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Post Info TOPIC: Help Me Get Some Perspective - Really Long
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Hermes

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Help Me Get Some Perspective - Really Long
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Ok, to make a long story short, I work for a large corp. bank, in which I'm an Executive Assistant, and recently I've also taken on work in the Communications department.  I still report to the same boss I always have, but two women in Communications are leveraging me as well (and they are not paying any part of my salary as of right now).  So to make a long story short, things have been going well - manager, to whom I assist, is still my #1 priority and the communications girls, A & K, have always understood that.  So I have been helping A plan a large event for management in Tampa, Fl in late November.  I have been following up w/Guest Speakers and their assistants to try to confirm their attendance.  Well one assistant told me she would speak to her boss to ensure she could attend the meeting.  I sent her several emails and called her several times, leaving voicemails asking for confirmation of her attendance.  Well she never got back to me, and I told A that on more than one ocassion.  A told me not to worry about it, she'd take care of it.  So yesterday, A & K were in a meeting w/the big boss M - who is hosting this event.  Well M (the big boss) talked to this woman who's assistant never got back to me and yelled at A because the woman knew nothing about the meeting.  Guess who A turned around and blamed it on?  Me!  Saying I never told her about the situation.  Um - yes I did!  Now the problem w/A & I is she and I communicate mostly over instant messenger and on the phone - so of course there is no written record of me telling her.  I never thought I had to worry about her doing this to me.  So this morning, I have an email from her saying "In the future, it would be best if I gave her updates only via email and that when she asks me to follow up, I continue to do so everyday until I have an answer."  Oh and she mentions that she took the blame for all of this, but I don't believe her from her email, in which she copied K & the boss.  Then she tells me she'll take over on getting w/the assistants to the guest speakers.  That felt like another dig, like she was saying "well you screwed up, so I'll do it now".


I am raging mad over here.  I don't know what to do.  Technically, I do not have to work w/them anymore.  Like I said, they don't pay any part of my salary right now (this was something they were supposed to be working on) and I volunteered to begin with.  My boss fully supports me if I decide to back out of it.


Am I overreacting to this?  I just hate to get blamed for something when it is clearly not my fault and I'm not getting any money for all of this headache and grief.


The only thing that makes me think twice about not helping them anymore is that this could be a good step in my future. 


HELP!



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poptart


Coach

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Posts: 1764
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Oh my, that is tricky! At this point, it sounds like the whole thing is in the process of blowing over, and I agree that continuing to work for the comm people would be good for your career. It sounds like you've handled it with discretion and that's all you can do and continue to do. Some thoughts:


Who is your ally in this situation? Is it your boss? If so, I would make sure s/he knows that you did follow up, that you let A. know you had followed up, and that you feel she is being a bit unfair, but that you don't want to pursue it - just that you want your boss to know that you feel you did your job completely in this situation. Then, I would drop it and move on.


If you haven't already, I would send a follow-up email to A. acknolwedging that you are sorry that the situation occurred (w/o taking responsibility) and reiterating that you will continue to do those things that she's asked you to do, and that you are available to assist in any other capacity she needs you to assist in, and that you'll follow her instructions explicitly. (Like communicating via email, etc.) It sounds to me like she remembers you following up, and is taking advantage of the fact that you didn't use email while also giving you a "hint" to use email in the future. Yuck corporate crap.


HTH



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Forget, forgive, conclude, and be agreed. - Shakespeare
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Hermes

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Lisa, thanks for your advice - I took it and wrote A a follow up email w/out taking blame for the situation.  I still feel that she is being unfair and trying to place blame even though she says she's not .  She called this morning and told me I was overreacting which just made the situation worse.  I'm trying to just let it go and move on.


Yes, I would say my boss is my ally in this situation.  All I have to do is say the word and he's got my back.  Thanks again   I just hate feeling blamed for something I did not do.



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NCshopper


Hermes

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What a crappy thing for her to do!!!  She should have taken the responsibility for it.  I can almost guarantee though that her boss sees through her act and knows that she's the one responsible--and it'll probably come back to get her somehow.


Anyway, I know you probably don't want to work with these people again, but for the sake of not having extremely awkward relationships in the future, I'd stick with it until it blows over, and if you're still feeling like you need to get out, then do it then.


Also, you def. need to check and see how they can be compensating you better.  If you're doing more than your job description says, then you should be getting paid more--otherwise they're taking advantage of you.  I think you've actually got the upper hand with this--you can negotiate and basically tell them if you don't get paid more, you won't help them out anymore (tactfully of course).  Anyway, that's my 2 cents.



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Hermes

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NCshopper wrote:

Also, you def. need to check and see how they can be compensating you better.  If you're doing more than your job description says, then you should be getting paid more--otherwise they're taking advantage of you.  I think you've actually got the upper hand with this--you can negotiate and basically tell them if you don't get paid more, you won't help them out anymore (tactfully of course).  Anyway, that's my 2 cents.
Oh yes, those talks have already began!  We go through annual compensation planning at work, which is when we have our reviews and get raises/bonuses.  So I've already told them they need to figure something out by mid-november, or I cannot continue to work for them.  It's just not fair and I won't do two jobs for the price of one.  My boss totally has my back on this as well and is willing to do whatever he can to help.  Thanks NCshopper!

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Dizzy


Marc Jacobs

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Now you know who she is - sounds like she couldn't handle being criticized. The good news is, as long as you dont' overreact, people should be able to see through this. She's putting too much time and effort into making you look bad on such a small matter. Don't defend yourself at all. People will wonder why she's being so insistent.

Besides, she's now insisted on the best defense possible - having everything in writing. And yeah, I would try to phase out workign with her, without making her defensive. You just dont' want to look like a good target here. So cover your but, let her know you're doing it, and don't give her any sort of reaction that she can use as more ammunition.


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