how much trouble will I get in?? 5

[boffintech]

My boss sent me the following email:

I understand you were going to send in a report this morning that we are missing for xyz insp. inspections at xyz client.

WHERE THE HELL IS IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm considering the following response:

*****
Emails directed to me require I level of decorum and professionalism that your most recent email fails to exhibit. For consideration, please revise and resubmit.
*****

FYI, it's not even a report that he needs. It's just a worksheet that is used internally; it doesn't go with the reports to the client so it is in actuality holding up nothing.

 

[msquared48]

I'm sorry (boss's name), but could you please speak proper English when communicating in the future. Emails are discoverable.

Mike McCann
MMC Engineering
Motto: KISS
Motivation: Don't ask

 

[ivymike]

if only more of my coworkers would respond as such to their bosses... I'd be running the place in no time. do what feels right to you!

 

[GregLocock]

Depends what you want as an outcome.

What he wanted was your report when he expected it. You have failed in that. So you aren't exactly starting from a position of strength.

Without knowing how well you get on with him, it is very hard to know what is appropriate, I've had one boss who could send me notes like that, and would get a similar response back, probably with a liberal dose of sarcasm. Maybe it is a UK thing. I'm guessing from your response that is not the case here.



Cheers

Greg Locock

I rarely exceed 1.79 x 10^12 furlongs per fortnight

 

[SNORGY]

boffintech:

No, sorry, I can't agree with a rebuttal of that nature in an email.

Khalil Gibran: "The moving hand, having writ..." etc.

I would do the following, in this order:

(1)
"Yes, I was going to issue the attached report, however, it was delayed because _____. Please see the revised draft of the report, attached, issued today at 9:35 this morning. I apologize for the delay."
Copy *his boss* on your reply, forwarding the entire thread.
(2) If you have a Human Resources person, have HR file a hard copy of the entire thread in your personnel file.
(3)
Go to his office personally with a hard-copy of the email, hand it to him, and say something along the lines of the following:
"I have kept a copy of this for my records, which is also on file with HR. I apologize for the frustration that this has caused you, but the tone of this correspondence was neither professional nor warranted. Is there anything else I can do for you?"

Take the high ground. Don't make the mistakes I have made.


Regards,

SNORGY.

 

[TheTick]

Nearly every time I've stood up for my dignity, I lost the argument, more dignity, and my job. Yet, I regret nothing.

 

[patprimmer]

Before I make any comment specifically on this, I would like to know a lot more about what preceded it.

Generally, bosses do not behave in this manner as a first response.

Generally it is not up to subordinates to contradict a boss about what information he requires in preparation for a meeting.

Generally rule one is the boss is right.

Generally rule two is if the boss is wrong, you should refer to rule one.



Regards
Pat
See FAQ731-376 for tips on use of eng-tips by professional engineers &

http://eng-tips.com/market.cfm

for site rules

 

[ctopher]

Reply nicely to his email, copy his boss and director.
I did this once, he was transferred a week later.

Chris
SolidWorks 09 SP4.1
ctopher's home
SolidWorks Legion

 

[SomptingGuy]

I would ignore it and if confronted, explain that my spam filter would have caught it based on its content and style.

- Steve

 

[desertfox]

Hi boffintech

Whilst it is unprofessional in my opinion of your boss to address someone in that tone, I wonder if he is always like that? Does he treat others in the same way?
Your right to think about how to reply and I would suggest you think, if you send a spikey reply, how will it affect your relationship in the future, as he is your boss you might make a rod for your own back, does he hold grudges?
By the same token you could look at it and think if I don't make a point about his manner then will it get worse, in which case you can collect the emails over a period of time and at some point if required you have evidence you can use against him for being rude etc.
That said I was once in a very new job and had to go to a technical meeting in which I had to explain a problem and how to solve it. This I did and I was later proved correct, however during the meeting, the manufacturing director stood up and as I finshed my dialogue said "Bollocks" to which I replied "I don't want to know what holds your ears apart".
I didn't get sacked and that guy never did that to me again in any meeting.

desertfox

 

[TheTick]

Whatever you do, make sure you are not in arrears if you decide to confront. Be caught up on everything you owe your boss first.

 

[Qshake]

I favor the responses by SNORGY and Patprimmer. And will note:

1. Consider the context of the situation. While it's never good practice/professionalism to make such a demand with foul language, it may be that production is high to meet deadlines and thus so are stress levels. Not knowing the situation is what Patprimmer want's to know before dispensing with advice.

2. Does the supervisor use this language all the time and is such language used by others in the office? It may be unprofessional to you but in the engineering industry both in and out of the field, it's not uncommon to hear inquiries or tasks emphasized with foul language. And if everyone else is used to it, sending a note to others will seem petty and will generally be ineffectual for your intent.

3. I would simply let your supervisor know that you don't appreciate that sort of thing and leave it at that. By going to superiors with something as trivial as this you've marked yourself for the future. Believe me there are worse things out there that you could report to superiors and I hope you don't have to deal with those.

Good luck.


Regards,
Qshake

Eng-Tips Forums:Real Solutions for Real Problems Really Quick.

 

[kontiki99]

People count on you to deliver what you say you can deliver on time. It really depends on how badly you have let those people counting on you down.

If you really left a big turd in the sand box, you might want to skip the focus on saving face and restore credibility.

 

[moltenmetal]

NOBODY here can advise you properly, as the answer is totally workplace-specific.

I was once cussed out by a co-worker in front of my boss. The fellow was totally out of control- red-faced and using language that would make a sailor blush. My boss just laughed- he thought it was hilarious. In some workplaces this sort of outburst would have led to a note in the guy's file, a reprimand, psychological counselling or the like. At our workplace, the entire consequences of this particular outburst were laughter. I've got to admit- I had to laugh too, the event was so unbelievable.

While my boss would no doubt have made some feigned efforts to resolve the matter if I'd made a formal complaint, his laugh revealed his true opinion. A formal complaint was obviously pointless.

The co-worker is long gone- fired with cause, but the cause was in no way related to what sort of language he used in talking to his co-workers. And I now feel free to speak very frankly to my boss, using whatever language I feel is necessary to emphasize the point.

Freedom is a two-way street. You cannot be truly free without also being tolerant- the two go hand in hand.

I'm not suggesting that the OP suddenly start using foul language with his boss, by the way! You need to read the situation and react accordingly. Hypocrisy amongst bosses is common... He may reserve the right to use foul language with his subordinates to himself!

 

[PhilBW]

In situations like this, I always respond in person instead of by e-mail. Because e-mails can't transmit your tone of voice or body language, they are often misinterpeted, and they usually cause situations like this to escalate. There has never been a situation that I caused to escalate that I didn't regret later. It just isn't worth it.

If you didn't make this committment, tell your boss there must be a misunderstanding and ask for clarification. If you did make this committment, apologize and explain why you didn't follow through. This will also give him a chance to explain his outburst. If he doesn't explain or apologize, just drop it. There are times all of us over react. That may have been the case for your boss.

Phil

 

[boffintech]

Well, I just let it go. Not worth the hassle. But I did save a copy.

Thanks for the advise.

 

[TenPenny]

But did you give him the (^*&%( report?