Jump to content

Was I A Dick?


ChrisL

Recommended Posts

Opinions requested.  Backstory:

I work with the corporate real estate team on alarm installs for new branches.  They coordinate the numerous deliverables with the Branch Manager, alarms being just one.  Normally we have a period of time, a week to 10 day window for install but this time the team lead told me what day they needed the alarm installed  and I had confirmed with her the alarm company will install on the day she requested last week.  Now sometimes when the situation is fluid I’ll be the intermediary between the alarm company and the Branch Manager.  In this case I was told install on the 23rd so I set it up for that date and confirmed with the team lead.

Now the team lead is pissed that I didn’t confirm the date with the Branch Manager last week and the Branch Manager can’t be there that date and I made her look bad.  I told her you made yourself look bad as that’s a you problem. You told me what day you needed it installed and I confirmed with you the date last week.  Don’t get mad at me because you didn’t do your job.  

So then her boss called me and said what the hell did you do to her, she’s so pissed she called me crying?  I told her what happened and she said well OK that’s on her but you didn’t have to be a dick?  (She and I get along really well so don’t pull punches).  I replied how is me telling her don’t get mad at me for you not doIng your job being a dick?  She just replied because you are (laughing)  and I said fine, I’m a dick and we left it at that.  Her boss said she’d clean up the mess. Fine, let me know if you need my help. 

So, was I a dick here?

  • Heart 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

27 minutes ago, Zephyr said:

IMO the " ... because you didnt do your job" part was dickish. 

It may have been better to just say "You told me what day you needed it installed and I confirmed with you the date last week." And left it at that.  

But I am Canadian and probably would have thrown in a 'Sorry' or two.

"I'm sorry you didn't do your job."?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hard to tell without hearing the tone.  I'd likely be more annoyed and snarky because her call started out blaming you when you didn't do something wrong.  But you never know what else is going on in someone else's day, so sometimes a little grace can buy you some goodwill.  If she's not normally the type to cry over work stuff, sounds like there was other stuff piling on.  If she's normally the type to be a jerk and blame others, then I think you were understated.

  • Awesome 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 minutes ago, Kirby said:

Hard to tell without hearing the tone.  I'd likely be more annoyed and snarky because her call started out blaming you when you didn't do something wrong.  But you never know what else is going on in someone else's day, so sometimes a little grace can buy you some goodwill.  If she's not normally the type to cry over work stuff, sounds like there was other stuff piling on.  If she's normally the type to be a jerk and blame others, then I think you were understated.

Was getting ready to type my answer when Kirby’s came through.  This is exactly how I see it.

  • Heart 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 minutes ago, jsharr said:

Reading is one of the few things I do well.  I read his entire post and replied in kind.

If you are trying to make me look bad, that is your problem, not mine.

Trying to make HIM look bad, duh!  Your "nope" doesn't fit that narrative.  Toe the line!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just now, Razors Edge said:

Trying to make HIM look bad, duh!  Your "nope" doesn't fit that narrative.  Toe the line!

No, his last line is "So, was I a dick here?" to which I replied "Nope" as he was not a dick.  Blunt maybe, direct, definitely, dick, not in the least.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

20 minutes ago, Kirby said:

Hard to tell without hearing the tone.  I'd likely be more annoyed and snarky because her call started out blaming you when you didn't do something wrong.  But you never know what else is going on in someone else's day, so sometimes a little grace can buy you some goodwill.  If she's not normally the type to cry over work stuff, sounds like there was other stuff piling on.  If she's normally the type to be a jerk and blame others, then I think you were understated.

Valid take.  

She’s not detail oriented enough for her job and misses many things.  In hindsight my response was partially due to her coming at me straight away and frustrations with past missed details that have added complexity to my job.  Her boss knows the deal so has to stay on her constantly.  One time I called her boss pissed off over one of her many fuck ups and called this person a fucking idiot not realizing they were in the car together... Yeah we have history...

Since I posted this, she sent me an email saying  oh shoot I forgot we need an alarm at this branch and are opening next week... Can you get an alarm in next week??!  I haven’t responded but again that’s a you problem as she knows my vendor needs at least 2 weeks lead time...

Although I have also realized that I know she is a walking cluster fuck and should have confirmed with the Branch Manager knowing she wouldn’t.  I’ll own this but I have no regrets on my response.

  • Awesome 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Further said:

I've noticed that when I start a conversation by calling somebody an asshole, they often treat me like an asshole  :dontknow:

We had a guy at work that thought it was funny to call everyone asshole. Some guys didn’t take that well and showed him just how much of an asshole they could be if that’s what he wanted.

  • Haha 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, Kirby said:

Hard to tell without hearing the tone.  I'd likely be more annoyed and snarky because her call started out blaming you when you didn't do something wrong.  But you never know what else is going on in someone else's day, so sometimes a little grace can buy you some goodwill.  If she's not normally the type to cry over work stuff, sounds like there was other stuff piling on.  If she's normally the type to be a jerk and blame others, then I think you were understated.

Get out of here with your well reasoned response....

  • Haha 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

46 minutes ago, roadsue said:

Two other women seem to think you are, but they’re over it. 

You know the funny thing is when I tell this story to my wife later I already know she’ll agree with the women.  

It is what it is at this point... I spent the last 30 minutes pushing my vendor to get an install done next week so she won’t look like an idiot yet again...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You were fine based on the info listed.

If you were a dick, it will bother you later since you're obviously a decent person.  I don't think it will.

I was coaching an 11-12 baseball team and a boy on my team and I were selected to present our "Favorite Oriole Award" to Doug DeCinces back in 1979, on the mound during the 7th Inning Stretch on "Brooklyn-Curtis Bay Night" at the old Memorial Stadium.  When the ushers came to our seats to lead us down to the field, my father was sitting next to me and stood up too.  I told him it was just supposed to be the kid and me.  WHAT A DICK I WAS!  That would have been a thrill for dad - who was my asst. coach.

That stuck with me and, years later when I was coaching High School Varsity Softball, the monthly County Coaches Meeting at a nice restaurant had been falling off in attendance, so they hired NFL Hall of Famer Artie Donovan, an old Baltimore Colt who wrote the book "Fatso" and was often on Letterman, to give a talk at the meeting.

I instantly realized THAT was my chance to make it up to my dad and get rid of the guilt for making him miss-out during that Orioles' game.

So I passed dad off as a new assistant coach, took him to the meeting, and it turned out he and Artie Donovan sat right across from each other as we ate dinner, swapping WW2 stories, sports stories, etc. for an hour - each downing lots of beer.  Artie was smashed by the time he gave his talk and pulled no punches, making it spectacularly entertaining.

I didn't feel guilty any more after that.  So if it bothers you even though you weren't wrong, do something nice for that woman!

  • Heart 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 minutes ago, MickinMD said:

You were fine based on the info listed.

If you were a dick, it will bother you later since you're obviously a decent person.  I don't think it will.

I was coaching an 11-12 baseball team and a boy on my team and I were selected to present our "Favorite Oriole Award" to Doug DeCinces back in 1979; on the mound during the 7th Inning Stretch on "Brooklyn-Curtis Bay Night" at the old Memorial Stadium.  When the ushers came to get it, my father was sitting next to me and stood up too.  I told him it was just supposed to be the kid and me.  WHAT A DICK I WAS!  That would have been a thrill for dad - who was my asst. coach.

That stuck with me and, years later when I was coaching High School Varsity Softball, the monthly County Coaches Meeting at a nice restaurant had been falling off in attendance, so they hired NFL Hall of Famer Artie Donovan, an old Baltimore Colt who wrote the book "Fatso" and was often on L:etterman, to give a talk at the meeting.

I instantly realized THAT was my chance to make it up to my dad and get rid of the guilt for making him miss-out during that Orioles' game.

So I passed dad off as a new assistant coach, took him to the meeting, and it turned out he and Artie Donovan sat right across from each other as we ate dinner, swapping WW2 stories, sports stories, etc. for an hour - each downing lots of beer.  Artie was smashed by the time he gave his talk and pulled no punches, making it spectacularly entertaining.

I didn't feel guilty any more after that.  So if it bothers you even though you weren't wrong, do something nice for that woman!

Doug DeCencis was one of my favorite Angels players back in the day. #11.  I loved how  the PA man said his name when he came up to bat. Doug De Sinsaaaaay!  

  • Heart 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

20 minutes ago, ChrisL said:

Doug DeCencis was one of my favorite Angels players back in the day. #11.  I loved how  the PA man said his name when he came up to bat. Doug De Sinsaaaaay!  

Back in those days, the Orioles provided - at their expense - current or former baseball players to be the Grand Marshalls at Little League Opening Day Ceremonies throughout the Greater Baltimore Area.

Doug Decinces happened to be the guy the Orioles sent to our Opening Ceremonies and he was great, shaking hands and doing high-fives with lots of kids. So, he got the votes for our favorite Oriole!  He also hit a 2-run homer to win the game in the 9th, igniting "Orioles Magic."

They called it "Orioles Magic" and that game was the game that started it: the Orioles climbing up the standings to win the AL pennant. Afterward, if everyone who claimed they were at that game was really there, the stadium would have had to hold a quarter million people.  But I was not only there, I was on the mound during the 7th Inning stretch presenting Doug with the plaque - a thrill by itself.

 

  • Awesome 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...