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123 
Member since 7/8/04
Posts: 482
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Posted on: 4/30/05 3:31 PM ET
Hoped this would get your attention. How would you handle this?

I'm extremely upset and confused after my yearly assessment/performance etc meeting with my supervisor at work. I'm really wondering WT* to think?

Here's what happened: I'm told by my supervisor that she's very happy with my performance, attitude, understanding of goals and strategies and the way I interact with my coworkers. So far so good as this makes me eligible for a payrise. We then proceed to talk about work/tasks and assignements for the next year or so. That's when she informs me that one of my assignements (a real plum) is given over to someone else at the office - the new girl. This is to acchieve a "clearer division of tasks" or some such absolute bullsh*t. Trust me on that it really is bullsh*t, though I won't bore you with the why's and how's. So. Naturally I'm crestfallen and ask in what way she (the supervisor) is unhappy with my work? She tells me no, no, no, she is not unhappy at all, I must trust her. But why give away my assignement? I ask. The super repeats bullsh*t answer. We conclude etc and I'm devastated. I cry myself to sleep that night thinking I did such a bad job that supervisor can't even see the point of telling me. (Going a bit overboard, I know at, 03.30 in the morning)

Next day I'm still devastated and snapping at innocent bystanders. My supervisor sees I'm a wreck and again we talk and she says I must, must, must trust her. So I sort of do that.

So now I'm beginning to think the new girl fancies my job and has wheedled my supervisor into handing over my assignement to her. (I must admit I'm biased and don't really care for this woman. I think she is very pushy and rude, interrupting others in meetings, and being a know-it-all. And she has the enervating habit of howlig like a demented hyena 99 % of the time, trying to impersonate laughter. She's also the kind that draws a smiley on her signature.)

What do you think? What would you do? (If anything?)
  
Member since 12/24/04
Posts: 176
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Posted on: 4/30/05 3:36 PM ET
oh my..i think you have my nightmare job also!!!!my situation is sooooo similar to yours..and it sucks!!! new girl (1yr) gets way more responsiblities than me (3yrs)....i cant stand it!!! this job is killin me..im on medication somedays just to get thru...i just sit at my desk and do my work and say nothing...soon there will be an office meeting and the sh*t will hit the fan and it will be chaos...ack!!! i thought it was just me and my bad luck!!!
  
Member since 4/8/02
Posts: 8572
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Posted on: 4/30/05 3:52 PM ET
Vibek, is there any chance that the supervisor doesn't particularly care for the new girl either, and is hoping to let her hang herself? Who made the hiring decision here? Could your supervisor hope to prove to higher-ups that New Girl will louse up the assignment?

If you have always gotten along with the supervisor, then maybe you should do what she suggests: trust her. There could be some other projects that you aren't yet aware of - something your talents are being saved for.
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“Never try to teach a pig to sing; it wastes your time and it annoys the pig.” -Robert Heinlein and Ann's father. Thanks for the reminder, Ann.

Where are we going, and what am I doing in this handbasket?

Matthew 25:40 (New International Version)
The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'



  
Member since 1/1/03
Posts: 2737
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Posted on: 4/30/05 4:16 PM ET
I thought the same thing as Karla, right off! Wonder...what's going on.

Hey, I'm an employer and used to do reviews (DH does them now). When I am prepping someone to improve their job performance for a higher level of responsibility I give them a list of things to work on, to improve on for the next assignment. Did they do this for you?

Maybe if you thought about how this special project falls outside of your normal job description you might be able to determine exactly why you ought to trust your supervisor. Maybe the special project is leading toward a branch that's about to be trimmed out of the budget?
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http://www.thestitchery.wordpress.com
http://www.thesewingdivas.wordpress.com
  
Member since 1/23/03
Posts: 1736
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Posted on: 4/30/05 4:18 PM ET
Could it be she has some relationship with a higher power than your supervisor? Just a thought.
  
Member since 4/27/02
Posts: 469
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Posted on: 4/30/05 5:42 PM ET
Vibek,
I don't think that you should take this personally, although you do want to keep an eye on your back if this co-worker is conniving. Your supervisor could have any number of reasons for doing this, none of which are related to your performance. Maybe there is a better assignment for you down the road? (I do like the 'maybe she wants the hyena to hang herself' response myself...). Bottom line is that she keeps trying to reassure you that YOU ARE A GOOD WORKER. She wouldn't put effort into telling you this (one more than one occasion) unless it was important for you to know this...Please don't worry.. :)
Keep us updated.
Kristen
  
Member since 1/8/03
Posts: 911
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Posted on: 5/1/05 11:34 AM ET
I agree with Karla et al. If you've never had reason to mistrust your supervisor before, trust her now.

There are lots of reasons that this assignment might have been given to the new girl...

1) giving her the rope to hang herself with
2) she's on some sort of intimate terms with someone over your supervisor's head (girlfriend? mistress? relative?)
3) the assignment looks good but is doomed to fail or be cancelled or something
4) your supervisor knows there is something BETTER down the road and wants you to be available for it
5) your supervisor has been given directives to make some sort of differentiation between positions for some 'corporate' reason

and a bunch of other similar reasons.


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what if the hokey-pokey really IS what it's all about?
  
Member since 10/31/04
Posts: 998
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Posted on: 5/1/05 12:09 PM ET
I agree there are a lot of reasons assignments change in the workplace- usually one gets added assignments to where they are overworked to death. The best think one can do at work is just concentrate on your assignments and and do them the best you can. You never know they might be freeing some of your time up for a more important assignment. Change can be stressful- but sometimes necessary. Hang in there and have trust in your supervisor.
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Penny

Fabric Mart Bundle Fabric sewn- 10.5 yds
  
Member since 3/7/04
Posts: 245
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Posted on: 5/1/05 1:07 PM ET
You have received good advice but I would do one additional thing. I'd march up to my supervisor and say something on the lines "Sorry, I've been a bit of a pain this week if there is anything I can do to make the project a success let me know." Then just get on with life. As a supervisor, your supervisor has no choice but to evaluate how you react to
disappointments.
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Gus2
  
Member since 3/8/04
Posts: 378
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Posted on: 5/1/05 2:49 PM ET
I agree that you shouldn't take this personally. You've asked you supervisor what she thinks of your performance and she says you're doing everything right. You've asked why she's given the assignment to a newer worker, and she's essentially said, "just because". You can analyze this to death and still never know "why" your supervisor is doing these things - and, you'll drive yourself nuts. I think it would be smarter to believe that she likes your work, and not worry about "why" she makes decisions. My experience has been that the reasons behind others' decisions are almost never as complicated as they seem in our fantasies.

--Kim
  
123 
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