Horsenbuggy: Dragonslayer
One of my biggest obstacles since taking this new job has been one particular woman in a pretty key position. She is ornery and very difficult for the majority of people to deal with. She is a bully who doesn't like to explain her reasons for doing things. She simply forces people to bend to her will even if her way only benefits her. My boss has a pretty good way of dealing with her.
When I first started here, I used him as a buffer. Sometimes to verify that my way of thinking made sense. (She's that kind of bully - the one who can make you walk away doubting your own opinion.) But mostly I used him as an intermediary - the one who had to break what I thought was going to be bad news to her. Eventually, I found out that not even he always has the fortitude to approach her. Sometimes he uses an intermediary, a woman in her department who knows how to deal with her. So I alternately bounce back and forth between the two middle-people when I need to deal with this woman.
The good news for today is that I have had to deal with her twice this morning. The first time, I came out of her office knowing that everything had gone well. The woman who usually acts as intermediary called me over to say, "Wow. That was easy. Good job." On a second issue, someone further down the hierarchy in her department called me to discuss a new system we've been developing. She said, "It's ready. When are you going to tell [namewithheldtoprotectthenotsofriendly]?" I said, "Right now." I marched over, asked the girl to join me and we presented a united front in her office. I did all the talking and said that we were changing over to the new system this week. She had one or two minor questions that I was able to answer easily. And that was that. When we got back out into the hall, both the girl who was with me and the usual intermediary presented me with shocked faces. The Intermediary said, "Wow. We're calling you to deal with her from now on."
I have slayed the dragon. (Or at least put her to sleep, she'll never truly be slayed.)
When I first started here, I used him as a buffer. Sometimes to verify that my way of thinking made sense. (She's that kind of bully - the one who can make you walk away doubting your own opinion.) But mostly I used him as an intermediary - the one who had to break what I thought was going to be bad news to her. Eventually, I found out that not even he always has the fortitude to approach her. Sometimes he uses an intermediary, a woman in her department who knows how to deal with her. So I alternately bounce back and forth between the two middle-people when I need to deal with this woman.
The good news for today is that I have had to deal with her twice this morning. The first time, I came out of her office knowing that everything had gone well. The woman who usually acts as intermediary called me over to say, "Wow. That was easy. Good job." On a second issue, someone further down the hierarchy in her department called me to discuss a new system we've been developing. She said, "It's ready. When are you going to tell [namewithheldtoprotectthenotsofriendly]?" I said, "Right now." I marched over, asked the girl to join me and we presented a united front in her office. I did all the talking and said that we were changing over to the new system this week. She had one or two minor questions that I was able to answer easily. And that was that. When we got back out into the hall, both the girl who was with me and the usual intermediary presented me with shocked faces. The Intermediary said, "Wow. We're calling you to deal with her from now on."
I have slayed the dragon. (Or at least put her to sleep, she'll never truly be slayed.)
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2 Comments:
You've got her number after studying from afar. Watch for her sneak attack tho.
Teach me your ways. I am your humble servant.
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