Cc'ing boss

[katiegrl]

Work politics can be a mess

 

I realize that, but this whole mess could have been avoided had the OP simply responded "yes I will have it done by Tuesday morning."

 

There was NO need for her CO-WORKER to email her *prior* to that deadline and cc the boss to boot...... regardless of what the OP said about maybe coming in Monday night to get it done.

 

The OP met the Tursday morning deadline, what does it matter when she came in to do it??

 

Co-worker was attempting to micro-manage OP, and brown-nose the boss IMO. Attempting to undermine the OP in her boss's eyes.

 

Immature, petty and stupid.

Edited September 12, 2015 by katiegrl

[Clarity-Z]

I hate this. Coworkers emailing and suddenly the boss is included? Why? It's like saying, "im telling on you."

Co worker asked if something could be done by tuesday am. I said yes and I would maybe come in Monday night to get it done. Email tonight from her (and sent to boss as well) asking where it was. I told her Id come in early tomorrow to get it done by Tuesday morning, as she asked. I included boss too. But, WTF?

 

Hi, katielee... I've been in the business environment (corporate, government, and specifically IT) for the past 15 years. I read all of the posts above, and they all have merit - albeit from different perspectives.

 

"I'm sending an email to you, and oh, btw, I'm CC'ing your BOSS" can be seen as, "If you don't do what *I* want, your boss will perceive you as <insert unprofessional word here.>" So, yeah, I can see how you may feel like they're "telling" on you.

 

Why would someone do that? Well, this is where I would say it may NOT be malicious. As some have said, the person may have "expected" it by Monday. That's not what you said, I know! People, however, read things quickly and tend to pick out what they want. How often has anyone here sent an email and found that the only things read were the FIRST and (maybe) LAST sentences?

 

I understand that feeling. I found the following to be beneficial:

 

a.) Visit the CC'ing offender in their office. Say hi, talk, and find out what is REALLY on their minds. Get to know them and let them know you. You may find they are a worrywort, but you also might find an ally. Someone who is on board with your ideals... You could find your business kindred spirit!

b.) If they are a rabblerouser, ignore it! People know about them already and won't pay no mind. Engaging with them will put you in their lot.

c.) If they are NEW, they may be gung-ho. They may be also trying to overcompensate... At this point, it's a matter of knowing who YOU are. You KNOW you'll get it done, you know your strengths, and you know your position here. You, obviously, have been here 15 years! You ARE the bomb! You are the Mr. Miagi. (puns unintentional, but I'll accept it. You don't need the new gal/guy to push you along. In other words, like others have mentioned, "IGNORE IT."

....

 

It could simply be a case of the two of you not knowing each other. Who knows, it could end up being a beautiful business friendship! If it is not, then you MUST take the "competent high road." That's where you do your job, above and beyond, while also not slamming down on anyone. The proof is in the pudding. If you do so, and they are truly looking to undermine, then they will only mine under themselves!

 

FIFTEEN.

 

[GemmaUK]

Why would someone do that? Well, this is where I would say it may NOT be malicious. As some have said, the person may have "expected" it by Monday. That's not what you said, I know! People, however, read things quickly and tend to pick out what they want. How often has anyone here sent an email and found that the only things read were the FIRST and (maybe) LAST sentences?

 

Good point and I totally agree!

 

The fact too that the OP had done the report on Thursday and the co-worker saw an error in it which meant it needed re-doing would make me (if I were the co-worker want to have a little time to check it for accuracy before Tuesday morning).

I would have hoped it was ready Monday night so I had half a chance to check it to make sure the 2nd version was correct and didn't need re-doing again.

 

I'm still not sure what 'go arounds' means but if these are indeed arguments/conflict then it's better to open queries such as this to the boss so that the conflict doesn't actually happen and each party remains professional.

[katiegrl]

Good point and I totally agree!

 

The fact too that the OP had done the report on Thursday and the co-worker saw an error in it which meant it needed re-doing would make me (if I were the co-worker want to have a little time to check it for accuracy before Tuesday morning).

 

 

---

 

***I would have hoped it was ready Monday night so I had half a chance to check it to make sure the 2nd version was correct and didn't need re-doing again.***

 

---

 

 

I'm still not sure what 'go arounds' means but if these are indeed arguments/conflict then it's better to open queries such as this to the boss so that the conflict doesn't actually happen and each party remains professional.

 

Quote above in asterisk....Very fair points, however imo if the co-worker actually wanted it ready Monday night to check for errors, she should have *communicated* to the OP that she wanted it done by Monday night, and not by Tuesday morn.

 

As to what Clarity said about people often not reading the entire email.....so true!!! Lol

 

Drives me crazy ....my own boss often does not read my entire email, then will either ask me verbally or email me again....asking the same thing I already addressed in a prior email! Ugh.

Edited September 12, 2015 by katiegrl

[katielee]

Great advice here everyone! Our jobs are.... Evolving. We are in a profession where we are building the plane as we fly it. The start of the year, so to speak, has been the most difficult of my career, and ive been doing this for 17 years.

Said other co-worker(the one I have go arounds with) came in the second day of our year and said we weren't doing enough for new "clients." I said I didn't think I could work any faster. And that I hadn't touched a book- my real job- since last spring.

This will be discussed at my annual review.

[BroncoFan]

I CC my boss on almost every e-mail I send, she has asked me to on certain items just so she is aware of what is going on.

 

 

I never CC another person's manager unless I have been trying to pin them down for information or a meeting and I get the run around, and then only if my manager thinks it's ok.

 

 

I'm not trying to get anyone in trouble (well, with the exception of 2 certain individuals), but I do it so a) my boss knows what I'm trying to do and b) if they see my boss on there, they might me more available.

[nouedis]

I think you should have just kept it at not trying to do something.

[katielee]

I CC my boss on almost every e-mail I send, she has asked me to on certain items just so she is aware of what is going on.

 

 

.

 

my boss would receive 500 emails a day if we did this... that is part of the issue, that he doesnt' have time for this if both of us are doing our jobs.

[GemmaUK]

Sounds like you are now changing it around and saying your concern is over the number of mails your boss gets when your OP said this:

 

I hate this. Coworkers emailing and suddenly the boss is included? Why? It's like saying, "im telling on you."

Co worker asked if something could be done by tuesday am. I said yes and I would maybe come in Monday night to get it done. Email tonight from her (and sent to boss as well) asking where it was. I told her Id come in early tomorrow to get it done by Tuesday morning, as she asked. I included boss too. But, WTF?

 

Which is it?

I'm sure your boss can handle his email inbox - it goes with the job.

 

You don't know that the boss didn't ask to be copied in.

The boss is highly unlikely to have been copied in unless he knew this was a new thing you were all doing.

You sis the report Thursday. new co-worker noticed an error and then you said 'maybe Monday night' you would fix it. She asked where it was Monday night and you said instead that you would do it again Tuesday morning and get in early to do it.

 

Your best bet is to let her know that when you say 'maybe' it likely means it will be after that when something is complete if that is a high possibility.

 

If she had mailed you and you returned a correct and complete report to both her and the boss right away I doubt you would have started the thread.

Honestly to me it sounds like maybe the co-worker has good reason to copy the boss in.

If you had told her prior to Monday night that you would complete it Tuesday morning she likely wouldn't have copied the boss in. You didn't do that either though.

 

A big part of my role is delegation and most folk I interact with are just amazing! They are spot on, I know I can trust them. If they are unsure I absolutely know they will come to me to ask for help which I also admire in them 100%, they want to learn.

The worst are the ones who don't communicate but also don't complete the task or do half of it and don't check it (and they tend to be those who know what they need to do) - or they just don't do it until they have been chased and either me or my boss has to chase. It feels like we both spoon feed them. These are people who have been in the role for over 2 years and should know what they are doing by now even if it's a new thing. They should know the business well enough.

 

Just a heads up but annual reviews/appraisals are just that, a review and from either side there should not be anything unknown of coming up.

If you need a meeting and need to sort some things out you would be better placed doing that prior to any review.

All jobs and roles evolve all the time but a review is a review of the past year against objectives and setting objectives for the up-coming year.

[Diezel]

my boss would receive 500 emails a day if we did this... that is part of the issue, that he doesnt' have time for this if both of us are doing our jobs.

 

It's not up to you to decide that.

[katielee]

Oh I think I know him well enough to know that he doesn't like to be bothered with little things. I've worked for him for 17 years.

She only Cc'd him when she asked Monday night where it was. And she changed Her tune from Tuesday morning to Monday night.

I don't feel bad about this. I got it done by HER deadline.

I just wonder why she included him.

[applej4]

Oh I think I know him well enough to know that he doesn't like to be bothered with little things. I've worked for him for 17 years.

She only Cc'd him when she asked Monday night where it was. And she changed Her tune from Tuesday morning to Monday night.

I don't feel bad about this. I got it done by HER deadline.

I just wonder why she included him.

 

To cover her butt.

[katiegrl]

Oh I think I know him well enough to know that he doesn't like to be bothered with little things. I've worked for him for 17 years.

She only Cc'd him when she asked Monday night where it was. And she changed Her tune from Tuesday morning to Monday night.

I don't feel bad about this. I got it done by HER deadline.

I just wonder why she included him.

 

I agree with you katielee.

 

 

So what if you told her "maybe" you would have it done Monday night? That's completely irrelevant. She gave you a deadline of Tuesday morning and that's the deadline both she and you should adhere to. Which YOU did, she did not.

 

 

However, next time DON'T give her any "maybe" you will have it done by this day or that day....it gives her ammunition to use against you later if she wants to. Lesson learned.

 

 

She gives you a deadline, you tell her "yes I will have it completed by [the deadline]." Period. If you choose to get it done by Monday evening, terrific. But Tuesday morn was the deadline...and that's the date you tell her you will have it completed by.

 

 

She had NO business asking you where it was until after that Tuesday morning deadline passed. Let's hope she never becomes a manager, because she will make a lousy manager if this is how she conducts herself, and interacts with/supervises her co-workers/subordinates..

 

 

And BTW, why is your CO-WORKER giving you work? With a deadline no less. Is your co-worker your supervisor also? Or were you just helping her out?

 

 

No your boss DID NOT need to be cc'd on that email. You have been working with him for 17 years for chrissakes. IF there was an issue with your work, you would have heard about it by now. Sheesh.

 

 

And any boss who needs to be cc'd on emails that are exchanged among CO-WORKERS is a micro-manager with too much time on his hands.

 

 

I don't know of ANYONE in high level management that would want to be bothered receiving/reading emails exchanged among co-workers.

 

 

That's ridiculous IMO....and not my experience.

Edited September 19, 2015 by katiegrl
She

[justsounsure]

I hate this. Coworkers emailing and suddenly the boss is included? Why? It's like saying, "im telling on you."

Co worker asked if something could be done by tuesday am. I said yes and I would maybe come in Monday night to get it done. Email tonight from her (and sent to boss as well) asking where it was. I told her Id come in early tomorrow to get it done by Tuesday morning, as she asked. I included boss too. But, WTF?

 

I do this all the time. But only if it's a coworker who I think may not meet the deadline with what I need, or may screw it up in some way. That person doesn't trust you to do your work, and is making sure an eye is kept on you.

[krista28]

Yes coworkers do this a lot...

[katiegrl]

Yes coworkers do this a lot...

 

Yes they do. It's called "backstabbing" and "kissing ass."

 

 

You should talk to her krista.... tell her to knock it off (not in those words but politely ask her what the hell her problem is).

 

 

Uh, wait that wasn't much better, was it. lol

 

 

Maybe just talk to her calmly and ask why she felt the need to cc your boss. The deadline was Tuesday morn, and that is the deadline you went by. You thought you "might" be able to come on Monday night to complete, but you did not get a chance. And you met the Tuesday morn deadline, so you don't see what the problem is.

 

 

That is what I would do....and have! We ended up working out our differences, and became friends after that!

 

 

She is your co-worker after all, NOT yours supervisor.