This has got to stop. Yesterday I received email from my boss, highlighting concerns she had over my ability to complete a piece of work on time and get a brief out to my colleagues to enlist their help.
I spent the best part of the day pulling together a template, outlining the objectives of the work, putting together a few background slides, and running a couple of examples. This I then sent to her for approval with a brief (as she has asked to see any communications before they are sent out).
Complete and utter FAIL. F grade.
What she in fact had wanted was not a presentation at all, but a ma-hu-sive spreadsheet with about 5 different dimensions on it, capturing a load of information across all our retail environments, different packs for a competitor, compared vs. us, across 4 different metrics.
Yet again, I failed to understand what she was asking of me, despite talking through it in my latest 1-2-1 (I was thrown by the phrases "present the headlines at the exec meeting" and "one page per pack format"). I'm racking my brains, but I can't ever remember her mentioning a spreadsheet format.
Epic FAIL.
So, instead of spending the last couple of hours of the day putting the final touches to my presentation to a business unit tomorrow, I had to redo the other piece of work and send it to her for approval, and am now going back to my presentation for tomorrow. I should have left at 4:30. I don't think I'll be out of here before half 7. I started at half 7. With an hour for lunch (leaving lunch for a colleague which I wish I hadn't gone to for dietary reasons), so that's an 11 hour day, and no run.
Okay, so I didn't really want to go for a run anyway, but given what I have eaten over the past week, and that I have only done one run, I really needed to go. And I'm now thinking that I really don't want to weigh in tomorrow because I am expecting at least a 4lb gain. From just one weekend away and a couple of crappy days at work.
I feel like I'm about to break. I can't go on feeling like this. I thought I had tried to explain myself and the way I was feeling, but we're just not on the same wavelength at all. And for someone who has done the influencing skills course - she's not doing so well with me now... whereas I feel like I'm the one who's expected to change, but I just don't know how.
I genuinely thought that what I had done was good. I tried so hard to please her. I just feel like nothing I do is right. And I was much happier when I was just getting on with what other people were asking me for, and managing to exceed their expectations most of the time.
I've just got to get through the next few weeks until my holiday when I can have a break from it all, read lots of books, get a suntan... and then come back and be stressed out again within a couple of hours. Joy joy joy.
5 comments:
Aw, honey.
My very first (out loud) comment when I started reading this post was "WTF is this woman's problem?"
So, that's what I want to know. What IS this woman's problem?? This woman seems like she's just a real pain in the ass...I mean, seriously!
I know you're convinced it's all your fault, but is it possible that she's NOT MAKING HERSELF CLEAR? I mean, if she's verbally saying one thing, what's to stop her from verbally changing it??
I'm so sorry she's making your work life hell right now. YES, you seriously need that vacation....and maybe you need to put out some feelers on finding another place of employment. Or, at the very least, is there any chance of a move to another dept??
I wish I could offer better advice...
I redid the piece of work and sent it back to her - she replied saying that it was exactly what we had discussed... I honestly don't know why I keep missing the point.
I don't know that anywhere else would be any better - and certainly wouldn't be as convenient for home, and I probably wouldn't get paid as much.
Unfortunately there aren't really any other jobs going in the business that I am qualified for.
Hi, I found your blog through a comment you left over at J*ckShit Getting Fit. I thought your response was very thoughtful and I thought it was interesting how you said you "loathe fat people". I began snickering b/c I know exactly what you mean. I'm huge and I still notice very big people...especially when I see 500 pounders riding in motorized shopping carts. I think to myself, "Well at least my legs still work and I could end up in their shoes if I don't change."
Anyway, I came over to your blog and read some of your posts. You are very real and honest. I admire that. I hope things get better for you and just wanted to say, "These things too shall pass." You seem very determined. I'm sure you're going to be successful at any endeavor. Curious, what country do you live in? I noticed your different spelling. :)
Hi Kim,
Thanks for your comment - you're right, I am very honest on here - something that's gotten me into trouble in the past when my father found my blog!! And a former line manager!
I'm in the UK - hence the different spelling - either that or I'm not as good a typist as I thought I was!!!
Eek, I'm sure that was rough when your father found your blog. I've only shared mine w/ my brother and a couple friends. I'm not sure how my Dad would take it. I used to use a fake name on blogspot, but then realized it would be hard for my family to find me so I gave it a go. lol. You're better at spelling than I am and I can certainly tell which words are just spelled differently. :) Sorry I'm just now getting back over here...busy week. I'll visit again soon. Have a good one!
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