Attitudes at work

[conned tractor]

We got one bloke here, who is very good at what he does, but is a pain in the ariss to work with. He is basically one of very few with a lot of knowledge here. A clientco mistake maybe?

I am trying to initiate some release testing by asking the test department to well, test it - or at least put it on a test bench and i'll tell them how to test it. No formal test plan of course, as it's a document free clientco.

He is also instructing the test department on doing a test on the same test bench that I am using. He has a higher priority task, I know this and he is doing a slightly different task (but on the same team as me).

So, upon seeing the test guys, I'm made to look a twunt because he doesn't keep anyone in the loop of what he's doing - so at the time I didn't know he'd commandeered the test stand - which is fine, but please tell me.

And secondly upon asking him about the situation regarding my testing and his testing his words were, "I don't want "x"(my test) test anywhere near test bench y". I was a bit taken aback, so he repeated it. I was still there facing him possibly with a slighly hanging jaw. To which he replide, "OK" quite sternly. No explanation, nothing.

So, I'm left fuming, wanting to drop the nut on him, I still don't know what he's doing, how long it will take.

I haven't nutted him, I haven't sent the snottagram that I wrote immediately after it happened. But I feel I must do something, so what do I do?


It's not just me that has noticed this kind attitude from him. Another contractor here has also recieved this from him and secretly I know he is handing in his notice very shortly - not just because of him but he's part of the problem.

[EternalOptimist]

Tricky one.

your balls are telling you to drop him, you natural caution is telling you to get your facts right first.

It wont suprise you to know that loads of us have been in a similar position. My response would be to stay calm, go to the pub tonight with a bit of paper. write down exactly what you have to do to maximise your profits over then next x years. then forget everything else - its all fluff.

If maximising your profits includes dropping him, then go for it

[wim121]

Been in a similar position before. A few of us all sat down with the guy in private and told him he was acting like a t**t and just because he had more aptitude than most, he didnt have to be a c**t with it, but did so with smiles and calming tones, over a coffee .... Im not advocating bullying, so dont misinterperate the above.

Nothing further was ever said, nothing to report from his perspective (even if there was, one word against many). Everything was a lot better from then on.


Ive had it done to me before as well in my youth, someone saying to me "listen son, calm down a bit, k?". Sometimes people arent even aware they are being idiots or starting to annoy others and just need a gentle word to inform them so they can rectify it or after repeated events, informing it wont be tolerated anymore.

[Jog On]

Sounds like he needs to feed his ego at other's expense and he might possibly have an issue with contractors who he knows probably get paid more than him even though he's "worth ten of them"

I think rising to it will just feed him even more and is probably what he wants to make himself feel better. When he says/does something that gets to you try just pausing for a second and observing how you feel, then decide if your initial reaction is what you'd choose to do if you were looking back at the situation later on.

When he does it just observe the situation as him venting in a quite clearly unprofessional manner. Then do the professional thing and not take the bait, think about how much you're getting paid and respond in that 100% professional manner that sets you apart from him.

This should make you feel better and possibly wind him up a bit at the same time

[Arturo Bassick]

Let him have the rig. Sit and watch him and keep billing while you wait.

[SimonMac]

On a completely unrelated note my 4 year old daughter has a t-shirt saying "Mummy say's I have an attitude, but I can't find it anywhere"

Thought I would share that with you as my advice of, keep invoicing will not fill a whole post very well

[Peoplesoft bloke]

On a completely unrelated note my 4 year old daughter has a t-shirt saying "Mummy say's I have an attitude, but I can't find it anywhere"

Thought I would share that with you as my advice of, keep invoicing will not fill a whole post very well

You should take that T-Shirt back and demand a refund on the grounds that it isn't written in English.

[aussielong]

Tricky one.

your balls are telling you to drop him, you natural caution is telling you to get your facts right first.

It wont suprise you to know that loads of us have been in a similar position. My response would be to stay calm, go to the pub tonight with a bit of paper. write down exactly what you have to do to maximise your profits over then next x years. then forget everything else - its all fluff.

If maximising your profits includes dropping him, then go for it

EO you are advocating an Eastern philosophy - almost Buddhist - of not letting external influences affect your emotional state. This is much easier said than done.

What OP should do is way up this blokes position in the fabric of the team. If this person has clout then OP has to suck it up. If this person is perceived to be a joke, then you should crush him by sabotaging the test bench.

[EternalOptimist]

EO you are advocating an Eastern philosophy - almost Buddhist - of not letting external influences affect your emotional state. This is much easier said than done.

What OP should do is way up this blokes position in the fabric of the team. If this person has clout then OP has to suck it up. If this person is perceived to be a joke, then you should crush him by sabotaging the test bench.

Wrong long.

The last time I did this, on the -ve side of the sheet was, 'will this affect my mental state - YES'

so I walked asap.

What I am saying is that everything you do should keep that goal in mind, its the only objective.
imo

[alreadypacked]

I am trying to initiate some release testing by asking the test department to well, test it - or at least put it on a test bench and i'll tell them how to test it. No formal test plan of course, as it's a document free clientco.

He is also instructing the test department on doing a test on the same test bench that I am using. He has a higher priority task, I know this and he is doing a slightly different task (but on the same team as me).

So, upon seeing the test guys, I'm made to look a twunt because he doesn't keep anyone in the loop of what he's doing - so at the time I didn't know he'd commandeered the test stand - which is fine, but please tell me.

And secondly upon asking him about the situation regarding my testing and his testing his words were, "I don't want "x"(my test) test anywhere near test bench y". I was a bit taken aback, so he repeated it. I was still there facing him possibly with a slighly hanging jaw. To which he replide, "OK" quite sternly. No explanation, nothing.

So, I'm left fuming, wanting to drop the nut on him, I still don't know what he's doing, how long it will take.

A few thing I noticed:
Who are you taking your orders from? Who asked you to do the release testing? Go back to that person and ask who you should request a test environment from?
Get a grip, this is business, not someone stole your bike.
If this guy is so insecure, and feel you as a rival don't get involved in his game, he has already seen one guy off, don't let him get to you.
This is a process not personal.
Send out your mails, document what you have done, even document what you want to do, but keep invoicing.

HTH