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So I work in an office with a woman that is a manager in her department. But she is not my boss. She is a control freak and tries to be the "queen" of the office. You know the type: upper management loves her but in reality she is a passive agggressive control freak. Well she is friendly with my manager outside of work.
Today for the 3rd or 4th time she "volunteered" me to help with something that can't and don't want to do. The company is having a lunch next week for the employees. She told my boss she would love to help set up and pick up the food but she would be out the day before. Then I overhear her saying "Maybe Terri can help you". Um no. I work different hours then my manager and helping do this would mean I have to come in early and I can't. Nor do I want to go grocery shopping. How do I nip this in the bud? This isn't the first time and I'm tired of it. I want to say something but I feel it will cause waves.
Just tell her that you don't appreciate her volunteering you for things you don't want to do and to stop it!
If you do not feel you can speak up for yourself and be direct about this, then every time she does this to you, go to your boss, say "Miss Bossy Boots has volunteered me to do X, Y, or Z. Which of your projects should I stop doing so I can do this for Miss Bossy Boots?"
Or, overtime, as someone else has suggested. You could ask Miss Bossy Boots and your manager whether overtime has been authorized for you to do the extra work for MBB. Get your manager involved and on your side by making it clear that anything you do for MBB is going to detract from your ability to do what you manager needs you to do.
If you can get your manager to back you up and intervene with MBB for you, then all you will have to say when MBB starts ordering you around is "I'm sorry, I'm afraid that won't be possible."
If you cannot get your manager to back you up, you will need to learn speak up for yourself or learn to live with being bullied by MBB or start looking for another job.
Is there a childcare or other family duty that is not compatible with you coming in early to work? If so, make that clear to your Manager and the problem for this extra duty will probably go away.
i dont understand. how would it be possible for you to be responsible for tasks nobody has assigned to you ?
are these tasks part of your job or are you doing favors for them (who's asking you to do these favors) ? its nice to be nice; but if you need to drop off/pick up your kid from kindergarten then 'team player' or not, you have other priorities.
i dont think there is anything wrong with the woman volenteering you; it is annoying but it is merely a suggestion. your manager is the one who ultimately delegates responsibilities.
Last edited by stanley-88888888; 10-04-2016 at 07:45 PM..
Why would you think that 'Maybe Terri can help you.' was 'volunteering you'? I wouldn't hear it that way at all ... at worst I might only hear that since the person being asked could not help, she was just giving the person asking a suggestion for where to ask next. If you are then asked, you can just politely say 'no .. would love to but it just won't work out' .. or something to that effect. And if you are feeling really generous you might then also add that 'maybe X or Y could help'.
We have a person at work who is expert at this. Starts big projects, sells them to management, puts names on a chart, and then goes on to something else. Then several weeks later management starts hitting up all the names on the chart about "When will X be complete?" "Huh? What are you talking about?" So suddenly we're stuck cleaning up whatever mess of a project it is and it's somehow our fault. Meanwhile he's moved on and starting something new.
If you have not yet been asked, there is no issue. If, eventually, you *are* asked, as long as it is done on company time and you are being paid for it, why not? Take advantage of the opportunity to get out and do something different, enjoy the outing and be glad of the opportunity to be of value to your manager- that wins you points in the advancement of your career.
...Or are you one of those people who thinks that your 'work' should consist of nothing more than exactly what you were hired for? If that is your attitude, then your career is not going to be brimming with opportunities to advance and earn more money- you'll be stuck as a low-paid grunt and have only yourself to blame.
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