[Closed] in trouble for asking for work...

Your line manager is right IMO & you're either very naive or looking to stir things up a bit

you could have asked for more work without stitching him up. i'd be pissed off if you were working for me.

Sounds like he's worried you're making him look bad.

Politically you've made a bad move I would say, undermines your boss, shows lack of flair and may show that there is slack in the department.

It would have been far better to say you had completed your set tasks and suggest useful things that you could do.

As a middle manager I'd have been annoyed if one of my guys had done this.

Not a nice email from you IMHO, you boss should be annoyed. You should have said you had other work to do but if the 'discs' had arrived then you will get on with that as it is a bigger priority.

Naive, possibly. but I find it frustrating that I have been left without work and didn't want to seem like I was just sat at home twiddling thumbs but i wasn't intending to stir anything.

here is my reply to my line manager

Sorry Eric, I had completed the work I had last week and sent the discs and was awaiting a response regarding this. I was under the impression that John was sending me some other work and that he was aware I was awaiting this. If this is not the case I am sorry. I didn't want to trouble you while you were away, hence the email and this was not intended to put you in a bad light.

regards

I assume that you've just left school, and at the very least you've now got something on your CV for you next job applications.

Say hello to d e e e p sh!t

In fact, you're so deep in now, that you might as well forward your line manager's response to the MD as well...
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No, no, don't do that....

sounds like you've blown any chance of a reach around on your next team building weekend, be on continued look out for a donkey punch from senior management should you actually receive an "invite" though 😀

yeah you made him look like an arse 😀

I agree that my initial email was poorly worded but I never meant for it to undermine my line manager and I thought his response was worded to make out that I had lied to him about my current work load when I had told him when I expected to be finished.

Email shoudl have said;

"I've finished 'x' I'll be doing y and z for now but if there's anything slse specific you'd like me to get on in their place let me know"

MD may not have got back to you directly because he's shouted at your line manager who's now passing it on to you...

Reply something along the lines of (copying in the MD again with a copy of his email attached)

Hi eric, sorry if you feel a bit aggrieved, but all the work we agreed before your time away has been completed and therfore though it would be proactive to undertake some additional duties.

I will as you therfore suggest make a list as described together with undertaking the necessary contacts.

Should this not be sufficient for the interim period shall I contact you again by mail orawait your return before undertaking further projects.

Regards

Anthony

Why didnt youjust go on holiday with your line man ager, everyone would be happy then,

I don't know if it makes any difference but I was under the impression that my first port of call was the MD as my line Man was away and he told me before he went away that the MD was sending me some work through hence my admittedly poorly worded initial email!

my moneys on your MD getting on your line managers case after that first email - you need to be diplomatic !

no payrise or promotion for you this year!

probably. I'll have to pucker up a little I think. thanks for the replies I might get my ass handed to me and get inundated with work now!

You might want to spend the rest of today updating your CV. Any prospects you had at your current companyy are now Scotch Mist

To the OP - I sympathise. That's just the sort of emial I would have written. Some people just don't like Plain English.

Then, being me, I would have stuck to my guns and argued the toss -->

"I've done X,Y & Z that we spoke about and thought I should have been given more by now, hence my previous question"

WGAF!!!!!?
clock out.. get a life that you understand and enjoy

You might want to spend the rest of today updating your CV. Any prospects you had at your current companyy are now Scotch Mist

can you explain what I have done that's instantly sackable?

See this is the problem with email.

What you sent is in writing and on the record. A better approach would have been to wander over to the MD and say "my line manager left me x to do while he is a way but It won't take me all week. Have you got anything else I could be doing?"

If you have nothing to do just pick up a piece of paper and wander round the office occasionally glancing at it, seems to work for plenty of people where I work

You might want to spend the rest of today updating your CV. Any prospects you had at your current companyy are now Scotch Mist

can you explain what I have done that's instantly sackable?

He's not implying that it was sackable, more so that your prospects with the company may have diminished somewhat.

You should email your line manager first NOT the MD unless the MD requests you directly to do something.

Your email sounds like backstabbing your line manager no matter how innocent the email may sound, there is hierarchical order so you need to follow that.

Remedy:

Apologise to your line manager and your MD in person. Not email.

Face the music. Learn the hard way. You need to repair your relationship with your line manager after this.

🙂

[i]can you explain what I have done that's instantly sackable? [/i]

The MD (probably) won't have had too much idea about exactly what you/your boss are doing - a vague idea certainly but probably not the specifics.
Your line manager is on holiday and therefore doesn't expect/want emails like this which effectively show him to be a poor manager. You've alluded to that in your email, you may as well just have said "My boss is on holiday and has left me nothing to do, what should I do?"

The MD is now actually having to do something, you line manager is going to walk back in after his holiday and get the third degree about his management and you've come across as someone with no initiative, unable to "take the lead" or "think outside the box" or whatever other phrase they use these days.

Emails have a very nasty habit of snowballing with other people being cc'd in - if you absolutely *have* to ask a question like that, you do it in person or over the phone.

The 'site' meeting was invented for the very purpose keeping your head down when there's not much to do
Nobody has ever actually been on a site meeting for more than 5 mins - it's just usually en route to the pub/golf course/bike ride

I was told I would be sent more work last week and my line manager said that the MD was sending it. I don't get the work I was promised and emailed the next superior person who wasn't on holiday.

He's not implying that it was sackable, more so that your prospects with the company may have diminished somewhat.

things go round , wont be long before someone does something stupider ! just make sure you do high quality work so its forgotten about quickly

Been there mate, a few years ago in the private sector I made the mistake of emailing my line manager calling into question our companies ability to cover me if I went off sick (I was genuinly concerned and trying to be helpful) and ended up on a disciplinary charges as his manager viewed it as an attack on his ability to manage and an attempt to discredit the company.

i do that shiz all the time m8, it's who i am. Screw buisness talk, theres too much pussy footing around. That's why i'll never be at the top and i am ok with it.

Your line manager is on holiday and therefore doesn't expect/want emails like this

the email wasn't for the line manager and the fact that I CC him into it means that I didn't do it behind his back and was not intentionally to show him up. my reply to him shows this.

I agree very strongly with richmtb. Email is very bad for anything likely to lead to someone feeling criticised (or sexually harassed).

Your line manager is being overly-sensitive

You were being naive/worded your email in a way that could be read as 'my manager's sodded off and hasn't done his job properly and left me anything/enough to do'

You aren't in trouble for asking for work, you're in trouble for the way you asked for it.

I guess it's like answering a woman when she asks if x item of clothing makes her look fat 🙂

Having not worked at somewhere with a formal structure, I'm pretty amazed by this. My line manager's (well, equivalent of) job was getting stupidly complicated stuff done, and mine was getting mildly complicated stuff done. Work got allocated to whoever any of the line managers wanted to do it. It was perfectly normal to bang out an email with "XYZ needs doing, anyone free?" or the reverse...

That's why i'll never be at the top and i am ok with it.

Oh, I know this too. the job is a means to an end. I know I'm not the most tactful person but I was mistakenly led to beleive that I would have some work to do. I don't get work and email my superior regarding this (poorly worded i now know)

I am a man, I can take criticism and apologise when I get it wrong. I learn from mistakes but I can't help feeling there was some ambiguity as to whom I was to contact as my line manager is supposedly on holiday!

I placed someone with a company last year who whilst having a conversation with one of the warehouse chaps was told if you want some good porn films go and see Paul (name changed), so this person being new to the company only knew one Paul and he happened to be the regional Manager who was based on site, not the other Paul who worked in the warehouse who used to lend people his porn stash.

Needless to say the Regional Manager was not impressed when the new lad asked him for some porn.

This tale will not help your dilemma, but it goes to show people other people do bloody stupid things at work as well.

Your line manager is a mug for checking his email while on holiday.

[i]I am a man, I can take criticism and apologise when I get it wrong. I learn from mistakes but I can't help feeling there was some ambiguity as to whom I was to contact as my line manager is supposedly on holiday! [/i]

That's the point, in fact I was having a similar discussion with a friend the other day.

Companies don't like people who "rock the boat". I appreciate that you didn't mean to do that but it's how it's come across in your email. Rather than the company standing back and saying "hang on, our poor management procedures left one of our valued employees direction-less for a while" they will simply take the easy route and hang you out to dry for bringing it up!

I had similar at a previous place of work with an issue regarding the lack of a bike shed. I kept bringing my bike indoors and asking them to sort a bike shed (even offering to sort it myself), they kept telling me to leave it in the car park and in the end, rather than the company doing the decent thing of getting a shed, they took the easy route of disciplining me for bringing my bike indoors!

I'd always value someone who went looking for work over someone who twiddled their thumbs for a week trying to look busy. You're not always in a position to make your own work, I've been there and it's incredibly boring to be left with nothing to do.

See them both face to face, apologise and explain what you meant, take the b*llocking and move on, like grown ups do 🙂

Your line manager sounds like he really needs to chill out a bit.

Any competent guy who was in with the MD would just laugh it off I think his mail back to you indicates a deeper issue.

I wouldn't worry bottom line is you didn't have work to do, you asked for work to do.

You might want to speak to you manager and ask him why he feels you were being underhanded, what gain or motive is there for you, none at all, he sounds very paranoid to me.

yeah I have realised that. hopefully they will realised that I can't sit on my ass all day making lists of businesses for two weeks especially as that is not what I was employed to do!

Worst case make lists, contact some local outdoor ed centres and go and see,

I would have used my initiative and developed the work based on my knowledge of my bosses intent, aims or goals. I think that he has made that very clear in his reply. Start working like your in the team with the same goal. Don't wait to be told.

I would also rectify the gaff straight away by explaining that I got it wrong and should have been developing the work already given to me in line with the previous direction from my line manager. I would apologize in person to both. Go and see the MD now then email boss. You need to defuse the situation and don't get in to email ping pong.

PB relationship manager

You might want to speak to you manager and ask him why he feels you were being underhanded, what gain or motive is there for you, none at all, he sounds very paranoid to me.

like I said earlier, I could have not CC'd him into it (in fact I nearly didn't but glad I did) as it would have seemed I was being underhanded in that instance but I just wanted to have the work they promised me!

I'm astonished that anyone could manage to drop both themselves and someone else into the crap with such awesome accuracy then get on to the internet to whine about it. top marks, well done, now start practicing "Do you want fries with that"

joolsburger

anyone he sat around waiting to be given work wouldn't be in my employment very long. People should be able to work to direction and goals and show a bit of initiative or business acumen in whatever area you are in.

I think you need to change your forum name.

I would have used my initiative and developed the work based on my knowledge of my bosses intent, aims or goals. I think that he has made that very clear in his reply

I was told I was going to receieve some relevant work last week to keep me going. I didn't want to create pointless lists of companies for the MD to turn around and ask me why I didn't ask for some work.

lol at Big But. I'm not whining. I know what I have to do. it's some of you guys that are making a big deal out of it.

I think you need to change your forum name.

Why? if you knew me in person and I was asking for advice as a friend, would you ask me to change my real name?

are you supposed to be working now? Only they might be keeping a close eye on you to make sure you're doing something 'productive'?

I think you need to change your forum name.

Why? if you knew me in person and I was asking for advice as a friend, would you ask me to change my real name?

You need to stop being so defensive otherwise this thread will run and run.

You need to stop being so defensive otherwise this thread will run and run.

maybe that's my intention. maybe I didn't like some of the replies and I am waiting for those I like to balance the ones I don't! 😀

As others have said, it's important that when you do make a tit of yourself, you just own up.

Particularly within a company where up is down and black is white if that's the prevailing culture.

PB I don't know the OP he may well be quite young as this does seem a bit of a schoolboy error.

If I'm reading it right he was promised a specific task (the discs) which hadn't materialised and simply asked the person he thought correct for them having completed the more menial stuff he had to finish off.

A small error of reporting line but not one I'd get all stressed about if I were his line. Seems to me the line is terrifed of the MD as this is such a minor thing to get stressed about.

Some roles need clear direction on a day to day basis in order that tasks are completed effectively others have a high degree of autonomy who knows what the circumstances are here.

The use of the word underhanded as opposed to inappropriate seems like a very salient point implying as it does a personal attack on the Line by the OP.

MD will not want to know as they have more important things to do but will question your line manager when he gets back.

Just email your line manager only but its a bit late for that now.

If you were waiting for some work from your MD as your line manager left you then you should have asked the MD is x had arrived.

MD will think you and line manager are morons.
Your line manager will start make your life hell.

Most of us here think you just made your line manager look bad. While the MD will be intrigued he will also think you are as bad as the line manager.

Why? if you knew me in person and I was asking for advice as a friend, would you ask me to change my real name?

Depends. Is your real name 'CareerMinded'? 😉

tbh I think all you've done is ask for more work, albeit in a ham-fisted manner,

If I'm reading it right he was promised a specific task (the discs) which hadn't materialised and simply asked the person he thought correct for them having completed the more menial stuff he had to finish off.

almost, the discs I mentioned were the work I had completed last week when I said they would be.

I was told once I had sent the discs of completed work to the MD, he would send me more work. I didn't receive anything this morning so thought I would naively ask where this work was rather than wasting my time compiling lists (which my line man said was not the best use of time).

to clarify, my line manager was on holiday. I emailed the MD instead because of this as I didn't expect a response from him.

So what you are saying is that effectively you've e-mailed your MD and your line manager and told them that you have no initiative or common sense and are incapable of working without adult supervision?

Thus pissing your line manager off whilst he's on holiday and your MD cos he now has to sort you and your line manager's inability to fucntion effectively together.

Well done that man.

i do that shiz all the time m8

That's why i'll never be at the top and i am ok with it.

U will neva B at da top if U talk in txt spk eeva, M8!!

Oh and whether or not you intended it, it looks quite a lot like brown nosing and trying to undermine your line manager in his absence as well to be fair.

think all you've done is ask for more work, albeit in a ham-fisted manner

that's all I was intending. I am not that tactful TBH and I shall put this down to experience.

for the record, I am not young (unfortunately) though this is my first industry job since leaving Uni.

live and learn

[i]So what you are saying is that effectively you've e-mailed your MD and your line manager and told them that you have no initiative or common sense and are incapable of working without adult supervision? [/i]

This...

If you were told the MD would send you work when this work was done and he hadn't then you are in no way at fault to ask.

So what you are saying is that effectively you've e-mailed your MD and your line manager and told them that you have no initiative or common sense and are incapable of working without adult supervision?

Close, but what I really wanted to say was 'you are a fat lazy cunit who can't wait to go away for two weeks leaving me with nothing but mundane and pointless tasks to do that I was not employed for'

sometimes 'work' is all about the pointless mundane shit that needs to be done, (even if it's not strictly your job) What you've done instead is ignore that, and drop yourself and your boss in the shit with the MD.

Nicely done...

we don't know I have got us in sh1t with the MD yet. he hasn't responded.

sometimes 'work' is all about the pointless mundane shit that needs to be done

the 'work' that he said I should be getting on with while I wait for the proper Work I am employed to do doesn't 'need' doing at all. it was just his way of keeping me occupied while he gets a tan.

Some people and companies have very odd management styles, I blame The Apprentice.

I reckon your line manager is inept, he is obviously incapable of the simplest handover.

[i]he hasn't responded. [/i]

to you.

He may have been on to your line manager, however.

Your line manager is now left in a position where he can only view you as :-

a) Someone who wanted to stitch him up behind his back

or

b) Someone without the social skills to realise that he was stitching someone up behind their back.

I'd do my best to forget about what you can't undo and just move on in a slightly more thoughtful way in future.

[i]The 'work' that he said I should be getting on with while I wait for the proper Work I am employed to do doesn't 'need' doing at all. it was just his way of keeping me occupied while he gets a tan[/i]

I've learnt over the years just do it if thats what they ask,if it keeps you occupied so the day goes quicker all the better.

go speak to your MD, get your ass covered and alleviate any shit to be levied at your boss on his return. Don't tell the MD your boss e-mailed you, just say you hoped it didn't sound like you have NOTHING to do, oh no, thats not what I meant, I just meant, errr, I have tonnes to do but was looking for those discs...

Your line manager is now left in a position where he can only view you as :-

a) Someone who wanted to stitch him up behind his back

or

b) Someone without the social skills to realise that he was stitching someone up behind their back.

or

c) Someone who is good at doing their job and who is efficient but has yet to learn the finer details of industry hierarchy communication protocol.

the 'work' that he said I should be getting on with while I wait for the proper Work I am employed to do doesn't 'need' doing at all. it was just his way of keeping me occupied while he gets a tan.

So were you left with work to do or not? It sounds like you were, but that you didn't judge it off sufficient value so went above your boss to get something else.

If that is the case you come across as calculated and backstabbing, not naive and simplistic

highclimber - if your name is a reference to your career aspirations then I think Pook is definitely right!

First industry job out of Uni.... already sounding like a jobsworth... I feel some tougher lessons than this one are yet to come.

U will neva B at da top if U talk in txt spk eeva, M8!!

Er. Yeah.

you need one of these

[img] [/img]

then a copy of this

[img] [/img]

There are some very sensitive middle managers posting here, obviously more interested in empire building and office polotics than getting on and doing some real work.