# Hey boss, everything can't be top priority! **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [January 25, 2005, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-boss-everything-cant-be-top-priority/286620 "2005-01-25T18:05:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2005, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-boss-everything-cant-be-top-priority/286620/1 "2005-01-25T18:05:57Z")
Hey boss, you know how you’ve given me eight different tasks, all of which you’ve tagged in one way or another as top priority (“this has to be done first,” “this is your priority,” “this needs to be done now,” “this is the number one task” and so on)? Afraid it just doesn’t work that way. It just ain’t possible for me to do more than one thing first. Linear time and all that. So you don’t get to have curt words with me any more because I stop working on task number one when you give me a new task number one and then don’t finish task number one number one because I’m working on task number one number two, or task number one number three, or task number one number seven. I found out today that I’ll be transferring to a new department February 21. I can’t wait. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2005, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-boss-everything-cant-be-top-priority/286620/2 "2005-01-25T18:26:16Z")
That’s just stupid. Somehow you’re supposed to bend the laws of nature because he can’t realistically prioritize? I can just hear him if you were to ask him which is really the top priority; “Well, it _all_ has to get done right away.” Maybe you can pin the tasks up on a dart board and throw darts to prioritize - in front of him. ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2005, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-boss-everything-cant-be-top-priority/286620/3 "2005-01-25T18:42:57Z")
“We need to concentrate our efforts across the board” – Scott Adams. ---
**Author:** ![CynicalGabe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@CynicalGabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CynicalGabe)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2005, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-boss-everything-cant-be-top-priority/286620/4 "2005-01-25T18:44:21Z")
Reminds me of a DIlbert comic: > [@Dilbert](#): > > Dilbert: You have given me two projects, and I only have time to do one. Which would you like me to do? > > PHB: Just combine the two, and do the one. > > Dilbert: I give up. > > PHB: (thinking) I am a great manager! ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2005, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-boss-everything-cant-be-top-priority/286620/5 "2005-01-25T19:09:36Z")
> [@Otto](#): > > It just ain’t possible for me to do more than one thing first. It _would_ be if you gave 120%. Team players _all_ give 120%. Are you a team player? Do you _want_ to be a team player? ---
**Author:** ![Emperor\_Penguin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c2a13f/32.png) [@Emperor\_Penguin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Emperor_Penguin)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2005, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-boss-everything-cant-be-top-priority/286620/6 "2005-01-25T19:25:52Z")
What a timely rant. I’ve had my hours cut back at my current job, but my “task list” has only gotten longer. I’ve been frustrated the last couple of weeks, because just as I finish task A, I’ll be asked if Tasks B,C, and D are done as well. When I say no, I feel like I haven’t been working hard enough, and I fear my boss feels that same. As well, my boss doesn’t really understand how long some tasks take to do, especially when you include the fact that I also have to answer phones, photocopy, fax, fix computers, and any number of small, relatively short tasks, all which add up quickly when you have other work to do. I am looking for another job, but that’s because my contract is up in a month or so. Too bad the job market in my area is weak at best right now. Gah. I’m too depressed to rant right now. ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2005, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-boss-everything-cant-be-top-priority/286620/7 "2005-01-25T19:42:40Z")
> [@Squink](#): > > It _would_ be if you gave 120%. Team players _all_ give 120%. Are you a team player? Do you _want_ to be a team player? No, team players give **150%**. Only weak little nancy-boys give as little as 120%. Oh, and boss, there may be no “i” in team, but there is an “m” and an “e”. And there is no “y”, “o”, or “u”. Yes, I’ve read the “Red Badge of Courage”. Do you want a book report? I’ve also read “Catch 22”, Major Boss Major Major. Now shut up, go find your cheese, and let me get back to posting, why don’t you? Stranger ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2005, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-boss-everything-cant-be-top-priority/286620/8 "2005-01-25T19:51:49Z")
It is almost refreshing to such naïveté expressed among today’s youth. _ALL_ projects are number one priority at the point they are being discussed. I worked at a shop that was seriously downsized to cut costs for an impending LBO (26 in-house and 5 - 8 contractors reduced to 8 in-house–three of them demoted managers who had not coded in ten or more years). At the end of five months, management began complaining that the necessary work was not being done. (Ya think?) The IT manager explained that requests were handled as they arrived and that there was no method for IT to identify which department had a better claim for resources than any other. So the departmental managers got together and arranged all the projects in order: breakdown, #1; government demand (_e.g._, taxes and SEC reports for the LBO) #2; and on down to #12. Then they set a priority Zero. These were projects that were _so_ important that they simply _had_ to be done before anything else. In order to get a priority of 0, one had to plead one’s case to the corporate controller supported by the managers. At the end of three months, they had a two-year backlog of priority 0 projects–and a continuing hiring freeze. (The development manager used that to his advantage. Any user that pissed him off did not get any work done. When there was a complaint that he was not working on this #0 priority, the manager just pointed to the stack of other #0 projects.) ---
**Author:** ![CynicalGabe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@CynicalGabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CynicalGabe)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2005, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-boss-everything-cant-be-top-priority/286620/9 "2005-01-25T19:57:02Z")
There is no “i” in team. But there IS an “i” in “meat pie” and Meat is an anagram of team, or somesuch find THAT reference ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2005, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-boss-everything-cant-be-top-priority/286620/10 "2005-01-25T19:57:30Z")
> [@Emperor Penguin](#): > > What a timely rant. I’ve had my hours cut back at my current job, but my “task list” has only gotten longer. I’ve been frustrated the last couple of weeks, because just as I finish task A, I’ll be asked if Tasks B,C, and D are done as well. When I say no, I feel like I haven’t been working hard enough, and I fear my boss feels that same. > > As well, my boss doesn’t really understand how long some tasks take to do, especially when you include the fact that I also have to answer phones, photocopy, fax, fix computers, and any number of small, relatively short tasks, all which add up quickly when you have other work to do. > \ Seriously, a Zen attitude helps a lot with this. If you work six hours a day, and you do six hours of work, nobody’s got any reason to complain. Get six hours worth of work done, and leave the rest. Unless you’re in healthcare, nobody dies. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2005, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-boss-everything-cant-be-top-priority/286620/11 "2005-01-25T20:00:52Z")
The easiest solution to this problem is to ask the Boss what project shouldn’t be done when he/she gives you a new one. If he is stupid enough to say all of them should be done, time to ask for ot or look for a new job. Most bosses forget what people are doing. I actually told people what not to work on when I gave another job, but that’s not too common. ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2005, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-boss-everything-cant-be-top-priority/286620/12 "2005-01-25T20:18:02Z")
> [@CynicalGabe](#): > > There is no “i” in team. But there IS an “i” in “meat pie” and Meat is an anagram of team, or somesuch > find THAT reference Ed: Purple Rain. Shaun: No. Ed: Sign o’ the Times. Shaun: Definitely not. Ed: The Batman soundtrack? Shaun: Throw it. They’re coming to get you, Gabe. Stranger ---
**Author:** ![Merijeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Merijeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merijeek)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2005, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-boss-everything-cant-be-top-priority/286620/13 "2005-01-25T20:40:44Z")
> [@Emperor Penguin](#): > > What a timely rant. I’ve had my hours cut back at my current job, but my “task list” has only gotten longer. I’ve been frustrated the last couple of weeks, because just as I finish task A, I’ll be asked if Tasks B,C, and D are done as well. When I say no, I feel like I haven’t been working hard enough, and I fear my boss feels that same. Smile! Situations like yours are why the economy is doing better and better, even if the actual workers are doing worse and worse! It’s nice to know that I’m not alone having a boss who is incapable of prioritizing, though. -Joe ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2005, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-boss-everything-cant-be-top-priority/286620/14 "2005-01-25T20:47:26Z")
There is “I” in team. There, however, an “eat” and a “me.” ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2005, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-boss-everything-cant-be-top-priority/286620/15 "2005-01-25T20:49:43Z")
I mean, there is NO “i” in team. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![VunderBob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/839c29/32.png) [@VunderBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VunderBob)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2005, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-boss-everything-cant-be-top-priority/286620/16 "2005-01-25T20:52:26Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > I mean, there is NO “i” in team. And, as mentioned in last week’s smartass comments thread, neither is “u”. ---
**Author:** ![vibrotronica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/a9a28c/32.png) [@vibrotronica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vibrotronica)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2005, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-boss-everything-cant-be-top-priority/286620/17 "2005-01-25T21:05:39Z")
“There is no ‘I’ in ‘team’!” “Oh yeah? Well there’s no ‘I’ in ‘Fuck you!’, either!” ---
**Author:** ![CynicalGabe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@CynicalGabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CynicalGabe)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2005, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-boss-everything-cant-be-top-priority/286620/18 "2005-01-25T21:06:46Z")
> [@Stranger On A Train](#): > > They’re coming to get you, Gabe. Liz: It’s just that with Ed here, it’s no wonder I always bring my flatmates out, and then that only exacerbates things. Shaun: What you mean? Liz: Well, you guys hardly get on, do you? Shaun: No, I mean, what does "exacerbates’ mean? ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2005, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-boss-everything-cant-be-top-priority/286620/19 "2005-01-25T21:10:42Z")
> [@CynicalGabe](#): > > Shaun: No, I mean, what does "exacerbates’ mean? What _does_ “exacerbates” mean? 😃 Stranger ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2005, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-boss-everything-cant-be-top-priority/286620/20 "2005-01-25T21:20:57Z")
I had bosses like yours. They come and go. They are stupid and incompetent and lazy. One of the boss’ jobs IS to set priorities. The bosses who tried to pull that “everything is number one” became a standing joke, subject to scorn and open ridicule. They (imagine this) rarely got anything done on time or in an acceptable manenr. Their bosses soon saw them for what they were. We had other bosses who had no problems in ignoring things that didn’t matter. They knew which things really were worth tending to and dumped the rest. They were respected. I predict that your present boss will crash and burn. It will be his/her own doing. Enjoy the show, but try not to gloat (at least not in public). [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-boss-everything-cant-be-top-priority/286620.md?page=2)