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May. 22nd, 2009 03:52 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
vicarzYou're wrong, but it's ok!
Today has been an exercise in hilarulousity. So, I just scored the NYC case win, which I think is a big deal. Not only were there big problems that I identified that came to be in the hearing (we lost on the points I warned we'd lose) but we won anyway based on something I "walked into the hearing with." The point we won on I did a lot of work on (though despite my work the main reason we got that was the Complainant admitted on the stand a smidgen of the issue/truth. Ok, that's just background. I'm happy I won and it's been since publicized.
Today I would have rather have taken off, but my coworkers are still engaged in an anti-management roll and their idea for addressing problems in our part of the agency is to go to a high-ranking official. Well, I agree with some of their issues and understand a unified front is important - so when they scheduled a meeting for downtown with a high ranking mgt official (hereinafter, Mr. Big), I decided to work from home so I could do. I worked this AM, donned my gay apparel (work-drag, tie and all) and headed downtown. The meeting was called my one of my crazy female coworkers to be with Mr. Big only, with no management personnel as addressing the issues with them had yielded no changes. I warned them going into the meeting that while I'd support what I could, that most of their complaints didn't apply to me (report demands for settlement and losses) as I hadn't encountered them. Worse, between you and me my droogs, most of their issues are self-created - they blame management but most of the delays in the process are their own fault.
On the way in, I ran into someone I'd had trouble with in the past, who appears to have improved as of late. We had a friendly conversation going down the hall - only I quickly learned she was there for the meeting. Not only that, she was scheduled to be off for the 4-day weekend, but her boss called her and canceled her leave to attend. I imagine she were not happy. Short version, as this is pointlessly long: I told the two crazy female employees who were there that (boss-she) was there, and they flipped. The one nearly left then and there, saying she "couldn't" meet with her there and it eliminated the entire point. They were talked into at least meeting with Mr. Big as he had cleared them (ugh, us) 2 hours on the Friday of a holiday weekend...I wasn't about to leave.
Then the drama:
5 minutes before the meeting, crazy bitch-boy male coworker sends out an email saying he "can't" attend, no other explanation given. He has essentially pretended with them he shared their concerns and would voice them, then ducked out because he wants to suck up to mgt. Mr. Big comes to the meeting late, but by the time he has arrived crazy female coworker #2 has left and is nowhere to be found. So that leaves me (who doesn't care, didn't ask for this, and is finding things getting better) and crazy female coworker #1. Oh, before the meeting with Mr. Big's female direct report, crazy female coworker #1 talks about how perhaps the problems in the office are because there are female bosses as she has always gotten along with males...I had to jump in and say, as well process EEO cases for a living, that I didn't think that was a good stance or one we shoudl mention - and of course I didn't share that aspect of her opinion. She repeated her stance.
The meeting was a joke - although they had drawn up a decent agenda of issues, crazy female coworker #1 was so flustered she just wound up talking about her own background without really covering the issues. She rambled, and if you could follow what she said
(and if anyone is reading this I'm shocked if it is follow-able, but I'm just pouring this out regardless of audience)
and knew the truth behind her story, you'd realize she was leaving out all the parts for which she was liable - so an analyzed look into her complaints would reveal she has serious performance problems. Yipes. I jumped in on occasion, trying to rein her back into a structured conversation - and as promised, talking about my views on subjects I did agree with. I also stepped in when Mr. Big asked questions (mostly he listened, and was very nice) when crazy female coworker #1 didn't answer - repeat the question to see if I understood it, then answered with my perspective. I had some complaints, but also tried to be balanced because frankly there has been some positive change in my group.
So the backstabber backstabbed, the crazies acted crazy, and I tried to both support the general part of the process while not appearing wacky myself. You can't tell from what I've written here, but I think I came out appearing quite reasonable - and while I complained about an issue or two, I discussed issues and didn't blame managers or particular ones, more process issues. Just by being rational I stood out as of 4, one canceled 5 mins before the meeting (rude, unprofessional), one walked out upon hearing a manager would be present (rude and insane), one acted defensive, and then there was me: sane by proxy/comparison.
Got home and wasn't really making a good go of my work at home (I have all weekend for that) when I got an email - a very important case, over an issue we've lost in 3 famous hearings, the "family of cases" I became the specialist on...that the decision came in from the Gainesville arbitration hearing - and I won again.
Wacky internal politics aside, I just got 2 major wins on difficult cases in which management knew there was a strong chance of losing. While I shouldn't be judged by outcomes, I know I will be - so I have some breathing room for a bit. That's 2 very big wins in a short amount of time.
Whew.
Today has been an exercise in hilarulousity. So, I just scored the NYC case win, which I think is a big deal. Not only were there big problems that I identified that came to be in the hearing (we lost on the points I warned we'd lose) but we won anyway based on something I "walked into the hearing with." The point we won on I did a lot of work on (though despite my work the main reason we got that was the Complainant admitted on the stand a smidgen of the issue/truth. Ok, that's just background. I'm happy I won and it's been since publicized.
Today I would have rather have taken off, but my coworkers are still engaged in an anti-management roll and their idea for addressing problems in our part of the agency is to go to a high-ranking official. Well, I agree with some of their issues and understand a unified front is important - so when they scheduled a meeting for downtown with a high ranking mgt official (hereinafter, Mr. Big), I decided to work from home so I could do. I worked this AM, donned my gay apparel (work-drag, tie and all) and headed downtown. The meeting was called my one of my crazy female coworkers to be with Mr. Big only, with no management personnel as addressing the issues with them had yielded no changes. I warned them going into the meeting that while I'd support what I could, that most of their complaints didn't apply to me (report demands for settlement and losses) as I hadn't encountered them. Worse, between you and me my droogs, most of their issues are self-created - they blame management but most of the delays in the process are their own fault.
On the way in, I ran into someone I'd had trouble with in the past, who appears to have improved as of late. We had a friendly conversation going down the hall - only I quickly learned she was there for the meeting. Not only that, she was scheduled to be off for the 4-day weekend, but her boss called her and canceled her leave to attend. I imagine she were not happy. Short version, as this is pointlessly long: I told the two crazy female employees who were there that (boss-she) was there, and they flipped. The one nearly left then and there, saying she "couldn't" meet with her there and it eliminated the entire point. They were talked into at least meeting with Mr. Big as he had cleared them (ugh, us) 2 hours on the Friday of a holiday weekend...I wasn't about to leave.
Then the drama:
5 minutes before the meeting, crazy bitch-boy male coworker sends out an email saying he "can't" attend, no other explanation given. He has essentially pretended with them he shared their concerns and would voice them, then ducked out because he wants to suck up to mgt. Mr. Big comes to the meeting late, but by the time he has arrived crazy female coworker #2 has left and is nowhere to be found. So that leaves me (who doesn't care, didn't ask for this, and is finding things getting better) and crazy female coworker #1. Oh, before the meeting with Mr. Big's female direct report, crazy female coworker #1 talks about how perhaps the problems in the office are because there are female bosses as she has always gotten along with males...I had to jump in and say, as well process EEO cases for a living, that I didn't think that was a good stance or one we shoudl mention - and of course I didn't share that aspect of her opinion. She repeated her stance.
The meeting was a joke - although they had drawn up a decent agenda of issues, crazy female coworker #1 was so flustered she just wound up talking about her own background without really covering the issues. She rambled, and if you could follow what she said
(and if anyone is reading this I'm shocked if it is follow-able, but I'm just pouring this out regardless of audience)
and knew the truth behind her story, you'd realize she was leaving out all the parts for which she was liable - so an analyzed look into her complaints would reveal she has serious performance problems. Yipes. I jumped in on occasion, trying to rein her back into a structured conversation - and as promised, talking about my views on subjects I did agree with. I also stepped in when Mr. Big asked questions (mostly he listened, and was very nice) when crazy female coworker #1 didn't answer - repeat the question to see if I understood it, then answered with my perspective. I had some complaints, but also tried to be balanced because frankly there has been some positive change in my group.
So the backstabber backstabbed, the crazies acted crazy, and I tried to both support the general part of the process while not appearing wacky myself. You can't tell from what I've written here, but I think I came out appearing quite reasonable - and while I complained about an issue or two, I discussed issues and didn't blame managers or particular ones, more process issues. Just by being rational I stood out as of 4, one canceled 5 mins before the meeting (rude, unprofessional), one walked out upon hearing a manager would be present (rude and insane), one acted defensive, and then there was me: sane by proxy/comparison.
Got home and wasn't really making a good go of my work at home (I have all weekend for that) when I got an email - a very important case, over an issue we've lost in 3 famous hearings, the "family of cases" I became the specialist on...that the decision came in from the Gainesville arbitration hearing - and I won again.
Wacky internal politics aside, I just got 2 major wins on difficult cases in which management knew there was a strong chance of losing. While I shouldn't be judged by outcomes, I know I will be - so I have some breathing room for a bit. That's 2 very big wins in a short amount of time.
Whew.
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no subject
Date: 2009-05-22 08:55 pm (UTC)....speaking of that (looks at watch and lets mind wander over to idle weekend plans), it's almost drinky/hte sexy time for me too!
ps. if you've got some time to kill, check out The Drinky Crow Show on the Adult Swim site. It's about, well and alcoholic/suicidal crow and his backstabbing/womanizing monkey friend. It's really funny. Really. I mean it. Hilarity ensues.
Look! Hte sexy!
no subject
Date: 2009-05-22 08:58 pm (UTC)Drinky time indeedy.
no subject
Date: 2009-05-22 08:56 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-05-22 08:59 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-05-22 09:01 pm (UTC)