Help with a work situation

[Ping898]

this would be so much easier to tell in my rambling manner than to write you know, but here goes....
I need some help with how to deal with a (NON MA) situation at work. As nice as a MA solution would be I am only 4 years removed from college, so still relatively new to the work world and got hit with a comment/situation today that I don't know how to respond to it or deal with it in the future should I come across it again.

Here are the players - name's have been changed to protect the innocent
MDG - My company
NGK - Company I am helping (sponsor)
Artie - MDG, for all intensive purposes my project lead
Barkley - NGK - Artie told me, I support him
Jackie - NGK - Barkley said, I am to help her.
when I say her project, i just mean that to distinguish between that and the oher project I am working on, she does not have control over the project in its entirety.
So I was at the sponsor site today and working with Jackie, I can't do much yet cause I don't have the computer accounts I need, but I was doing what I could, when Jackie asked me about my schedule and it is screwy through next week because I have that all day briefing I have to go to on Tues to get badge access and so I was telling her that Monday was out cause I had meetings related to her project at MDG - basically a status meeting for all the project players at my company, and a later meeting related to my other project and that with the exception of this upcoming Tuesday, I have a meeting every Tuesday for her project at the sponsor site, like not a MDG meeting.
At finding out about the meetings related to the project Jackie seems visibly upset or annoyed that a) she didn't know about them and b) they hadn't been "cleared" through her stating that she was told all my time on this project would be hers.
Now this is only the second week I was working with her and though I haven't done much yet I have made it clear that if she needs anything she just needs to tell me and I will do what I can, so none of this can be about me not being available to her when she needed it cause I was at other meetings and she has stated she only needs me probably 16 hours a week whereas I have 20 to 25 available (depending on if I work over 40 hours in the week), so attending those meetings does not take away from helping her. Because of the situation, there is little I can take the initiative on now and probably in the near future until I learn the politics of the other people I am working with, so for now I dependent upon getting her direction on how she wants things.
So it would have never occured to me to tell her about at least the MDG meeting and maybe not even the other Tuesday meeting because really they in no way affect her and my work with her other than being unavailable at those times, which I can't see how that is an issue and honestly if Artie tells me to attend a meeting (which he did for the Tuesday one) I am going to attend whether she wants me to or not. He signs off on the paperwork should I ever be put in for a promotion....he's more important that her!!
So I know in the future to let her know I will be attending other meetings related to her project, but how to I deal with it if she starts bringing up the whole "everything should be cleared through me" side of things again? I may be reading too much into things, and I can tell she is overwhelmed right now and it isn't helped by the fact that I can't help much yet, but before she and I really seemed to be hitting it off and I would like to keep it that way.
Talking to Artie or Barkley are not options, I need to try and handle this just between her and me.

 

[MA-Caver]

<snip> but how to I deal with it if she starts bringing up the whole "everything should be cleared through me" side of things again? I may be reading too much into things, and I can tell she is overwhelmed right now and it isn't helped by the fact that I can't help much yet, but before she and I really seemed to be hitting it off and I would like to keep it that way.
Talking to Artie or Barkley are not options, I need to try and handle this just between her and me.

Ironically this is one of the problems I've had at McDonalds... read: Corporation... Whereas the first party (my boss and the guy who signs my check) tells me to help out the second party and the second party thinks I'm the weekly slave unit... but they don't have priority over me.
You can either: tell her to her face that she has you as a courtesy but your priority is to your company first and if you're required to be at said meetings then she'll have to live without you (don't quote me) til you get back.
Immediately let your boss know what's going on but of course without making her look bad... go by what HE says and ask him to let her know whats up.
Communication is the key here to make sure this still works and that everyone gets along.
You can still get along but it's gonna be a two way street and she needs to be clear as to exactly what you are there to do for her, but if your company needs you to be kept up to date by attending meetings and such then... well... she should get over it. Besides how long is an average meeting 60-120 minutes?
The important thing is to let your boss know what's going on even if talking to Artie and Barkley isn't an option... make it an option! ... if he exempts you from the meetings then you got an okay and your butt is covered.
That's the best I can do... good luck whatever happens.

It's one of the reasons why I really, rilly don't like working for Corporations anymore.

 

[Kacey]

I can't really add much to what MA-Caver said - especially since I don't know why talking to Artie or Barkley is not an option.

You need to talk to someone - it sounds like Artie - who can define exactly what your responsibilities are, and who has first priority on your time. You don't need to tell Artie or Barkley why you want this - you can just say that you want to be clear for yourself on what your responsibilities are, what your chain of command is, and who has priority on your time. You need to get this in writing if at all possible - it will avoid problems later.

Once you have this information, you need to share it with Jackie - and whatever you share with her should, if at all possible, come from Artie or Barkley, which is why I said it should be in writing. If you possibly can, the information should come from whomever has priority on your time, to ensure that everyone knows the same thing. If you can think of a way to do it without offending anyone, all parties involved should sign this document - "cover your ***" is a sad fact of the corporate environment (and the school environment too, if it comes to that).

It's always hard to be the pawn in inter-office politics and power-plays - good luck with this nasty situation, and let us know how it's going.

 

[bluemtn]

I'm with MAC and Kacey. Tell Jackie that for the time being, you will give her as much of your time as possible, but you must go to those meetings, seeing how your basically "contracted out" (not that you are litterally) to her through your company. Then, go and talk to Artie about what Kacey had said.

 

[Ping898]

I can't really add much to what MA-Caver said - especially since I don't know why talking to Artie or Barkley is not an option.

Mostly the problem is just lack of availability, they are in so many meetings that tracking them down is imposibile at best (I know, I have been trying for another reason for the last 2 weeks) and even emailing is useless since 90% of the time, my emails seem to be ignored and even when I am at the same meetings I can't pin them down cause either they jump away so fast or line up 10 other people to speak with them after the meeting before they run off to the next meeting.

 

[Rich Parsons]

Mostly the problem is just lack of availability, they are in so many meetings that tracking them down is imposibile at best (I know, I have been trying for another reason for the last 2 weeks) and even emailing is useless since 90% of the time, my emails seem to be ignored and even when I am at the same meetings I can't pin them down cause either they jump away so fast or line up 10 other people to speak with them after the meeting before they run off to the next meeting.

Communication is the key.

Jackie was upset as she did not know about a meeting. I have been there before only I apologize to the supplier for telling me, and not my own company.

Barkley should be made aware of your concern about priorities.

Artie should also be made aware of this same concern and he may need to coordinate with Barkley what is expected of you.

As to meetings and or e-mails. Here are some helpful thoughts:

1) Set up with your Boss(es) a form of communicaiton via e-mail.
CC - means they are copied because someone at the same level was copied so everyone knows these people at the said level are all informed.
BCC - means you are copying your boss so he knows, but not trying to raise the level of involvement. Sometimes if you copy one boss they then copy other boss types including the next level up and it gets out of hand.

To - means there is something that they need to read immediately or act upon immediately.

If you mail program does not save a copy, then make sure you always send it to yourself either cc or bcc for reference in the future.

2) Title usage to help get action:
Action Requested - implies an action is requested in the near future this tells people from the title i.e. "Action Requested: Action Items from ABC development meeting"
Action Required - this tells those in the TO field that it is required and also needs your attention now.
URGENT Action Required - same as above with almost immediate attention required. Usually also a phone call and voice message to them letting them know this is in their in-box.


3) Given the above form of communication or something similar, your boss(es) will now understand over a small training period that when you call them it is usually important as in they need to know something right away and or take action right away.

The issue to this and any other form of communication is not to abuse it or cry wolf when it is not required. This will also give you documentation of your communication.



Now to get that all important meeting. Send them together or individualy an e-mail explaining how you wish to work and also ask for their feedback. One of the most important things with managers is to ask them for feedback, even if there is nothing to improve they enjoy being asked and sometimes they can give positive feedback or guide you based upon local technology or politics. Also follow up with your voice messages as well or phone conversation. Tell them the title (* use the Action Requested if you want as it will show its' effectiveness to them *) and date and that they need to review the e-mail and get back to you with their comments.

Of course take everything I have said and apply it to your words and your company and your situation to best fit your needs and desires.


Good Luck