Yowza

I've really got to finish that baby blanket tonight because the shower is tomorrow, but I had to take a quick break because my head is spinning a little.  No, it's not 99-cent margarita night again.  I was called into the office of my boss's boss today and asked to provide details on how my boss is failing to do his job. Yowza.

Now I know I complain about my boss (I'll call him B) on a ridiculously regular basis although I've never said I hated him or he was mean.  He's just a buffoon much of the time (wow, that works well with the "B").  I guess that his boss (let's use "BB" here) was contacted by several people from other departments after being gone last week about problems they were having with the B and he was surprised to learn that I have been having problems as well and had never said anything.  He asked for me to be candid and we all know I'm pretty good at that so I was.

BB said that he was told by more than one person from around campus that they had been putting up with the B for a while and had just reached the breaking point.  I couldn't say I had reached a breaking point although I told him that we had found a way to manage in our office and work around his shortcomings.  I said the staff had learned to come to me with questions and problems because they couldn't get help from the B.  He wasn't a good listener and had been known to give wrong answers in order to just get the question addressed and over with.  He hates asking questions, even when he doesn't know the answers or the consequences. I said the staff would have me raise concerns and ask questions in staff meetings because I wasn't afraid to challenge and argue the point if needed, and because I was not as easily dismissed.  I told him that other departments had also circumvented him and came to me for information and help because he would shut them down without any dialogue.

But the most disturbing information came when he asked about problems that arise in our office when the B covers for me in my absence.  There are so many things he should know how to do, he has instructions for, and yet he fails miserably.  When things aren't done correctly or completely, it can affect the students and other departments, or at the very least our own staff.  I think this is what really prompted today's discussion because so much happened when I was gone for two hours last week and the BB was gone for the whole week. 

Okay, I know this is all cryptic and acronymnic and hard to read, but it kind of has to be.  I really just wanted to get it down on cyber-paper that after two years of just dealing with the situation, I was asked about it and felt that I was heard.  I don't expect big changes or shake-ups because that's not the bureaucratic style of most large organizations, but it was nice to have the situation acknowledged and the opportunity to vent a little.  So now it's back to venting on my blog.  Lucky you!