Problem in a new working environment 1

[HVAC68]

Hi,

I've just joined a new firm (one year + now). Very strange things are happening and hence this post. Thought will use the expertise of the people here to get some advise and maybe some "peptalk" as well !!!

I consider myself reasonably technically strong and have great amount of patience (well, am not sounding modest at all !!!) when it comes to training new recruits or discussing any technical issues. We have another gentleman (Mr X) working here who is considered to be a "professor" and used to be consulted for any technical queries. After my joining, people are drifting towards me, probably more because of my approach rather than my knowledge. I still consider Mr X technically much more superior and knowledgeable than me and of course more experienced as well.

Of late, I have found that I have been misquoted and misrepresented to the bosses and am unable to prove it for obvious reasons. I am not the fighting type anyway. Not sure whether Mr X is doing this or not, but my close colleagues and peers have a strong doubt that he is behind this and I've also started to believe this. I'm trying my level best to ensure that I don't lose my cool or confront him and create a situation of embarassment. He has been working here for more than a decade and commands lot of respect from the people who matter.

Though I know the problem, the solution seems to elude me. Trust the experienced people of this forum advise me.

Thanks a ton and best regards

HVAC68

 

[funnelguy]

Let’s say your suspicions are correct. How are you going to solve this problem? Direct confrontation will only alert him that he needs to adjust his methods. As you say, you cannot prove anything.

Let’s look at this from your boss’s perspective. A one year hire comes in and tells you that your well respected senior engineer (10 years) is causing the junior engineer problems.

Now do you see where you are? You may very well be threatening to the senior engineer. He may be acting badly out of insecurity. Certainly senior engineers have been displaced by their juniors in the past. Employers today can seem to have very little in the way of loyalty to their employees. There is nothing you can do directly about the situation. Only your boss can solve the situation. Whether he can or will is another question.

You should try to see this from the boss’s viewpoint so as to help him solve the issue. I’ve worked with 2 people who were accused of this sort of thing. My suggestion would be to approach your boss with the information you mention in your post. You seem to have respect for the senior engineer. Make sure that comes across to your boss. I think that with a little honesty and humility the 3 of you can work this out.

Do NOT become confrontational. You’ll lose the fight even if you are correct. If I’m the boss, I see this as a situation where I need to help out one of my valued senior staff with an insecurity issue. I do NOT want a one year hire to make my life difficult for me. That’s my 2c, anyway.

 

[CanEngJohn]

There is only one way out of this. I have had to take this road a couple of times myself although the details weren't exactly the same but close to draw similarities.

The cure for misquotation is to document everything. Every conversation, every email, every phone call etc etc etc ...

Keep a running log of what was asked and what your answer was. Then when a misquote comes up you just pull out your notebook saying "... well I don't remember saying that exactly .. let me check my notes .... Oh on this day at this time you asked <blah blahh blah> and I recorded my response as <blah2 blah2 blah2>. There must have been a miscommunication somehow, I am sorry I will try and avoid that in the future."

The key here is that you have documents and they don't. When asked verbally give a verbal response but include the disclaimer that you will follow up in an email after some thought. Usually these tactics work well when you are the Junior guy. Even if I don't change my answer from earlier or just give a set of advice I send the email to confirm the verbal exchange.

Once it is on paper if someone else is passing on improper info then they will be held accountable not yourself.

Also this is a very passive approach in that it doesn't single anyone out. Especially if you use it across the board for everyone. If people ask why you are starting this now explain that you are disappointed in a that a few things slipped your mind recently and you have added this to improve your performance.

 

[profengmen]

In adition to what CanEngJohn said;

Relax a bit too. Remember what comes around goes around. Do the job to the best of your ability and follow john's advice about documentation.

You bosses are not stupid, they will soon identify the office politics; and believe me, if you are doing a good job, they will take notice. They will also figgure out that you are being misrepresentated, and they will take necessary action.

People are not gravitating toward you for no reason, if your reputation of a "go-to" man is making someone jealous, then you are doing a good job.

 

[RDK]

Two problems with the massive documentation approach.

First it takes a lot of work to do it well.

Secondly when it comes to crunch time, no one will even look at your documentation.

They might look at it in a court case but it will never come to that. If they want to get rid of you they can and will. About all it will do is make people more careful around you (that is both good and bad) and it might intimidate them somewhat. Fighting it only causes you more problems later.

Do you want to have a prospective next employer contact your current employer for a reference only to be told “Cannot discuss him due to the pending lawsuit.”?

I’m not saying do not document everything that is important but learn to differentiate between what is and what is not important to document.

My approach would be to be somewhat conciliatory around the senior. Call this sucking up if you want but you get the idea. Be sure to praise him as often as you can and ask him for his opinion on some complex technical issues. Be careful to never show him up in front of others. Never argue with him.

Sooner or later you will have developed to the point where you are his technical equal. When that happens you will either have to move on or displace him. Displacing him will be difficult simply because he has more experience and history with the firm than you do.

Moving on can be to another firm or within your organization. Moving internally could be accomplished by growing the firm to the point where there is room enough for both of you to be senior and independent. External move would be to find another job.

In both cases having the senior’s good will will help you a lot.

Good luck






Rick Kitson MBA P.Eng

Construction Project Management
From conception to completion

http://www.kitsonengineering.com

 

[HVAC68]

Hi guys,

Thanks a lot for the inputs. As you know, it's too difficult and complex to explain the problem in detail and I
will have to take a bit of all the above and something more to try and work out a good solution for myself.

One of my greatest assets has been my patience and sometimes, my weakness too, since many people tend to take advantage of it and take me for granted.

Thanks again for your time

HVAC68


HVAC68