I Can't Do That
Dec. 12th, 2001 05:00 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
liralenI actually said that to my boss today.
It's quite the step for me. He asked me to do yet another big, formless task and I said, flat out, "I can't do that."
"Why not?"
"I don't have the time. I'm already behind on a, b, and c, and I've dropped d to get e and f done that you asked for last week, and I haven't even looked at g, which you've made a top priority for me this week. I have half my time in meetings, so you're asking a person that's only working a quarter time to do all that and this brand, spankin' new q. I can't do it."
A look of consternation, "List your meetings for me."
I list them. Eight hours of meetings in a 20 hour work week. It's ridiculous. I've told him it's ridiculous many times, he usually blows it off with a 'well you should see *my* meeting schedule' but this is the first time I actually list everything and he sees it right in front of him. What meetings I have to attend versus what he wants me to do. I see him get it. We don't have a constructive, useful solution to the problem, yet, but I can see he finally *GETS* it.
I was shaking afterwards. Just reaction. Old emotions. Old emotions of fear and doubt and uncertainty and god, he's going to fire me because I can't do what he wants me to do. I can't take all the responsibilities he wants to heap on me. I can't are the worst words I could say to a boss.
Yeah, right.
Stomp on the old things with hobnail boots. He doesn't want shit dropped. Better to tell him that things are going to get dropped if I keep saying Yes. It'll be better this way.
It's quite the step for me. He asked me to do yet another big, formless task and I said, flat out, "I can't do that."
"Why not?"
"I don't have the time. I'm already behind on a, b, and c, and I've dropped d to get e and f done that you asked for last week, and I haven't even looked at g, which you've made a top priority for me this week. I have half my time in meetings, so you're asking a person that's only working a quarter time to do all that and this brand, spankin' new q. I can't do it."
A look of consternation, "List your meetings for me."
I list them. Eight hours of meetings in a 20 hour work week. It's ridiculous. I've told him it's ridiculous many times, he usually blows it off with a 'well you should see *my* meeting schedule' but this is the first time I actually list everything and he sees it right in front of him. What meetings I have to attend versus what he wants me to do. I see him get it. We don't have a constructive, useful solution to the problem, yet, but I can see he finally *GETS* it.
I was shaking afterwards. Just reaction. Old emotions. Old emotions of fear and doubt and uncertainty and god, he's going to fire me because I can't do what he wants me to do. I can't take all the responsibilities he wants to heap on me. I can't are the worst words I could say to a boss.
Yeah, right.
Stomp on the old things with hobnail boots. He doesn't want shit dropped. Better to tell him that things are going to get dropped if I keep saying Yes. It'll be better this way.
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no subject
Date: 2001-12-12 04:04 pm (UTC)Hurrah for Liralen!
Date: 2001-12-12 04:05 pm (UTC)Brava!
Date: 2001-12-12 04:05 pm (UTC)You go, girl!
Date: 2001-12-12 04:08 pm (UTC)Reality tends to kick the ass of unrealistic expectations.
no subject
Date: 2001-12-12 04:58 pm (UTC)Hooray!
Date: 2001-12-12 06:02 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2001-12-12 09:50 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2001-12-13 09:24 am (UTC)so yay you! hooray for maintaining necessary boundaries!
liralen is mighty and fierce!
no subject
Date: 2001-12-13 04:44 pm (UTC)hugs!
and *dancing*
Wow. all these people commenting. It's pretty cool.
Thanks everyone!!!