together a process flow of the process and a timeline for the process after a discussion with him on Friday

Once this has been done then the process can be reviewed

Best regards

Manager

How would you take the above emails? Please be honest as well because if you think I've spoken incorrectly I want to know.

My reply to him was this:

Manager,

In my response I’m merely propsing talking in person with the 3 of us so we can collectively and more quickly converse and establish what does need to be done.

Your thoughts over the weekend are great and appreciated.

My reply was not questioning the process or trying to review the process, I’m not even questioning you, my aim with my reply was to establish actions more quickly.

Regards,
Cav

He’s stamping his authority over the process which is correct but as long as the email means he has responsibility for any issues then it’s fine.

If there was going to be major issues with what he said from a process / results point of view then yes you should comment on a soft ‘are you sure?’ tone.. then do it, otherwise do what he asks as he is your manager - whatever you privately think about his competence.

I dare say he’s under pressure, but if he has over promised to above that’s his issue if it doesn’t go to plan.

Just to pick up on one thing you said, do you think I commented on his competency or challenged him?

Again, I want to learn if I'm doing something wrong.

Please don't take this personally cav, as I don't fully understand your work dynamics.

Based on my reading into the situation that there seems to be quite a bit of time pressure. There also seems to be a question on the quality of the output, which may cause a restart on the while process further compounding the time pressure.

If this is correct, then reading your first reply my mind set already jumps to.. "oh for god's sake, why does he want to slow things down for a chat. I need it done now", if you get that mindset the rest of your email is lost.

I would have started the email with some concrete statements about machine availability, and maybe a suggestion on how to expedite starting the 2000 batch. Then closing with a "if I've misunderstood your expectations, maybe we could clarify verbally" closing statement.

That style puts you in a proactive standpoint, while still allowing the boss the illusion of control.

Email communication sucks..

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Cav wrote: ↑05 Feb 2024, 12:18 Just to pick up on one thing you said, do you think I commented on his competency or challenged him?

Again, I want to learn if I'm doing something wrong.

No i dont think you do, but from a management point of view looking at if I was managing you, i'd think it was adding friction to the process.

I understand why you replied how you did, but being more positive while covering yourself is the best way imo.

No such thing as doing anything wrong as you are entitled to your view - i think it's more now about staying more under his radar and let him take responsibility for poor decisions - he gets paid more than you for that very reason.

As Nutz says - email conversations are difficult to get right, my view is reply once, more than that just go see him with concerns.

You know (and we know) your good at your job - just make sure you remember that - and what time is home time

I can't add much. Emails are easily misread. You have no idea what tone was intended by the sender, so if you're already agitated it's easy to get the wrong end of the stick.

My current boss is horrendous in emails. I've pulled him up about it. He's had a few complaints from opposing solicitors and we've had barristers on our side telling him to tone it down. He fell out with an assistant over it and it's easy to see why.

I’m with you Cav, I prefer to have face to face discussions on items that are more than yes or no. So much can be lost in email conversations.

With your managers perspective on small batch runs before QA, without knowing all the variables you deal with. I don’t disagree with that idea.

But what I am surprised at, is you guys have to have this conversation at all. Shouldn’t there already be an established policy/procedure for machine runs? It seems to me this isn’t a new situation you find yourselves in, and there should be a set procedure for number of runs/cuts for certain QA already.


My perspective is from very highly procedured process and workflows, so without specific knowledge on your processes I could be completely talking nonsense

Our procedures are less than 1 year old and need finessing. Ironically, this is something that I brought up back in August/September for review but my manager turned up and shut the meeting down saying, "we've got bigger issues at the moment than worrying about the efficiency of a process". I wasn't able to pick it back up again.

The issue I have is that my specific case is from a suspected intermittent machine error as the design appears to be great, this isn't something captured in the process.

When he says to do something I do it, but when he says, "Thinking about this first 500 batch over the weekend, not sure we need to repeat it" that doesn't sound like an instruction to me and therefore conversation should be had.

It turns out that he'd had a discussion with my colleague on Friday (after I'd left early with a migraine) and therefore didn't want a conversation about it with me.. so this basically boils down to piss poor communication.

I spent a couple of hours trawling through jobs on LinkedIn last night. I sincerely try my best here, but most of my effort is spent trying to keep my manager off my back and NOT on my actual job.