Should I speak up?

[CityGal]

My boss sent me an email stating that I haven’t been doing a part of my job. When I look over what she is talking about, I noticed that I have been doing it. So, a- I don’t know where she got this stuff from and b- I am not the only she should’ve sent that email to. Should I email her back and tell her…ahem…WRONG! Ha. Or should I leave it like it is. Would it come off as me being ‘difficult’? Any thoughts on the ‘me’ only email? I know what you all might say ….she could have sent it to others…. but I am POSITIVE she hasn’t because those other people have tons of stuff missing.

[allie1105]

I would politely correct her. I am going through this right now as well, and have not spoken up. It has gotten progressively worse:

My job is to sell advertising. I have an assistant who messes up more often than not. I have not been making my goal, since everything I sell gets screwed up. I have to give free advertising away all of the time. Unfortunately, I kept my mouth shut about it, since we are both fairly new and I was in her shoes once - my last job, I was the assistant and everytime I made the smallest mistake, my coworker would "tell" on me. Anyway, its gotten to the point where my boss has started monitoring my work closely...and he has recently seen a TON of her errors. He is finally laying off of me, but it took way too long. If I would have spoken up and said, "I AM freaking selling shit. SHE is messing it all up!" It would have solved a LOT of problems.

So, I would go see her face to face. Tell her that you are concerned by her email because you ARE doing what is asked. Ask if there is anything else she would like you to do/assist her with. Managers eat that up.

[LakeJay]

Talk to your boss. At the very least it sounds like you need clarification on what you may or may not be doing wrong. I don't think you'll appear as difficult if are looking for feedback. You know how messages can get skewed over email...maybe that is the case here.

[CityGal]

I would politely correct her. I am going through this right now as well, and have not spoken up. It has gotten progressively worse:

My job is to sell advertising. I have an assistant who messes up more often than not. I have not been making my goal, since everything I sell gets screwed up. I have to give free advertising away all of the time. Unfortunately, I kept my mouth shut about it, since we are both fairly new and I was in her shoes once - my last job, I was the assistant and everytime I made the smallest mistake, my coworker would "tell" on me. Anyway, its gotten to the point where my boss has started monitoring my work closely...and he has recently seen a TON of her errors. He is finally laying off of me, but it took way too long. If I would have spoken up and said, "I AM freaking selling shit. SHE is messing it all up!" It would have solved a LOT of problems.

So, I would go see her face to face. Tell her that you are concerned by her email because you ARE doing what is asked. Ask if there is anything else she would like you to do/assist her with. Managers eat that up.

Thanks, Allie. Sucks about your job. At least FINALLY you are getting your boss off of you. Well...it was something sort of minor. I was think of saying.....

well...asscracker if you checked stuff more closely you will notice that I have been doing it. ha. jk.

It did get me a bit pissed off that she would bring that up to me bc she has stuff that she has not updated since **2002**.

Anywhoo....what she claims I haven't been doing is updating a database sort of note-taking program we have.

[weary]

CG - yes, absolutely speak up. it's hard to know exactly what you need to say w/o knowing the specifics of your situation. but, def pull out all the diplomatic junk, coming at w/ the "i want to make sure i'm pulling my weight" and "this is what i've been doing, [regarding what she said you weren't], please let me know if you want it done differently", etc.

don't keep your mouth shut though. reply. reply sooner than later and with back-up to your statements. if it's a small office, tallk to her first, then follow up with an email to confirm the conversation. CYA.

[spokes]

don't do it over e-mail - arrange a meeting and talk about the process.

[wordsmith]

My job is to sell advertising. I have an assistant who messes up more often than not. I have not been making my goal, since everything I sell gets screwed up. I have to give free advertising away all of the time.

If it makes you feel any better, I know not one single person who is in newspaper advertising for whom this is not the case. Whether it's something THEY screw up, or somebody further down the line screws up.

Anyway, its gotten to the point where my boss has started monitoring my work closely...and he has recently seen a TON of her errors. He is finally laying off of me, but it took way too long. If I would have spoken up and said, "I AM freaking selling shit. SHE is messing it all up!" It would have solved a LOT of problems.


A good boss in that field would and should see where the breakdown is occurring, though. Not just assume it's you. Everybody who works in newspapers knows that everything in newspapers, advertising and editorial alike, operates in terms of a chain of people, and stuff done or not done by others often comes back on somebody else. Your boss should know this.

[shimma]

I agree with the others. Talk with your boss, follow up with an email, and then if s/he doesn't cooperate with you, make sure that you go speak with HR.

[TinyDancer]

don't do it over e-mail - arrange a meeting and talk about the process.
Agreed. I think it's kinda silly that she brought this up over email in the first place. Definitely say something though. . .

[wordsmith]

My boss brings up EVERYTHING even slightly confrontational over e-mail, mainly because he's a passive-aggressive, spineless pansy when it comes to actually being a boss. If he were firing somebody, he'd totaly do it over e-mail so as not to look the person in the face. Today, he sent a lacky to one of our satellite offices to tell somebody her hours are being cut, because he was afraid to tell her himself.

[SpaceMonkey]

My boss brings up EVERYTHING even slightly confrontational over e-mail, mainly because he's a passive-aggressive, spineless pansy when it comes to actually being a boss. If he were firing somebody, he'd totaly do it over e-mail so as not to look the person in the face. Today, he sent a lacky to one of our satellite offices to tell somebody her hours are being cut, because he was afraid to tell her himself.

Heh. Sounds like Michael in "The Office" telling Dwight to cut the health insurance benefits.

[Kitty]

My boss brings up EVERYTHING even slightly confrontational over e-mail, mainly because he's a passive-aggressive, spineless pansy when it comes to actually being a boss. If he were firing somebody, he'd totaly do it over e-mail so as not to look the person in the face. Today, he sent a lacky to one of our satellite offices to tell somebody her hours are being cut, because he was afraid to tell her himself.
I thought typing stuff out was just a preferred method of communication for some ;):

[wordsmith]

Oh, he's clear. He's just a wuss. He's also on the other side of the wall, versus, say, across the country. ;)

When you're paid to be in charge, you really need to grow a sack.

[g8ergal83]

definitely speak up. maybe someone went to her with that information and before cheking into it, she wrote you the email. ask for some time with her and bring all your evidence that you have been doing the job and say that it hurts you that she wouldnt check with you first. (maybe you shouldnt use the word "hurt" but I cant think of anything else right this monent). be sure to bring the evidence with you when you speak with her or she might just think its an empty defense on your part. also, dont let too much time go by.. it could be bad and another incendent can happen.

[shimma]

I thought typing stuff out was just a preferred method of communication for some ;):

So did I till my interim review last week in which my boss told me that my constant use of email is seen as "impersonal", "unfriendly", and makes certain people think I don't like them. :sad: I just want their answers documented so I can reference it later, that's all!

Just a personal preference I suppose, but I am also the only American on my team.