I need to rant about weaklings in meetings

[Mich the Tester]

Just been in a meeting discussing the approach to test reporting at clientco, which IMO is very bureaucratic and time consuming and involves inaccurate reporting based on constructs of which there is no agreement of the definition in the organisation, never mind the external customers. Every day I hear other testers, test managers and testcos complaining about it, and so today in a meeting I presented my arguments to the quality manager and the permie test line manager for simplifying it and reducing the bureaucracy for projects. I hoped, in vain it transpires, that the same people who moan about this every day would actually open their mouths as well, even if it was to disagree with me, which could lead to a useful discussion, but no, nothing; weedy little permies, most of whom only ever test one component from day to day, just sit there and say nothing when I stand up to fight against their big bugbear and the CMMi/ISO fundamentalist 'Quality Manager' and his bosom friend, the Test Manager who's only ever worked in one project with one stakeholder, sit and recite their ideology while I challenge them.

FFS, when somebody tries to stand up to authority and get things changed for everyone's benefit, what is so difficult about helping just a little by relating the stories they tell me every day around the coffee machine?

Bloody wimps. Just conform, like a bunch of lemmings instead of actually standing up for something.

[oracleslave]

instead of actually standing up for something.

That doesn't sound like what the client paid for and would appear to be outside the scope of your contract. You're not billing for this scope deviation are you?

[Mich the Tester]

That doesn't sound like what the client paid for and would appear to be outside the scope of your contract. You're not billing for this scope deviation are you?

I damned well am! They asked for an egg spurt, they'll bloody well pay for getting eggs on their faces! or mine

[BrilloPad]

I hate it when you hold back. Tell us what you really think.

[Mich the Tester]

And now, amazing how the minutes of the meeting have been sent around, including to senior management, without the discussion!

[MyUserName]

Ssssshhhh - you'll upset someone!

[MicrosoftBob]

And now, amazing how the minutes of the meeting have been sent around, including to senior management, without the discussion!

Are you sure you're cut out for contracting, just sit back and invoice!

[Mich the Tester]

Are you sure you're cut out for contracting, just sit back and invoice!

Maybe you´re right.

One of the weaklings has just turned up at my desk and told me he completely agrees with me! Well why didn´t he ******* well say that during the meeting?

[Mich the Tester]

Ssssshhhh - you'll upset someone!

Perhaps I spent too many years fighting physical battles on rugby pitches where shirkers and weaklings get found out.

[MicrosoftBob]

Perhaps I spent too many years fighting physical battles on rugby pitches where shirkers and weaklings get found out.

I speak the truth to management in private, but in meetings I deliberately don't rock the boat...it makes life easier that way