pwn the boss? or no

[magnetic1]

OK.. so my new boss is real annoying and always sends out these "nastygrams" to our entire team.... below is his email. Im wondering if I should pwn him w/ my response below.. what is everyone's thoughts on this....

Good morning,

(Please turn on HTML in the Format menu to see this message as I intended it.)

1) You need to turn in today your biweekly timesheet. Place it in the wooden box labeled "Timesheets (690Es) / T&As (Drafts and Certifieds)" located on the middle shelf of the hutch you first encounter when you walk into my office. My door will be open and should remain open for most of today (please do not close my door on your way out of my office).

2) Last week on Tuesday August 24, 2004, I placed last biweek's Certifieds in the beige folder with pockets for you to initial at the bottom right and I sent you an email asking you to initial your certified. Here is a copy of that email (in red):

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-----Original Message-----
From:
Sent: Thursday, August 26, 2004 6:36 PM
Subject: Certifieds


I will place the Certifieds inside the beige folder in Brian Healy's office. Please initial your sheet at the bottom right and place the sheet back in proper alphabetic order. Do not take this sheet with you; it is not to leave Brian Healy's office.
Have a good weekend,
Frank

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Well, there were two of you that did not follow these instructions:
Kaveh Kianni
Eric Wong

From both of you, I would like to know the following:
Did you just trash my above email, or are you in the habit of not reading my emails?
Was there something in the above message that you didn't understand, or are you just absent-minded?
Is it abhorrent to your nature to follow instructions, or do you have a problem with authority?
In case you haven't noticed, I do not appreciate being ignored. Although I wouldn't make an OHR issue out of this, I certainly will of any other issue slightly more serious than this one (the issue being - failure to follow supervisory instructions). Kaveh and Eric, report in person with your answers to the above three questions.3

Jim, please initial your certified sheet next to the label "Empl." and not next to the label "Attachment." You need to reinitial that sheet (which is now in my office, still in the beige folder with pockets).


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


My Schedule:
I came in today at 4:50 AM, will leave at 8:00 AM, and will come back at around noon to work at least six (6) hours in the afternoon. From 1:00-3:00 PM, I will attend a staff meeting.

This is my proposed response... and I plan on sending it as a "reply-all"

Frank,

First of all, most people turn off HTML because the formatting uses up much more bandwidth, has potentials for transmitting viruses and is harder to read.

Second of all, your email messages do not go ignored. Your office is not always readily accessible as most of the time it is locked and you are not available to open the door. I regret that I may have overlooked the initialing of the certified, but hey, we all make mistakes sometimes. In our old art unit, our certifieds were placed in our mailboxes. As with any kind of change or transition, it may take some time before you see everyone adhere to specific rules or policy which may not be the norm for that person.

Thirdly, this type of issue is best resolved in direct communications, rather than public chastizing within the entire art unit with belligerent email. This lowers morale, productivity and at the very least is embarassing and bodering on harassment.

Thank you,
Eric

[Boondoggie]

Guys, Eric didn't get the memo about the cover sheets on the TPS reports... can someone get him a copy of that?

[Andy]

Damn, that sux.

My boss is AWESOME!!! He is the best boss I have EVER had. He doesn't bother me at all. He even took our whole group out to lunch yesterday.

He has yet to check up on me.

I have no idea what you should say to him. That's hard to say since your job is at stake.

Do you have to report to him directly every day??

EDIT: Fore warning. Don't listen to what James recommends on saying in a reply email. I am sure it will contain excessive use of the word, "FCUK!!!".

[bogdan]

Nicely worded. Send it. Print it out. Tape it to his all-important office door.

[tEckniks]

Guys, Eric didn't get the memo about the cover sheets on the TPS reports... can someone get him a copy of that?

mm k?

dont forget the cover sheets

[Bahnbaum]

Eric,

Your boss sounds like an ass. Your response is well written, but addressing it in public will prolly embarass him and who knows how he'll respond.

If you like your job (except for the idiot you work for), then I'd try to sit down face to face and have the conversation. He might appreciate your opinion and actually try to change (but I seriously doubt it). On the other hand, if you're ready to leave and have something else lined up, I'd send it.

Alex

[kenkamm]

Sounds pretty good Eric. Just be sure to spell check it first. :eek

[rautox]

Probably the best idea is to play along. Sounds like he has you in his cross-hairs just now. Play along and wait 'til he finds another target, then do something special on the new target's behalf. It'll be a group project by then

Sounds like the traditional, "There's a new sherrif in town," routine. I've been a fed long enough to have seen a ton of this, typically from cowards with questionable skill-levels.

Plan B: Might include something along the lines of, "given the wide distro, I'm assuming this is an ongoing issue with context perhaps wider than I'm aware. I'd be happy to speak to you in person about this and how I can help. Should we invite, {insert fcuk-head-boss's boss's name here}." Then, cc his boss.

Either way, document everything. Files are your friend.

[magnetic1]

ok.. Ive re-written it a little from its original form to show less emotion in case it does get forwarded to higher-ups....

Frank,

Most people turn off HTML because the formatting uses up much more bandwidth, has potentials for transmitting viruses and is harder to read.

Your email messages do not go ignored. Your office is not always readily accessible as most of the time it is locked and you are not available to open the door. I regret that I may have overlooked the initialing of the certified, but we all make mistakes sometimes. In our old art unit, our certified timesheets were placed in our mailboxes. As with any kind of change or transition, it may take some time before you see everyone adhere to specific rules or policy which may not be the norm for that person.

This type of issue is best resolved in direct communications, rather than public chastising within the entire art unit with belligerent email. This lowers morale, productivity and at the very least is embarrassing.

Lastly, there is no need to threaten your employees into doing something. There was absolutely NO need to mention an OHR write-up. I just feel this "calling out" email to be very threatening and unnecessary.

I will to the best of my ability remember to sign the certifieds as instructed from now on.

Thank you,
Eric

[Trepan]

I wouldn't send that if you intend to continue working there. Worse case scenario you get fired. Best case scenario he holds a personal grudge against you. The dude is obviously a power hungry idiot. Your response is just going to really piss him off.

My $0.03

Oh and let me know how the personal meeting in his office goes. (throw a recorder in your pocket for that one man! )

[amdspitfire]

You should go show that email to hr ;-)
Or have kaveh do it...persians got balls

[surfacewound]

I wouldn't send that if you intend to continue working there. Worse case scenario you get fired. Best case scenario he holds a personal grudge against you.

Huh? Didn't you read that? He already holds a personal grudge against him.

Send it (via reply to all, not just reply) but add, "P.S.- While you stayed at work late last week printing new labels for your wooden boxes, I was nailing your wife in the ass."

[magnetic1]

I wouldn't send that if you intend to continue working there. Worse case scenario you get fired. Best case scenario he holds a personal grudge against you. The dude is obviously a power hungry idiot. Your response is just going to really piss him off.

My $0.03

Oh and let me know how the personal meeting in his office goes. (throw a recorder in your pocket for that one man! )

Well.. I work for the gov't ... so I wouldnt get fired... worst case scenario is he remains my boss. Best case scenario I get a new boss.....

[jterp]

Tell him "the jerk store called... and they're running out of you!"





Seriously -- your email sounds good but no good is going to come of it. As right as you may be he's still the one in the situation with the power to make your life hell. It may be fun to chastise him in front of everyone -- but dealing with his retaliation/grudge will last longer and take away all that fun pretty quickly.

I'm with Bahnbaum -- handle it in person.

[Andy]

Tell him "the jerk store called... and they're running out of you!"

"Oh yeah, well.....I had s#x with your wife!!"

[Trepan]

Well.. I work for the gov't ... so I wouldnt get fired... worst case scenario is he remains my boss. Best case scenario I get a new boss.....

Ah yes the gov. I won't go there since I work for a company that does contract work for the gov.

[magnetic1]

Ah yes the gov. I won't go there since I work for a company that does contract work for the gov.

only problem is... he could start being an even bigger ass and start nitpicking everything... and if I mess up, THEN I would be on grounds to be fired...

ie: surfing BF.c, etc would be grounds for termination since its against IT policy.... argh.

Maybe I should just go see his superior in person...

[surfacewound]

"Oh yeah, well.....I had s#x with your wife!!"

I already said that, asshole.

[ComBIRDable]

If you are upset that he sent this e-mail to the whole group instead of coming to you personally, then it would be hypocritical of you to "reply to all."

The best way to deal with this situation is to speak to him personally, in private. Don't go in there fixin' for a fight because that will put him on the defensive and you'll get a fight! I would ask him to deal with me personally on issues like this instead of embarassing me in front of the whole group.

If you publicly respond, you will have lost the high ground if this escalates. Hopefully it won't escalate.

Edit: You should see him before you see his superior.

I hope this helps,

Scott

[magnetic1]

I realized it would be hypocritical... so Im debating if I should just send it to him personally. I wanted to send something in email and see him personally because with email, at least its of record.

[Jed]

Eric-

I've encountered bosses like that. He's new, so get a feel for him first. If he is power-trippy, sending this e-mail (and especially to everyone) is NOT a good move. If it is bothering you this much have a civil discussion with him.

Keep calm-often times people can be very tough via e-mail or most electronic media but face to face, you might get something resolved.

I've had power trip bosses that once you sat down with them and discussed they had more respect and understanding.

As angry as you might be, he still is your boss. At least present your argument to him in person-it'll show that you are concerned enough to have talked to him. It won't help to be e-tuff on an e-mail. Unless he is a bf.c member then flame him one on one here.

[ComBIRDable]

I realized it would be hypocritical... so Im debating if I should just send it to him personally. I wanted to send something in email and see him personally because with email, at least its of record.

You are on the right track. This kind of stuff sucks, I know. I often type those kinds of e-mail but do not send them because just typing it out once seems to make me feel better. Of course, I'm toast the first day I hit "send" instead of "delete."

Scott

[jterp]

"Oh yeah, well.....I had s#x with your wife!!"

Um, andy... His wife's in a coma.

[Jed]

I wanted to send something in email and see him personally because with email, at least its of record.

What I would do to document any discussions is send a courtesy follow up e-mail summing up the conversation. Something to the effect of "Thanks again for taking the time to talk to me and discussing points a) b) and c)."

This way you can still have your paper trail. I always make it a habit to somehow document important conversations that way.

[magnetic1]

Eric-

I've encountered bosses like that. He's new, so get a feel for him first. If he is power-trippy, sending this e-mail (and especially to everyone) is NOT a good move. If it is bothering you this much have a civil discussion with him.

Keep calm-often times people can be very tough via e-mail or most electronic media but face to face, you might get something resolved.

I've had power trip bosses that once you sat down with them and discussed they had more respect and understanding.

As angry as you might be, he still is your boss. At least present your argument to him in person-it'll show that you are concerned enough to have talked to him. It won't help to be e-tuff on an e-mail. Unless he is a bf.c member then flame him one on one here.

Jed, thats why I was planning on seeing him in person too.. but I also wanted to send email so that it would be of record in case I needed it in the future. If I just went to see him in person... then he could just deny everything and it would be his word against mine... and since he is the boss, he'll win.