Don’t know if this will be good or not, but I need to vent!
I work in a Dilbertesque type hell. I have put up with a ton of crap since transferring to this organization, but yesterday was the topper.
History first and some examples of the crap I put up with. Two months after arriving at this org, the director decided he needed a new chair. That’s all well and good. Most would have gone to the GSA or Office Depot catalog, found one they liked and ordered it. Not at my office though. My division chief decides this will teach me how to become an analyst. Go to Directorate of Contracting and get all their catalogs (why can’t I use ours?). So, I drive over to DOC and get catalogs. Next measure the current chair. Measure height, length and depth. Next spend an inordinate amount of time tagging pages with likely candidates, scan their pictures, comparisons, etc. Next write a detailed analysis of chairs including pros and cons and cost factors. Also prepare a matrix. God, how I hate matrices!!! Okay, a month has passed (I DID HAVE OTHER WORK TO DO!), and I present product to division chief. Wait for it…he wants me to do and I quote “an analysis of the analysis”. WTF! I look around to see if Alice, Wally and Dilbert are standing there. I was dumbfounded and before I could stop myself I said “You have got to be kidding me”. No, he wasn’t kidding and back I go to complete this asinine project. Finally done, present findings to director, ask admin assistant to order chair I would kill for. I go on vacation, return and find out he didn’t like it. What he really wanted all along was a chair just like the General’s. :smack: Why wasn’t I told from the get go?! And before you all ask, I did ask what he wanted.
So, many more assinine projects have come my way since then. Mostly, I shut up and do them. Last spring division chief decides we are going to divide our division into horizontal and vertical teams. Four months spent on how we are going to split up personnel and workload. Guess who gets the shit end of the stick? I am forced to move upstairs and get stuck with work that four separate people used to do. They’ve put me in a promotable spot, so I won’t complain too hard. Unfortunately, Team Leader, who makes almost $30,000 more a year is a complete and utter twit. A waste of air; a simpering, cowardly, ball-less, spineless, wad of flesh. Over and over he gives me HIS assignments because he doesn’t know how to do them…and yes, I’m still expected to complete all my work. Literally every five FUCKING minutes (and I am not exaggerating in the least) he’s asking for status reports. Finally, need to almost scream at him that I can’t complete the work if he doesn’t leave me the fuck alone! It’s been a year since I’ve been forced to work for him. I’ve received my promotion (yes, I’m thankful for that), but at what cost? I am now seeing a therapist. It is beyond me how I arrived at this. I’ve ALWAYS been the go-to person; the problem solver, the shoulder. As it turns out the cause is him and the Division Chief. Div Chief has gall to say I need to learn to work with all manner of people. Excuse me? I have almost 20 years with the Govt. I have worked with dragon ladies, screamers, abusers, you name it, I’ve handled them all with aplomb. God only knows why these people have had this effect on me. I feel like I am being eroded by a never ending flow of stupdity and scum.
I have tried discussing this with Div Chief at length. I have laid all the facts and figures (no emotion for this man, he’s very analytical) out for him. I try exceptionally hard not to bad-mouth the Team Leader. The sad thing is, the ENTIRE organization and the ENTIRE installation all know what a useless man he is. Still, nothing is done. Yesterday, Div Chief informs me that myself and other co-worker are “part of the problem” and if we don’t straighten up, we aren’t going to like what he does. Supervision by intimidation. My favorite! God, I wanted to reach across his desk and rip his guts right up through his throat. But, I didn’t. I walked out and smoked two ciggies. Fumed for the rest of the day too.
Now, before I get flamed for letting myself be a victim: I do have my resumix (govt’s version of resume) out on our automated system. Unfortunately, nothing out there now. I work all my contacts and have been informed that if something opens they’ll be contacting me. No, I’m not willing to give up govt svc (unless our President forces all of us by contracting every damn job out, but that’s another rant). I have worked hard and long and believe in helping our soldiers. This is my way of contributing.
Well, I’ve vented long enough. There’s no way I could annotate every stupid thing that has occurred. This would become a book. I feel somewhat better. I’d feel even better if I could win the Lotto and tell them stick it where the sun doesn’t shine though!