More on "The Boss"

So now the issue is: total micro-management. This is to the point where I think I've had just about enough. The following is a message from my boss with the subject line of "Time and Attendance": I didn’t receive your email today when you arrived letting me know when you came in this morning. Please be reminded, I need to receive this email everyday when you log onto your computer and every evening before you log off. If it helps, a reminder message can be set up in Outlook through establishing a recurring task, with a reminder message so that it appears as soon as you sign into Outlook. You need to send this email everyday, even when it has been arranged in advance that you will be coming in late. For today’s occurrence, I will seek assistance from security. But please make note of this and ensure that I receive this data daily. I believe this is creating a hostile work environment for me and my co-worker. We are in a professional environment, nobody punches a clock. We enter our time into PeopleSoft every day. Furthermore, when the boss stated that this would be a requirement, I asked her if we had given her any reason to be doing this, and she responded, "No, I'm just keeping track of time and attendance." I thought that's what PeopleSoft was for. This goes against one of our company's core values which is: Create and maintain an atmosphere of mutual trust and respect. In addition to the "Time and Attendance" rule, we now have to 'filter' everything through the boss. That is, everything we send out (reports/data due) we have to send to the boss first, and then wait for her approval before we send to the party that is expecting it. We also have to 'filter' all requests through her as well. Like, if we need data from someone that is critical to a report, we cannot go to the source, we have to go to the boss and she will request said data. This goes against the aforementioned core value, and two more: 1. Encourage every team member to take risks, exercise initiative, deliver quality results and never be afraid to make honest mistakes. 2. Create a supportive environment that nurtures personal and professional growth. I don't feel like my personal or professional growth is being nurtured, and this is definitely not a supportive environment! I am also not being encouraged to take risks, and certainly not to exercise initiatives!!! The good news is, I have a meeting with the boss's boss on Tuesday. There are many more issues that could go into some ethical areas. That's for another blog.

About Me

Please note that the chances are slim that I will respond to an email asking me to answer questions about myself. Last week someone said that I was the least likely to respond and that people should just check the blog. So here goes, a combination of questions from the last several get to know you emails I received and some add ons: First Name: Ann Was I named after anyone: Yes, my Grandmother Anna (who I never got to meet) Favorite Color: Purple Favorite Number: 4 Favorite Restaurant: Firebird's Rocky Mountain Grille Sport I Played: Soccer Favorite TV show: Grey's Anatomy Largest Cell Phone Bill: Over $600.00 Reoccurring Dream: Well, I haven't had it in awhile but I used to be chased by cracks opening up in the ground while running in the field behind my parents' house Favorite Movie: Pursuit of Happyness Favorite TV Show Growing Up: The Muppet Show Favorite Store: Tuesday Morning Best Medical Test: The first ultrasound when I was pregnant Worst Medical Test: Drinking the barrium Best Friend in High School: Colleen Favorite Teacher: Mrs. Carter (12th grade) 4 Jobs I have had: Cashier, McDonalds, Customer Service, Executive Assistant Person I Miss the Most: Hands down, my Dad Song that Reminds me of someone: Somewhere Over the Rainbow/What a Wonderful World by Israel Kamakawiwo Ole' Weekend Routine: Clean the House, do laundry, etc, etc. Would I bungee jump: Maybe Now I Am Listening To: Chitter-chatter; just background noise Favorite Smell: Daryl Favorite Drink: Miller Lite Favorite Hobby: None Favorite Food: Probably Sushi Favorite Ice Cream: Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough How Many Emails in My Work Email Box: 723 How Many Emails in My Main Personal Account: ?? How Many Cameras Do We Have In Our House: 3 Best Alarm Clock Brand: All alarm clocks suck! Copy the questions and answers and respond by leaving a comment. If you do not do this in the next 10 minutes you might die..........or someone might steal your kidney.......or a stranger might be waiting in the back seat of your car to kill you.......Do not interrupt your response if you hear a crying baby out on your front porch-it's a trap, believe me.

Toxicity Level is HIGH

Does anyone ever think "Gee, wonder if I'm a bad boss"? Probably not. I know a select few who would benefit from asking themselves that very question. If they were honest with themselves, they would find that maybe they are micro-managers, time-mongers, or just the boss from hell. I was reading an article on bad bosses at www.toxicboss.com. Now that's an interesting site. It gives you tips on how to deal with a toxic boss, as well as stories about workplace revenge. It also has a Toxic Boss-o-Meter, to see how toxic your boss really is. I have had the misfortune to work for a few really toxic bosses. Every time, I find myself wondering, "Did I really piss someone off on a cosmic level?" or "What did I do in a former life that was so terrible?" I can never seem to get past the toxic boss, so I usually end up leaving the company or transferring out of the department headed up by said boss. I would love to learn how to win over a toxic boss. I don't mean I want to be friends with the boss, but at least get past the feelings of intimidation and worthlessness, and become a productive member of the team in the boss' eyes. Is that too much to ask? Maybe it is. I think Kramer would advise me to blow up the boss' house or car. Surely something evil. But I'm not looking for revenge. I just want to be comfortable, if not happy, at my place of business. My hubby tells me to document everything so I have it when I need it. And he's right, but am I missing something? I feel like maybe I can take an extra step somewhere that will lead to the boss not being so, well...bossy! I would love to hear your toxic boss stories. Any comments?

White House Retracts State of the Union Address

The White House has retracted the entire 5,600 word state-of-the-union address...has this ever happened before? Read the article here: http://www.theonion.com/content/news_briefs/white_house_quietly I can't honestly say that I'm surprised. I mean, just about every word out of W's mouth has been a lie. But retracting the entire state-of-the-union address??? Did they look at the tapes and decide, "no, that's just not worthy of you, W" or better yet, did W himself decide that it sounded too truthful and would tarnish his record? I think the funniest part of the article is the last line: "Like the State of the Union address itself, the White House's retraction has not yet become a significant national news story" I wonder if Kramer will weigh in on this...

Introducing: Kramer

I thought I posted this yesterday, but for some reason it didn't post. Kramer is our neighbor that lives 2 doors down. He will be blogged about often, so I thought I should introduce him. A few quick facts about Kramer: He has too many vehicles (just ask the City of Peoria) He has some neighbor-relation issues He doesn't care what others think - to an extreme He is NEVER late for dinner He has become a very good friend to us For those of you that know Corey; Kramer has become something of our Corey in Arizona. He also takes Corey's place at our dinner table most nights. That's ok, except some nights he argues with Vicki and it feels like we have Eric & Sam (oil & water) living with us again! Kramer, you are a good friend, so don't take offense to anything I may say or write. It's just my normal sarcasm; nothing more, nothing less.

An Oldie But a Goodie...

Welcome to Bawstin For those of you who have never been to "Bawstin", this is a good guideline. I hope you will consider coming to "Beantown" in the near future. For those who call New England home, this is just plain great! Information on Boston and the surrounding area: There's no school on School Street, no court on Court Street, no dock on Dock Square, no water on Water Street. Back Bay streets are in alphabetical "oddah": Arlington , Berkeley, Clarendon, Dartmouth, etc. So are South Boston streets: A, B, C, D, etc. If the streets are named after trees, (e.g., Walnut, Chester, Cedar), you're on Beacon Hill. If they're named after poets, you're in Wellesley. Massachusetts Avenue is Mass Ave. Commonwealth Avenue is Comm. Ave. South Boston is Southie. The South End is the South end. East Boston is Eastie. The North End is east of the former West End. The West End and Scollay Square are no more. A guy named Rappaport got rid of them one night. Roxbury is The Burry, Jamaica Plain is J.P. How to say these Massachusetts city names correctly: **Say it wrong, be shunned** Worcester : Wuhsta (or Wistah) Gloucester : Glawsta Leicester : Lesta Woburn : Wooban Dedham : Dedim (like denim w/ a D in the N space) Revere : Re-vee-ah Quincy : Quinzee Tewksbury : Tooks berry Leominster : Lemon-sta Peabody : Peabuddy Waltham : Walth-ham Chatham : Chattum Definitions: Frappes have ice cream, milkshakes don't. If it is fizzy and flavored, it's tonic. Soda is CLUB SODA. "Pop" is Dad. When we want Tonic WATER, we will ask for Tonic WATER. The smallest beer is a pint. Scrod is whatever they tell you it is, usually fish. If you paid more than $6/pound, you got scrod. It's not a water fountain; it's a bubblah. It's not a trashcan; it's a barrel. It's not a spucky it's a sub. It's not a shopping cart; it's a carriage. It's not a purse; it's a pockabook. They're not franks; they're haht dahgs. Franks are money in France. Police don't drive patrol units or black and whites they drive a "crooza". If you take the bus, you are on the "looza crooza". It's not a rubber band, it's an elastic. It's not a traffic circle, it's a rotary. "Going to the islands" means Martha's Vineyard & Nantucket. If something's good, it's "pissa". If something's really good, it's "wicked pissa". The Pat's = The Patriots The Sox = The Red Sox The C's = The Celtics The B's = The Bruins Things not to do: Don't pahk your cah in Hahvid Yahd ... they'll tow it to Meffa (Medford) or Slumaville (Somerville). Don't sleep in the Common. (Boston Common) Don't wear Orange in Southie on St. Patrick's Day. Things you should know: There are two State Houses, two City Halls, two courthouses, two Hancock buildings (one old, one new for each). The colored lights on top the old Hancock tell the wetha: "Solid blue, clear view...." "Flashing blue, clouds due...." "Solid red, rain ahead...." "Flashing red, snow instead...." - (except in summer; flashing red means the Red Sox game was rained out) Route 128 is also I-95 south. It's also I-93 north. The underground train is not a subway. It's the "T", and it doesn't run all night (fah chrysakes, this ain't Noo Yawk). Order the "cold tea" in China Town after 2:00 am you'll get a kettle full of beer. Bostonians... think that it's their God-given right to cut off someone in traffic. Bostonians...think that there are only 25 letters in the alphabet (no R's). Bostonians...think that three straight days of 90+ temperatures is a heat wave. Bostonians...refer to six inches of snow as a "dusting." Bostonians...always "bang a left" as soon as the light turns green and oncoming traffic always expects it. Bostonians...say everything in town is "a five-minute walk." (Pronounced "wok") Bostonians...believe that using your turn signal is a sign of weakness. Bostonians...think that 63-degree ocean water is warm. Bostonians...think Rhode Island and NJ accents are annoying! NU YAWK faans ah poor loozas.

Here is what management really have behind their desks to evaluate your skills and mistakes.

Monthly Overall Work Evaluation

Name: _____________________ Date: _______________ _____________________________________________________ KNOWLEDGE:__ Really knows what he's doing. __ Knows just enough to be dangerous. __ Only half a brain and is dangerous. __ His coffee cup has a higher I.Q. _____________________________________________________ ACCURACY: __ Does excellent work is not preoccupied. __ Pretty good accuracy with large numbers. __ Must take off shoes to count above ten. __ What's a number? _____________________________________________________ ATTITUDE: __ Extremely co-operative. __ Brown noser in good standing. __ Often annoys co-workers and fights. __ Doesn't care, never did, never will. _____________________________________________________ RELIABILE:__ Works so hard he gets extra days off. __ Very dependable. __ Rely on his being first one out the door. __ Absolutely totally worthless. _____________________________________________________ APPEARANCE: __ Extremely neat and clean. __ Looks great on his day off. __ Flies take him over fresh manure. __ Dirt, filthy, smelly, and ugly. _____________________________________________________ PERFORMANCE: __ Works hard if money is involved. __ Does great work--at evaluation time. __ Works well after ten cups of coffee. __ Couldn't do less if he were in a coma. _____________________________________________________ LEADERSHIP: __ Carries chainsaw and gets good results. __ Macho attitude. Commands total disgust. __ One time some listened to him whine. __ Unable to lead even the most ignorant. _____________________________________________________ I understand that I have been counseled and understand my rights under the privacy act of 1974. I further acknowledge that I am as stupid as a football bat, and I will make some attempt to correct my deficiencies. _______________________________________ Employee signature