topic Re: Help Please - Work Problem - UGH! in Among Friends

Help Please - Work Problem - UGH!

BunSnoop — Wed, 31 Aug 2022 15:39:43 GMT

Supervisor called and explained a problem he wants me to assist with.

This is something I have no knowledge of and no expertise. I told him I really don't think I will be able to help as this is something I have no knowledge of. I told him in my opinion I believe this should go to our legal department.

He said he'd like me to prepare something to then forward to legal to review. I again told him this is something I do not think I can be of any assistance.

He then said something like "I know you can" and "thinking out this problem with help you grow". He said I should put on my "thinking cap" and we'll talk tomorrow. He would not accept from me that I do not have the answers to his problem

I did not tell him, but I was thinking it - I do not want to "grow". I plan on giving my notice to retire in about 8 months.

Help - any suggestions on what I can say to get it through to him that this is beyond my scope of work. He just did not seem to accept that he's going to the wrong person for assistance.

I'm wondering if someone told him to prepare the document for legal and he's now pushing it on me! :-(

Re: Help Please - Work Problem - UGH!

rms1954 — Wed, 31 Aug 2022 15:43:28 GMT

@BunSnoop wrote:
Supervisor called and explained a problem he wants me to assist with.

This is something I have no knowledge of and no expertise. I told him I really don't think I will be able to help as this is something I have no knowledge of. I told him in my opinion I believe this should go to our legal department.

He said he'd like me to prepare something to then forward to legal to review. I again told him this is something I do not think I can be of any assistance.

He then said something like "I know you can" and "thinking out this problem with help you grow". He said I should put on my "thinking cap" and we'll talk tomorrow. He would not accept from me that I do not have the answers to his problem

I did not tell him, but I was thinking it - I do not want to "grow". I plan on giving my notice to retire in about 8 months.

Help - any suggestions on what I can say to get it through to him that this is beyond my scope of work. He just did not seem to accept that he's going to the wrong person for assistance.

I'm wondering if someone told him to prepare the document for legal and he's now pushing it on me! :-(

That's what it sounds like to me. If you plan on retiring in 8 months I would not worry about it. Do as he asks to the best of your ability. He can either like it or not and if it's not he will assign it to someone else.

Re: Help Please - Work Problem - UGH!

BoopOMatic — Wed, 31 Aug 2022 15:50:43 GMT

I would just go for it.

Read it and give your best answer.

He can't technically hold your answer against you as you have already stated that it's above your knowledge base....maybe he just wants another input? I hope that's all it is.

Re: Help Please - Work Problem - UGH!

de1rdre — Wed, 31 Aug 2022 15:52:06 GMT

Sounds like you may be right -- that this is a task your supervisor is avoiding by assigning it to you (and being a bit condescending in the course of doing so).

Here is my recommendation. Prepare a memorandum to the legal department. It should include two sections. The first section is entitled Facts and consists of a recitation of the facts of the issue to the best of your knowledge. The second section is entitled Questions and will consist of an enumeration of every question that occurs to you regarding the issue, with a caveat that this list is questions is not intended to be exhaustive.

Present the draft to your supervisor. S/he will edit as necessary. Then the legal department will do its job. It is they who must provide advice to your supervisor.

Good luck. Focus on your retirement date -- 8 more months!

Re: Help Please - Work Problem - UGH!

sweetee2 — Wed, 31 Aug 2022 15:56:10 GMT

Just do the best you can. Whatever you do if you haven't all ready let them know your leaving. I've done that and thing's were not pleasant afterwards.

Re: Help Please - Work Problem - UGH!

chrystaltree — Wed, 31 Aug 2022 16:01:02 GMT

Why are you fighting him on this? He doesn't know you've given up on the job and you are just marking time until you quit. He thinks you are still committed. So, meet with him. Hear what he has to say, hear what he's looking for and then do the best you can since you are still collecting a paycheck. You can't actually say you don't want to expand your skills or take on a new assignment WHILE you are still getting paid. It's possible that he is delegating this to you because he can't or doesn't want to do it. So what? That's what managers do, they delegate.

Re: Help Please - Work Problem - UGH!

aroc3435 — Wed, 31 Aug 2022 16:07:43 GMT

@BunSnoop Do as the supervisor asks as best you can. As @de1rdre suggested put it into two sections.

By the way, my advice is to NOT announce that you think you will be retiring in eight months. Wait until you are much nearer your retirement date.

Things can change and a premature announcement is NOT to your benefit.

Best to you. It will turn out okay. Don't stress yourself.

aroc3435

Washington, DC

Re: Help Please - Work Problem - UGH!

mimomof4 — Wed, 31 Aug 2022 16:23:09 GMT

I would make the presentation. Even though you plan on retiring in 8 months, what if you change your mind and still need this job longer.

Do the best you can with the presentation and make notes of additonal detail you need from your boss.

If the topic is something in general you don't feel comfortable with you can also go to HR.

Re: Help Please - Work Problem - UGH!

FancyPhillyshopper — Wed, 31 Aug 2022 16:54:40 GMT

As a former "boss", I had many employees in whom I identified potential for growth and leadership.

I did have those who said they did not want to learn anything new or do anything more, but that is not the way the world works.

Part of my responsibility as a leader was to help staff continue to develop skills and improve their abilities.

I especially liked when folks when on to be successful with their new abilities/responsibilities.

You could also take it as a compliment that your boss is providing you with more challenging opportunities.

By the way, even legal does not always have all the answers. Sometimes their job is to just review a policy response and ensure that it does not violate any laws.

I agree do not tell the office you are planning to retire. You could be replaced right now with someone who is more eager to help the company prosper.

Re: Help Please - Work Problem - UGH!

Pook — Wed, 31 Aug 2022 17:00:01 GMT

@BunSnoop Sounds to me like he is passing the buck and possibly looking for a scapegoat! This does seemlike it probably is not really in your job description.

Re: Help Please - Work Problem - UGH!

BunSnoop — Wed, 31 Aug 2022 17:50:11 GMT

@chrystaltree, I'm not "fighting" him and I have not given up on my job. I feel he's "fighting" with me!

I honestly do not have the answer to what he wants and have told him. I feel he should accept that.

I do not have the knowledge or expertise and it's out of my scope. He should accept that move on and find someone that is qualified in the organization to help him.

Re: Help Please - Work Problem - UGH!

reiki604 — Wed, 31 Aug 2022 17:56:09 GMT

Is what he is asking you within your job parameters? If not, you have every right to refuse. This is what is being called quiet quitting. It's not allowing your employer to add on job responsibilities or work required after agreed upon hours without compensation and your agreement to the changes. If you have no knowlege of what is being asked of you, you have every right to refuse.

Re: Help Please - Work Problem - UGH!

ValuSkr — Wed, 31 Aug 2022 17:58:01 GMT

Can you delegate the task to someone else, just as she/he delegated to you?

I know there are some things you just don't want to or can't do, no matter what. It can be a mental block as much as anything. If that's the case, maybe you can retire eight months early.

Re: Help Please - Work Problem - UGH!

chrystaltree — Wed, 31 Aug 2022 18:04:38 GMT

@BunSnoop wrote:
@chrystaltree, I'm not "fighting" him and I have not given up on my job. I feel he's "fighting" with me!

I honestly do not have the answer to what he wants and have told him. I feel he should accept that.

I do not have the knowledge or expertise and it's out of my scope. He should accept that move on and find someone that is qualified in the organization to help him.

He's the boss and you are the subordinate. He doesn't take orders from you Or let pick and choose what YOU want to do. SPEAK with him not AT him. Let him explain the project and then show him that you are can't do it, don't want to do it and won't even try. You said yourself you are leaving in 8 months thst you just slide by until then.

Re: Help Please - Work Problem - UGH!

SeaMaiden — Wed, 31 Aug 2022 18:09:16 GMT

@BunSnoop Retire early

Re: Help Please - Work Problem - UGH!

chrystaltree — Wed, 31 Aug 2022 18:29:37 GMT

@SeaMaiden wrote:
@BunSnoop Retire early

Bingo!

Re: Help Please - Work Problem - UGH!

Mj12 — Wed, 31 Aug 2022 18:39:41 GMT

I would do it and not fight it or stress about it - just do it. You could learn something. I don't agree with people who think "Oh, that isn't in my job description." If it is (within reason) within the scope of your job, do it. That's how we contribute and learn.

Re: Help Please - Work Problem - UGH!

mb141312 — Wed, 31 Aug 2022 18:40:35 GMT

If you do decide to prepare something for his review (lots of suggestions in previous posts), is there someone you can talk to who might have some knowledge of the issues? Maybe pick that person's brains. Would a Google search give you any ideas?

Re: Help Please - Work Problem - UGH!

BunSnoop — Wed, 31 Aug 2022 19:52:50 GMT

It's to write a legal document related to reimbursement of claims that can possibly exceed over 1 million dollars. I'm sorry, but this FAR exceeds my job description, my knowledge and expertise. Thanks for your suggestions. As for those that suggested retirement, nope I'm not lucky enough to be able to retire early - congratulations, to those that can. I'll let him know I wish I could help, but I just don't have the knowledge needed to assist with the problem.

Re: Help Please - Work Problem - UGH!

pdlinda — Wed, 31 Aug 2022 20:24:31 GMT

@BunSnoop Is your supervisor an attorney?

You are absolutely correct that what he is requesting you to do is RIDICULOUS and, if he's not an attorney, he should have immediately referred the request to the company's legal dept. What he's requesting needs to be done by an attorney or a paralegal to be reviewed by an attorney.

It would be a complete waste of everyone's time and effort for you to draft a document like that without legal training and experience.