openscarf | not a good day

I got in trouble at work today. I displayed frustration and wasn't professional in an email to a vendor; they complained, they demanded that they don't have to deal with me anymore; it went literally to the top of the company and I got a serious talking to, I thought I was being fired. I knew yesterday after I wrote it, that I fucked up. This isn't the first time I've been spoken to about my tone, whether verbal or in writing. I got heated and didn't stop emailing. (smack forehead)

NEVER MIND the back story. Where I work, it doesn't matter at all, nada. No matter that this vendor had our liquor license in jeopardy by being non-compliant, never mind that I spent a week helping them, so we could pay them. Never mind that they were unprofessional, rude and dense. Never mind that I discovered the issue, never mind that they didn't alert us to it. Never mind the hundreds of people I communicate with in a week that it's all good, I'm so helpful. Forget the $600K I was able to recover, it's not relevant. No matter. At all. I let anger out. I fucked up. I mean, my manager was incredulous. I felt like crap.

I sucked it up, I mean, I was rude, no excuses, BUT the way my manager's manager talked to me was brutal. I thought I was getting fired. I'm not sure I'm not, to be honest. It was horrible. I owned it. I apologized. I wrote out things I need to do, which I really do need to do to survive corporate America and earn a paycheck.

1. Do not write to the same person more than 2 or 3 times in one day. Let things slide. Care less.
2. Write in very short sentences, fragments if necessary.
3. Do not attempt or ever think I am educating anyone.
4. Do not keep Outlook up all day. Go in every hour or so, then shut it down.
5. Even though most of my work takes place communicating via email, dive into other projects, find them, invent them, research, etc.

I called my mom when I got home cause I wanted to cry. And because we are alike. We get frazzled, we don't let things slide, our words can bite, we're emotional, we're not political, we don't know how to negotiate very well. We're usually right, but have trouble communicating with certain types. We had an awesome talk. I feel better. Thanks Mom.

I'm trying to not keep things inside too much, like I always have.

I'm still crying a little, but it feels softening, healing.

I need my job.

I am exploring free lance opportunites, but I'm at the beginning of that road.

Please comment LJ friends. :-)

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

When I read this, and the replies, I thought I was reading something I could have written. I have dealt with this problem my entire professional life. We have a new saying at work, three words you used that apply here.

It doesn't matter.

As Sharpie said, a business should rely on facts to set it's course.

When an incompetent vendor, customer, or colleague screws up we shouldn't react poorly but if we do, the facts should set the record straight. They should at least understand what the catalyst was for our action. Instead, the incompetent covers their mistake by making an issue of how we handled it.

I'm guilty as charged. There's a saying here and at my previous place of employment. "Don't let Don talk to the customers. He says what he thinks."

Honesty is not the best policy.

Molly mentioned her detachment. That's where 'It doesn't matter' comes in. When something bad happens here and I have no control over my job because someone else screwed up, I don't get uptight like I once did.

I say "It doesn't matter" and do what I must to fix the problem.

Being angry at that person doesn't help. The Bossman will do nothing to fix the root cause. No one will know what really happened because they're all floating around aimlessly like that plastic bag in American Beauty.

The more we care about our jobs and the results of our efforts, the more likely it is we'll have these episodes. The slackers never get upset. They don't care, and it doesn't matter. They get paid just as we do. So why do we care so much that we get in trouble?

I understand what you're going through. I believe you, I, and our LJ friends are birds of a feather.

I'll write to you about that writing thing another time.

"No one will know what really happened because they're all floating around aimlessly like that plastic bag in American Beauty." Awesome!

Yup. The manager that tore me down has worked with me for one month, and very little at that. He doesn't have any idea what I do.

Every word you wrote, I was saying, yes, yes, yes.

I never noticed until you said it, that slackers never get upset. That is the truest statement. It's amazing in it's simplicity and strategy for work.

I'm so glad we are of the same feather. Before I read this I felt so freakish and alone, now as I said, I'm honored and thrilled and tickeled to be in your company.

Thank you for your support and understanding.

You're welcome.

Look around your workplace. You'll be able to readily identify the people who give an honest effort every day. They care about their job. These are the souls you should associate with if you happen to hang out with co-workers during breaks or after hours.

Leave the slackers and incompetents to themselves. Even if they're nice people they give you so much grief you're better off not knowing them beyond the duties of your job.

That is how I've approached every job I've had since I learned 1/3 of the workforce are useless, 1/3 are okay doing their best most days, and 1/3 are the hard workers who get 2/3 of the work done.

I know it sound cynical, but that's my experince after 30+ years in the full time workforce.

not a good day

It Doesn't Matter

Re: It Doesn't Matter

Re: It Doesn't Matter