I agree that the VP is not likely to call up and place the order himself, but he still needs to make it happen by asking someone somewhere to place the order.
Yeah, on second thought he did ask for the sandwich order. Which is silly.
The third time, with real bass in my voice and a hard look on my face.
“Real sandwiches. That’s the kind I like.”
Fourth time;
“Are you actually going to get us sandwiches some day, or are you just being a jerk?”
Of course, that’s just me.
My team once had to work on the weekend (at the boss’s request) to troubleshoot a production issue. He came in on Saturday – to remind everyone to fill out their timesheets. Then left.
My answer to what I’d like for a sandwich would be: “That’s my own business. I’m taking an hour for lunch. If you have a problem with that talk to the Labor Commissioner.”
In all seriousness, were I in this situation, I would definitely “manage up”.
“Bob, you’ve offered lunch several times, which is really kind of you. Unfortunately it’s never turned up, which means the guys have been waiting for bla bla bla. It’s happened three times, and it’s causing a bit of a morale issue.”
In the software industry that’s simply not a real solution. We have all been asked and are expected to put in long hours from time to time, working through lunch, staying late, or even working weekends.
If this happened to me I’d just order food for the team and expense it. The VP clearly isn’t planning on ordering the food, but I suspect he doesn’t realize that it’s not happening after he gets the ball rolling. I think he’s naive to think that, but it’s the most likely explanation in my mind.
A few weeks ago, four of us had a meeting with a boss-type person. Above us, but only barely, someone who we normally enjoy more of a peer type relationship with.
For reasons unknown to the four of us, he turned what should have been a fifteen minute information exchange meeting into an hour and a half of ranting and raving. It’s as if he came prepared to argue all these points, vehemently, regardless of the fact none of us had brought any of these things up, or expressed any opinions at all even. We just sat there nonplussed and quickly realized it was about nodding in agreement as he preached at us.
Two of the guys later griped and complained to higher-ups that the guy had lost his head in this meeting and yelled at us for no reason. The higher-ups must have come down on him because suddenly we four get texts informing us that he’s going to buy us lunch to make it up to us. A lame pseudo apology is included in the message, with a reference to him being sick and over-medicated or something.
Ok, fine. Buy us lunch and we’ll all bullshit for a half hour and life will go on.
Except he then canceled and rescheduled for the following week. The following week he also canceled, at the last minute. Each time screwing at least one of the four who had made no other lunch provisions that day.
The lunch was your idea and you can’t get your own scheduling issues together? And the entire idea was to show us you’re not an unprofessional crackpot? Smooth!