Although I am not an officially a Manager or a Local Manager for my team, I've done my very best to deliver what is expected to ensure my team has the best they can have.
Recently what happened was, I requested few access to my newly hired to ensure she has sufficient access to all the servers required. In order to do that, we have to use a system to request and getting an approval. To my disappointment, the approver rejected the request. I questioned why and there you go... the next thing you know there were series of replying of emails and worst, it was CCed to everyone, in which, I think it is not necessary. Worst case scenario, I was called a part-timer?? Like HELL O!!! and that's not it, the team in KL was labeled as part timer and I find it irritating and annoying when people do not acknowledge our existence!
The "email-war" was definitely no fun when the newly appointed manager ( which I don't know as well and was not properly introduced right from the beginning ) starts questioning, what are we doing, who going to run the training and what is the documentation that we referring to. Without a due, I responded with 4 questions;
11) I am a coordinator for Messaging team in KL, PL and I is not a part timers for Messaging Lotus Notes. We are in the team for more than 2 years. My question is how can you guys don’t know who we are
22) Thank you for the N account access. Are you going to grant the rest of the access per requested?
33) Are you taking over X’s Role?
44) Why are you asking me who going to train, documentation and how many percentage? What is the relative for this question? Please see my answer in green
there you go, with 4 questions that I sent over and responding to all the critical questions all I can say is.. I can smile. The tonation of her email has been improved. Instead of She being very pushy she became friendly and helpful. I was surprised to see this. I was thinking after my last respond to her email I wont be bothering to answer her at all. But I think I will answer her in a friendly gesture.
Sometimes I figured, one has to be tough and a little bit bitchy "to go about" everything. Sometimes being very nice wont get you too far.
On another occasions, another team who happened to temporary reporting to me locally ( while their manager went away ) made up an issue with attendance. She comes and go as if she has a big share in the office?! Yes! There were no updates of her whereabouts, there were no sms received not only to me but also her team members. That was nasty! I called up a meeting and reminded everyone who important to updates whereabouts and she gave me nasty bitchy cynical smile as if I am telling non funny joke! Seriously it is her ass to be on fire and not mine! All I want to do is to have some cover ups for her. But she take it different way. After the meeting was over, I was chatting with her personally and guess what? It turns out to be pin pointing fingers and she starts questioning me a lot of thing?! Next, she email to her technical manager and requested to be able to work from home which NO OTHER TEAM HAS EVER requested it.
All I can say good luck and she even has guts to tell her colleague that I am in a same level with her and she was happy about it. I don't know if she is delusional or he is taking happy five more than 5 tablets at a time, but I am certainly not at her level and I am a co ordinator for my team and I am a Standin local manger for her and NOW THAT IS CORRECT! I ignore her cynical and pretend as if nothing happened but less then she knew.. I have all the information running to me without I need to ask around.
Office politics sucks! Yes indeed,but if you mess with a wrong person, I guess you are putting yourself into trouble. As much as people want to show off how powerful they can be, I have my ways to put up on my communication skills. You bitch me, I bitch you twice. I will make sure I will get what I want and how I do I get it? I did it in a nice, graceful way else worst case scenario.. I have to bitch about it.. ops!
Working for a man is easy, less rigid, comfortable and for as long as we deliver what they want, everything will be ok. Working for women sometimes can turn you life upside down but if you work for Gay man, do it right else you'll be in trouble!