The greatest "office rat" you ever worked with?

jetsonx · 03-11-2008 12:30AM #1

We all know the type...

Have you ever worked with someone who spend more time playing office politics than actually doing productive bottom-line work? Do you know the type of person?(a) the expend vast quantites of effort and time doing "ass covering" work (b) the also specialise in doing "high visibility" (but not v.important) work that they know well be seen by the boss (c) they work hard at "looking busy and productive".

Every office has one or two!...Tell us your story?

BrokenArrows · 03-11-2008 12:52AM

jetsonx wrote: »

We all know the type...

Have you ever worked with someone who spend more time playing office politics than actually doing productive bottom-line work? Do you know the type of person?(a) the expend vast quantites of effort and time doing "ass covering" work (b) the also specialise in doing "high visibility" (but not v.important) work that they know well be seen by the boss (c) they work hard at "looking busy and productive".

Every office has one or two!...Tell us your story?

Dammit, they have noticed!

Better get my cup o soup before i hit my 3pm slump

xOxSinéadxOx · 03-11-2008 12:58AM

you stole my joke

brendansmith · 03-11-2008 01:05AM

http://www.minimovie.com/film-128423...Donald%20Trump

Sharpshooter · 03-11-2008 01:21AM

Ben : never found out his last name...........

He was never my friend, whatever that Jackson fella says.

03-11-2008 02:00AM

I work alone Hmmmm where's the mirror.. :P

Sharpshooter · 03-11-2008 02:07AM

Deleted User wrote: »

I work alone Hmmmm where's the mirror.. :P

* points * under the porno mags.:p

Darragh29 · 03-11-2008 02:13AM

Hah, I read the OP and I recognised the type immediately. Sadly, they make up the vast majority of Irish management personnel in Ireland. In Ireland, we promote the incompetent people who can talk about meetings, who can talk about organising meetings about discussions, talk sh*ite about organising meetings about meetigs and at meetings about organising meetings about meetings, organising meetings about meetings about decisions, pick up the buzz words and throw them out at meetings about decisions about meetings, throwing shapes at meetings, etc, etc...

Meanwhile, the people who are covering for and carrying these utter gimps in the workplace while they are talking utter sh*te at meetings, about organising meetings, and organising meeting adout meetings, are the people who we should probably be promoting...

It's an Irish thing!

03-11-2008 02:24AM

sharpshooterH wrote: »

* points * under the porno mags.:p

looks, found it!

xOxSinéadxOx · 03-11-2008 02:27AM

Darragh29 wrote: »

Hah, I read the OP and I recognised the type immediately. Sadly, they make up the vast majority of Irish management personnel in Ireland. In Ireland, we promote the incompetent people who can talk about meetings, who can talk about organising meetings about discussions, talk sh*ite about organising meetings about meetigs and at meetings about organising meetings about meetings, organising meetings about meetings about decisions, pick up the buzz words and throw them out at meetings about decisions about meetings, throwing shapes at meetings, etc, etc...

Meanwhile, the people who are covering for and carrying these utter gimps in the workplace while they are talking utter sh*te at meetings, about organising meetings, and organising meeting adout meetings, are the people who we should probably be promoting...

It's an Irish thing!

we really do, the people who talk bull**** go places

RoosterIllusion · 03-11-2008 02:34AM

My old manager was like that. He wasn't a bad guy, being honest, but he just knew how to cover his own ass and disappear at 3pm every Friday. Imagine Malcolm In The Middle's dad being your manager but not being funny or likeable.

I also worked with this woman from Scotland called Jackie, forget her second name. She was a complete ****. Jackie, I think your a ****.

That is all.

Fruity Scones for all.

03-11-2008 02:37AM

In many offices the incompetants are promoted into positions where they can't do any harm, they just then delegate 100% of their work to their staff who get the job done without interference.

Sharpshooter · 03-11-2008 02:44AM

Darragh29 wrote: »

Hah, I read the OP and I recognised the type immediately. Sadly, they make up the vast majority of Irish management personnel in Ireland. In Ireland, we promote the incompetent people who can talk about meetings, who can talk about organising meetings about discussions, talk sh*ite about organising meetings about meetings and at meetings about organising meetings about meetings, organising meetings about meetings about decisions, pick up the buzz words and throw them out at meetings about decisions about meetings, throwing shapes at meetings, etc, etc...

Meanwhile, the people who are covering for and carrying these utter gimps in the workplace while they are talking utter sh*te at meetings, about organising meetings, and organising meeting adout meetings, are the people who we should probably be promoting...

It's an Irish thing!

Dating sites ftw..

Nodin · 03-11-2008 11:06AM

jetsonx wrote: »

We all know the type...

Have you ever worked with someone who spend more time playing office politics than actually doing productive bottom-line work? Do you know the type of person?(a) the expend vast quantites of effort and time doing "ass covering" work (b) the also specialise in doing "high visibility" (but not v.important) work that they know well be seen by the boss (c) they work hard at "looking busy and productive".

Every office has one or two!...Tell us your story?

Currently I'm sitting 30 feet away from somebody I recently learned earns considerably more than me. They have less experience, aren't here as long, and have (and I can actually prove this) contributed far, far, less.

They do however, do something I don't do. They laugh at the directors sisters jokes. They buy her pressies. They suck up to that Director and MD. They invite said Director to their Ann Summers party. They go repeating "OOOooooo My GOOOOD" (I counted 4 this morning) every time Directors sister has new outfit or hairdo, or shoes, or other such crap. They spend an hour and a half to two hours every morning talking small talk (which I can hear perfectly clearly from here) with Directors Sister. Throw in backbiting, keeping the training of new staff to the basics so they always have to rely on her and there you have it. Scum, really.

Zangetsu · 03-11-2008 11:09AM

What have we learned?

SheroN · 03-11-2008 11:10AM

Nodin wrote: »

Currently I'm sitting 30 feet away from somebody I recently learned earns considerably more than me. They have less experience, aren't here as long, and have (and I can actually prove this) contributed far, far, less.

They do however, do something I don't do. They laugh at the directors sisters jokes. They buy her pressies. They suck up to that Director and MD. They invite said Director to their Ann Summers party. They go repeating "OOOooooo My GOOOOD" (I counted 4 this morning) every time Directors sister has new outfit or hairdo, or shoes, or other such crap. They spend an hour and a half to two hours every morning talking small talk (which I can hear perfectly clearly from here) with Directors Sister. Throw in backbiting, keeping the training of new staff to the basics so they always have to rely on her and there you have it. Scum, really.

Sounds like someone is bitter.

Hate the game not the player.

iPlop · 03-11-2008 11:12AM

Nodin wrote: »

Currently I'm sitting 30 feet away from somebody I recently learned earns considerably more than me. They have less experience, aren't here as long, and have (and I can actually prove this) contributed far, far, less.

They do however, do something I don't do. They laugh at the directors sisters jokes. They buy her pressies. They suck up to that Director and MD. They invite said Director to their Ann Summers party. They go repeating "OOOooooo My GOOOOD" (I counted 4 this morning) every time Directors sister has new outfit or hairdo, or shoes, or other such crap. They spend an hour and a half to two hours every morning talking small talk (which I can hear perfectly clearly from here) with Directors Sister. Throw in backbiting, keeping the training of new staff to the basics so they always have to rely on her and there you have it. Scum, really.

Eating C**K off conveyorbelt if needed --THATS whats really goin on.Trust me I work in an office and what you are describing is slutty office politics.

Nodin · 03-11-2008 12:15PM

SheroN wrote: »

Sounds like someone is bitter.

Hate the game not the player.

At this stage, no, I'll despise the lot. That includes the ones being sucked up to as much as the suckee.

And yes, I suppose I am bitter.

Princess Consuela Bananahammock · 03-11-2008 12:37PM

SheroN wrote: »

Sounds like someone is bitter.

Hate the game not the player.

In fariness, thisgame sucks as much as anyone who plays it.

robtri · 03-11-2008 12:52PM

damn, why can't I find slutty office politics to play ........

ART6 · 03-11-2008 01:02PM

The "Peter" principle: In any organisation there is a tendancy to promote people to their level of incompetence. Therefore eventually, in such organisations, all senior management are incompetent.

Such people need to defend their positions by being assholes, since they are incapable of doing a proper job.

Wagon · 03-11-2008 01:05PM

Nodin wrote: »

Currently I'm sitting 30 feet away from somebody I recently learned earns considerably more than me. They have less experience, aren't here as long, and have (and I can actually prove this) contributed far, far, less.

They do however, do something I don't do. They laugh at the directors sisters jokes. They buy her pressies. They suck up to that Director and MD. They invite said Director to their Ann Summers party. They go repeating "OOOooooo My GOOOOD" (I counted 4 this morning) every time Directors sister has new outfit or hairdo, or shoes, or other such crap. They spend an hour and a half to two hours every morning talking small talk (which I can hear perfectly clearly from here) with Directors Sister. Throw in backbiting, keeping the training of new staff to the basics so they always have to rely on her and there you have it. Scum, really.

Director is just as bad to actually fall for that crap. I don't have any respect for those who allow themselves to be led by the sycophants. But it's probably because they themselves got the job by flattery of the highter management. What's she like to everyone else though? Is she nice at all?

Nodin · 03-11-2008 01:25PM

Wagon wrote: »

Director is just as bad to actually fall for that crap. I don't have any respect for those who allow themselves to be led by the sycophants.

The MD likes his ego stroked on a regular basis allright. The other one is more a case of straightforward nepotism, with the sisters cronies along for the ride.

Wagon wrote: »

But it's probably because they themselves got the job by flattery of the highter management. What's she like to everyone else though? Is she nice at all?

To their face, yes, generally speaking. However anybody viewed as potential threat will find themselves sidelined very quickly. The last one to go into that Department was older, had a good deal of experience elsewhere in the business, and as a result found herself frozen out from day one. Not long after the stories of incompetence started circulating, to the extent that another member of management had to intervene.

Probably the most memorable one was years ago, in which, during lunch with a floor manager, I was told that x was on drugs. 'No, they aren't' sez I and discovered that the story originated from the scuzzbucket, explaining x's somewhat erratic behaviour, which she seemed at pains to highlight. What pissed me off was the fact that x was acting erratically all right, but it was because of a miscarriage and had nada to do with drugs. Nobody bothered their arse investigating beyond her highness though.

It should be pointed out that I'm a male in a female dominated (staff wise) industry....the women here think the same as I do, but it seems to irritate them less....

Clare Bear · 03-11-2008 01:29PM

Yet again I'm thankful that I work with animals. Some people are dickheads.

Mr. Incognito · 03-11-2008 02:10PM

Every politician, ever.

Everyone in the civil service.

Anyone called Tina.

Me.

Blitzkrieger · 03-11-2008 02:24PM

Wanting to be a manager should disqualify you from ever becoming one.

I spent ages working on a high-visibility project that saved the company a fortune with my current manager listed as 'sponser'. When all the work was done his name was suddenly down as project leader....

****er's at a career dead-end now but he'll find a way to worm his way out of that.

SEPT 23 1989 · 03-11-2008 04:59PM

thank god im self employed and dont have to put up with this rubbish:eek:

Nehaxak · 03-11-2008 05:22PM

Yeah, this kind of stuff really pisses me off. I hate arse kissers and I've seen so many "managers" in the past trying to justify both their salary and positions with the crap being mentioned here.

1) Integrity
2) Humility
3) Ability
4) Responsibility
5) Honesty

The five things most missing from an awful lot of managment these days in Ireland. Whatever happened to just doing your job and doing it well without having to kiss arse, lie, cheat or otherwise be dishonest to justify your salary and position ?
If you can't do your job as a manager while adhering to all the 5 points above then just piss off and let someone else do it.

Don't even get me started on the whole "C" level of management in Ireland :mad:

Earthhorse · 03-11-2008 06:33PM

I recognise the type though in my experience they haven't been so political. Just disorganised people who couldn't get their work done, so they end up doing all the hours God gave them, rather than trying to organise their work, and end up getting attached to all sorts of messes, usually of their own making, and then getting credited for resolving them, which would be fair enough if they weren't of their own making. Usually, management value these people because when the shit hits the fan they'll work their asses off (usually to save their asses on).

Darragh29 wrote: »

Hah, I read the OP and I recognised the type immediately. Sadly, they make up the vast majority of Irish management personnel in Ireland. In Ireland, we promote the incompetent people who can talk about meetings, who can talk about organising meetings about discussions, talk sh*ite about organising meetings about meetigs and at meetings about organising meetings about meetings, organising meetings about meetings about decisions, pick up the buzz words and throw them out at meetings about decisions about meetings, throwing shapes at meetings, etc, etc...

Meanwhile, the people who are covering for and carrying these utter gimps in the workplace while they are talking utter sh*te at meetings, about organising meetings, and organising meeting adout meetings, are the people who we should probably be promoting...

It's an Irish thing!

Meetings aren't so much the problem as meetings without agendas and minutes, hence the need for endless meetings you describe above, because no consensus can be reached on what was agreed in the last meeting.

And I'd like to think it's an Irish thing but dysfunctional organisations are a worldwide phenomenon.

BroomBurner · 03-11-2008 07:32PM

I dunno, Earthhorse, I've found that the people who work long hours and put in the time and effort rarely go very far very quickly. In fact, those people, to me, are unable to do their job properly. I'm sure managers could tell the difference when someone f*cks up and then solves their own mess.

On a note of how pathetic kiss-arsing can be, however, was in one place I worked in where all the lads that worked there would switch from pints to bottles of whatever the boss was drinking, just to be like him. As soon as the boss would go, they would be back to their pints.

Fair play really to the people that get themselves promoted by not doing much work though. If someone hasn't been promoted, maybe they're just trying too hard.

AlmightyCushion · 03-11-2008 07:40PM

BroomBurner wrote: »

On a note of how pathetic kiss-arsing can be, however, was in one place I worked in where all the lads that worked there would switch from pints to bottles of whatever the boss was drinking, just to be like him. As soon as the boss would go, they would be back to their pints.

That is pretty pathetic.

The greatest "office rat" you ever worked with?

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