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Office politics - 5/28/2008 4:33:38 PM
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tapestry
Posts: 177
Joined: 8/19/2005
From: Ontario, Canada
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I will try to make this short. I needed an answer to a question. My boss kept saying "I don't know" or "no one is answering my emails" and "no one knows the answer to that". So, since it was important that I know, I called head office myself and asked and received the answer I was looking for. When I let my boss know that I had an answer now I was raked over the coals and accused of going over her head. Yelling at me she demanded to know why I thought she was not looking into what I wanted to know and did I think she could not do her job?!
I was really taken aback, here I thought I was being helpful in digging up an answer that no one seemed able to get. I told her I was sorry if she felt that I was going over her head as that was not my intention. I also asked if it was wrong for me to talk to head office. She seemed to think it was.
How would you have handled this? Is this one of those office politic things that is just taboo?
_____________________________
Joshua 24:15 B
..."As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord."
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RE: Office politics - 5/28/2008 5:58:44 PM
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Miss Giggles
Posts: 3941
Joined: 4/18/2005
From: MI
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They can't stop you from going to HR or over a supervisor but it irritates most supervisors, since it makes them look like they can't handle their employees (to their boss)
So yes its usually taboo.
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RE: Office politics - 5/29/2008 1:27:00 AM
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Emaleth
Posts: 8
Joined: 5/18/2008
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It seems to me your boss didn't do the obvious, pick up the phone and call as you did, and she probably felt embarrassed that you were able to get an answer that she evidently could not.
IMO, it's not taboo to call the head office if you are not getting the information you need in the local office. I've done this many times. My boss got over it and actually starting coming to me to find answers.
I think you handled the situation wonderfully with an apology, showing your boss her due respect. You also acting in a mature manner. She, on the other hand, did not. But it's understandable ... she probably felt one-upped by her employee.
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RE: Office politics - 5/29/2008 7:57:41 AM
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schween
Posts: 3
Joined: 5/29/2008
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yeah. i think she was embarrassed too. she should have been the one to answer that question instead of you.
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RE: Office politics - 5/29/2008 11:32:35 AM
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NoShow
Posts: 372
Joined: 5/10/2005
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On the one hand, you did the "right" thing in that you were motiviated by "being productive".
As for taboo, it depends on the specific environment. Apparently, in yours it is taboo, however in environments such as Emaleth's it's not. It can also vary within a company depending on the particular parties involved.
How would I have handled it? I first would have approached my boss along the lines of "let-me-deal-with-those-nonresponsive-head-office-people-you've-more-important- things-to-do-and-things-like-this-are-why-you-have-people-like-me-around". Now that I've clearly asked; if given the go ahead, I would have called. If not given the go ahead, I would have respected my boss and let them handle it.
[Post edited by mod to fix screen formatting]
< Message edited by ta_mosquito -- 5/29/2008 12:13:51 PM >
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RE: Office politics - 6/6/2008 8:37:33 AM
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redeemedsaint
Posts: 489
Joined: 12/5/2005
Status: offline
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If you were looking to get an answer and the boss didn't seem to respond to it right away, then you had every right to go over her head so to speak and get the answer. Usually in a lot of circles, it is not a good thing to do this.
_____________________________
Woody
Get off the track cause the freight train is coming - Coach Bobby Lee Duke from Facing the Giants
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