Work politics

Kimia

So just recently I was hung in work, one of my colleagues ended up blaming their mistake on me, it was quite obvious. I actioned something that she asked me to (and explained how to do) and it turns out that it was not correct - so when she was questioned she blamed me. It worked out ok in the end - I told my boss and she understood, but I felt very hurt by the actions of the colleague.

Have you ever been betrayed in work and how do you avoid it?

Abi

If I can dig out the name of a book I had years ago on this, I'll throw the name up there


Some people don't like taking the blame for their actions. I'm glad you got the opportunity to explain what happened though. People like her are weak and cowardly, and you should pity her for being so spineless.

I certainly wouldn't be in any hurry to help her in the future Kimia, one to be watched. Unfortunately, theres no way of really avoiding these sorts if you have to work with them, but make sure you can some how document (via email) or have other people in ear shot if she asks you something.

Would you consider picking her up on it?

Kimia

I did alright, in a way so that there's no drama but she knows I know, if you get me. I just hate being so naive, I always believe the best in people and it is so disappointing when this happens.

Just wondering how everyone else handles it so I can learn to be more clever.

Abi

Kimia wrote: »

I did alright, in a way so that there's no drama but she knows I know, if you get me. I just hate being so naive, I always believe the best in people and it is so disappointing when this happens.

Just wondering how everyone else handles it so I can learn to be more clever.

You're not naive Kimia, you're human. You'd expect the best from people until sheer experience teaches you to tread cautiously. I know that sounds awful, but it's how I function. If you get enough people willing to f.cuk you over, your attitude changes. Don't define it as being 'more clever', it's more experienced. Well she's just given you a head start.

Would I be right in saying your job is office based? if so - it's jungle time babeh.

Kimia

Thanks Abi, yep it's office based. People who would nearly murder their own mothers, and most of the time it's out of the absolute terror of being exposed as not knowing what they're doing. I would have more respect for someone if they just admitted that they messed up and took responsibility. I hate this notion where people will do anything in order to avoid being 'blamed'. :rolleyes:

Storminateacup

I worked in a large department store when I was sixteen, in a store that almost had more "managers" than staff. On Saturdays, the owner used to come in and waltz around deciding if things should be changed ect.

This one Saturday morning the manager came down and told the Lovely polish lady that worked full time there to do a sale rail, so it being a big job, she set about doing it. I helped her out and by lunch time it had started looking like how the manager asked it to be.

All going well until the owner comes walking down, sees this monstrosity on the floor and started asking the manager what on earth it was. Well, the manager absolutely fleeced into the polish lady and dressed her down like a naughty child in front of the other managers and the owner and told her that's not what she wanted and she was outraged she had wasted the entire morning following the instrustions incorrectly.

The lady never replied but was very upset after they had all left and later that day, the manager came back and apologised to her, saying she was sorry for earlier, but her "hands Were tied".

What a bitch that manager was. Make the staff look incompetent in front of the owner When al she done was what she was asked to do

I'm so glad I have been lucky enough to avoid this

or perhaps change lucky to oblivious

I couldn't let something like that slide though, just not on

LittleBook

In my previous office I was working on a newly created role where I was supposed to support a team of people by taking over a certain job that they did which was divided geographically among them. Everyone was chuffed to have me on board and offload some of their heavy workload except for one woman.

I could tell from the beginning that she was the least confident of the team and she stubbornly refused to hand over the work to me.

I just got on with it, assuming that she was able to take care of all her responsibilities until about a year later she complained to my boss that she was STILL doing that work that I was supposed to take on.

I had told the boss several times that she didn't seem to want me to take it over and had no problem saying the same thing one more time with feeling.

Kimia wrote: »

People who would nearly murder their own mothers, and most of the time it's out of the absolute terror of being exposed as not knowing what they're doing.

That's exactly the problem so there's very little you can do to change it or avoid it, this is about their own issues. I have no problem admitting I've made a mistake (although before talking to my boss about it, I'll have found a way of correcting the mistake or explaining the circumstances) because I'm damn good at what I do.

The people who try to hang other people are the morons who are getting by on other people's coat-tails. And what they fail to realise is that they are being seen (by everyone!) for what they are when they try to pull tricks like this ... childish, incompetent, liars.

mikemac

The Way of the Rat: A Survival Guide to Office Politics

Clever and witty book, very accurate
And you'll lose your trusting nature and a lot of your faith in humanity after reading it

I wonder if it is to do with the size of the team you work with, its a very small team I work with and we have all been there a long time so you don't really get that sort of behaviour

mind you we did have a female team leader at one time who was a lot more forgiving of a male college (he was the only male there at the time ) her behaviour was really weird.

I think being able to admit your mistakes really is the biggest marks of maturity in any one.

Scanlas The 2nd

An interesting article called "Robert Green's speech at Yale" on politics and power which is relevant for your situation.

http://powerseductionandwar.com/

Maple

Isn't it awful that I'm so used to this sort of bullsh1t that I've become quite inured to it? It doesn't shock me at all.

I've operated under the CYA rule for years, even since something similar happened to me OP. I've had both teammates and clients try to hang me for stuff when things go wrong.

Get everything in writing, follow up a telephone call with an email, if you're unsure of anything at all make triple sure to get it in writing. CC your superior if necessary.

It's not being underhanded, it just means that nothing is hidden, everything is in black and white so if sh1t goes wrong, well you've a backup to prove why the steps taken were taken.

Neyite

I really wish they taught a module in college on how to deal with office politics. I have encountered one in every proper job I had, and I got blindsided a few times. Nearly all of 'hangers' that hung me out to dry were female- of varied age groups, but the worst one I ever encountered was male. His behaviour was positively machievellan. It was very clever bullying tactics, but was so subtle that it would have sounded really petty to report it. I learned a lot from him - what to watch out for and how to cover my ar$e.

Deffo going to get a couple of books on it.

I am working with someone now who consistently passes off my work as their own. Cant say a word about it as its my supervisor, and in an area that has been hit by the recession so I am lucky to have a job. But meh.. someday I will be moving on and that person will be f**cked without me.

Handsome Bob

You'd be surprised at the type of professions where this is most rampant.

LenaClaire

Office life can really suck, and people can get emotionally invested in some of the oddest things.

I have to second the idea of getting everything in writing and keeping your emails. It has saved my tush several times to have documentation of exact requests along with further requests for clarification when things have gone wrong and people have tried to blame me.

Also, with work email - if you wouldn't want you bosses or clients to read what you have just written - do not send it. Ill tempered, or poorly thought out emails that get sent in a hurry have been the downfall of many people. One of my old work nemeses (yes, in my old company you usually had multiples) took himself out this way, I was so very sorry for him...

banshee_bones

Maple wrote: »

Isn't it awful that I'm so used to this sort of bullsh1t that I've become quite inured to it? It doesn't shock me at all.

I've operated under the CYA rule for years, even since something similar happened to me OP. I've had both teammates and clients try to hang me for stuff when things go wrong.

Get everything in writing, follow up a telephone call with an email, if you're unsure of anything at all make triple sure to get it in writing. CC your superior if necessary.

It's not being underhanded, it just means that nothing is hidden, everything is in black and white so if sh1t goes wrong, well you've a backup to prove why the steps taken were taken.

sorry but what does CYA mean? is it cover your ass? :pac:

reading this thread with interest as I am very new to the whole office job, currently three months in to my first one evar.

one of the girls has tried to bitch about my boss, I think she hopes I will engage but I refuse to for a couple of reasons, a) I actually think shes wrong and I like my boss and b) It's my first office job but im not that stupid.

Luckily its a small office, but half of us work for one organisation and the other half another so I do have to be somewhat careful even though theres a very alluring laid back feel to the place I won't be taking it for granted.

Maple

CYA is indeed Cover Your Ass.

Blush_01

From my experience, this kind of crap is par for the course.

And apparently (despite being a pretty assertive person) I'm a doormat in a work situation.

Not any more dudes, I've had enough.

Kimia

It is indeed rampant, it's not the first time I've come across it. I'm annoyed at myself this time though because I should have known better. I'm also annoyed because I thought this person was sort of my friend, she was super friendly and warm to me when I started and I thought she was in my camp. It's hard to find out that you've been totally duped.

borderlinemeath

This topic really hit a nerve with me as I've been on the back end of a couple of these bitches.

First was an old boss who was moved over from the UK and a management position "created" for her. She wasn't any good at her job, I had to train her on the most basic reports that she should have known how to analyse apart from other things.

She regularly passed off work done by me and my colleagues as her own, made little passive aggressive remarks about coworkers and before I left the company she had managed to get rid of 3 other managers and bring in her people. I had spent time on a course in the UK where a few of my UK colleagues told me what she was capable of so I stayed on the right side of her until she hung me for a mess she created. I started looking for a new job straight away as it was only a matter of time before she would have tried to work me out and I had seen first hand how she had worked a friend/colleague to the verge of a breakdown.

Another was a coworker in my last job who hung me for no other reason but to get ahead. Worse still I had trusted her, had defended her to management and had covered her ass on many an occasion so it really knocked me for six when she stabbed me in the back. Luckily I had plenty of ammo of my own to even the score.

I know the jobs market is dog eat dog, particularly in the past few years, but there's a level of human decency that is lacking in certain people. I really don't know how these type of people sleep at night.

borderlinemeath

Kimia wrote: »

It is indeed rampant, it's not the first time I've come across it. I'm annoyed at myself this time though because I should have known better. I'm also annoyed because I thought this person was sort of my friend, she was super friendly and warm to me when I started and I thought she was in my camp. It's hard to find out that you've been totally duped.

I know the feeling. It's one thing having a row with a friend, but to be double crossed by somebody who you consider to be a friend is sickening. You feel stupid, upset and angry and second guess everybody from then on.

Neyite

Kimia wrote: »

It is indeed rampant, it's not the first time I've come across it. I'm annoyed at myself this time though because I should have known better. I'm also annoyed because I thought this person was sort of my friend, she was super friendly and warm to me when I started and I thought she was in my camp. It's hard to find out that you've been totally duped.

I had a 'best friend' at work once. We both went for the same promotion and she exaggerated some personal information on me to totally sabotage my chances. B!tch. She got the job instead of me.

Even our manager tried to hint to me not to trust who I thought I could trust but I genuinely didnt think it was my friend that was spreading the rumours - I even confided in her who I thought it was - she must have been delighted. Learned my lesson though. Besties outside work only, no personal information whatsoever in work, no colleagues as facebook friends or any of that jazz.

Kimia

It's really awkward and uncomfortable in work now because she's avoiding me. It's really obvious to me because we got on so well before this. I don't know how to act around her because I know she knows I know she hung me, if that makes sense..

I just wish there were rules for this sort of thing!!

@rti-shm@rti

Oh lord, the office politics. It's such a part of where I work that I hardly notice it anymore! I take people with a pinch of salt. I'm lucky in that I've had good managers myself more or less (on the scale of office politics in here) and I've always vocally owned up to my mistakes and never been afraid to either. I'll give credit where credit is due to the junior staff when they're the ones that have been breaking their back over it. I've never found it to hamper me in my job thus far although maybe I'm being naive!!!

Nothing makes me more annoyed than when you've killed yourself on something and then someone comes along and takes the credit for it. It's happened to me before, right in front of my face. In that instance I didn't say anything.

The other ones are the really cute ones, they never make any noise, don't visibly rock the boat, not noticeably anyhow. They creep around the office whispering into the ears of people influencing peoples' decisions on things without them even realising they're being manipulated. The type that wouldn't tell you if you were on fire....they let you off on your merry way to hang yourself on something. Partly because they don't want to be seen to make a fuss or anything but partly because they can't wait to see you making an eejit of yourself.

God I hate those people. There should be an induction training in every firm for 'Office Politics'

Maple

Kimia wrote: »

It's really awkward and uncomfortable in work now because she's avoiding me. It's really obvious to me because we got on so well before this. I don't know how to act around her because I know she knows I know she hung me, if that makes sense..

I just wish there were rules for this sort of thing!!

It'll pass. If you guys have to work together it will pass.

You just have to learn from it, draw a line under it and move on.

Just hold your head high and if you have to talk to her, be polite and smile without being overly effusive. It's about remembering her actions in the back of your mind, but being the consummate professional and go about your job as if this never happened.

I hope that makes sense?

daenerysstormborn3

I don't really have much of a problem with work colleagues but getting home in the evening is such a chore.

My boss regularly expects at least 2 people (out of an office of 8) to just work until such a time as she is ready to let them go home. We are supposed to finish at 5.30 but 3/4 days of the week at least 2 people don't get out until 5.45/6pm. I know it's usually only 10-15 minutes but when it happens nearly every day and you're not getting overtime for it nor are you given any prior notice nor are you even asked if you can work late, the work is just handed to you and it's expected to be done, it does become really tedious.

You could spend 3/4 of your day doing your work at a nice steady pace and then at 5pm she'll suddenly realise she's forgotten something or she wants to do something that's not really urgent and everyone has to run around and try to organise things last minute.

The Black Oil

There was a bit of this carry on in one place I worked. Mostly bitchiness - 'I bet she's a right little princess, yer wan doesn't lift a finger' type of comments I don't know why people need to behave like this. The canteen was about the size of a garden shed...and I'd imagine some comments were made about me when I wasn't there, I was a n00b and only there a few months, but I didn't get involved in this crap.

dashboard_hula

I'd echo the advice about CYA - a few years ago I landed myself in a big hoohaa over something which later on turned out to be not my fault at all, but because I have a crap memory and didn't bother writing things down/emailing myself, I took the hit for it because I actually assumed I was at fault.

On the flipside, I was dropped into it by a colleague and was facing down quite a bit of trouble until I produced the email that showed I had done the necessary task and the colleague had not followed up on. There's something weirdly embarassing to have someone sit down and force out an apology. You'd think that you'd rip the heads off them for potentially threatening your promotion/annual review, but if someone fronts up and apologises, it all kind of falls away and you "Ah sher it could happen to anyone".

I should've ate her.

Pythia

In my old job, my manager used to blame me for things that were his fault and tell others he didn't know I was doing that. But of course if I did anything well, we 'both' did it, it wasn't just my work.

I'm so glad I moved to a nice job. I used to come home and moan every day about work and b1tch about people at lunch because I was p1ssed off with it. Now all I say are good things! It's just luck though that my new place is so nice.