Insane traffic cut me off from all the restaurants I wanted to get lunch from today, and I ended up getting a veggie burger I forgot to ask for mustard only on, thus falling victim to Burger King's mistaken belief that mayonnaise is perfect for every sandwich.

I have to figure out what to do with her, because she's totally overstretched, but I think about 25% of it is her own doing. Example: I said to her, "X isn't expecting that project to be done this week, but it would be great if we could do it." I realize I was not crystal clear, but I did not mean go to heroic efforts to get it done today! But she did anyway. Or something. I'm also not entirely sure why this project is so hard anyway.

She sounds like me... or the way I used to be, before I had a slow-burn breakdown last year that ended with me getting back on ADs. Coping~ma to both of you.

I am cleaning the kitchen. The cats are confused.

I've decided to sell my FunkoPop figures on eBay. I like them, but there are other figures I'd rather have.

WTF, Jesse? I've been so busy lately, I have not kept up on the news, so I really do rely on Buffistas to tell me if the world is imploding and dang...

Oh, this is classic. Editor-in-chief asks me a question, I ask EditSupport, they ask the software liaison, liaison asks the admin, admin asks the Editor-in-Chief. *facepalm*

Zen, I kinda had one of these yesterday. I submitted a support request, the first person who handled it fumbled it badly, so I forwarded my request to the head of the support group. She tried to help but had to bump it up to Tier 2 support. I cover that queue Thursday and Friday afternoons - so that came to ME. I just bumped it up the chain to the developers. I should have just done that in the fist place.

Example: I said to her, "X isn't expecting that project to be done this week, but it would be great if we could do it." I realize I was not crystal clear, but I did not mean go to heroic efforts to get it done today! But she did anyway.

If I heard that, I'd hear it as "The deadline is next week, but it would look really good if we could get it done this week. Like, really good. Really, really good. And if we worked hard enough, ie, you, it would be done this week. But if you're not up to the job, I guess next week is OK. But it would be really good if it was done this week. But it doesn't have to be. Technically." IE, "if you were competent at this job, you would do it this week, and we'll be disappointed if it takes you to next week to do it."

Yeah, Connie, I think that is what she heard. So definitely my Job 1 is being clearer, because that is not what I meant! I have a hard time with people who interpret my questions as statements, and it happens a fair amount. I ask "Can this be done this afternoon?" and actually mean that as a question that the answer could be no.

I ask "Can this be done this afternoon?" and actually mean that as a question that the answer could be no.

The only way I can think to ask that without an expectation would be "When is a reasonable time to get this done?" It's very hard to tell a manager "No" unless you know that manager very well. Maybe a variation of "I'm getting some hints that the higher ups would like this done this afternoon. Do you think that's reasonable?"

The only way I can think to ask that without an expectation would be "When is a reasonable time to get this done?"

Yeah, that's how I mean to do it. At least then it can be a conversation.

It's very hard to tell a manager "No" unless you know that manager very well.

I had a Program Manager that often heard NO from me. He would ask for completely unreasonable time frames, so we just ended up starting every response with "No...but I can do xyz by Monday". We worked together for years and I swear he would make up crazy deadlines just to negotiate what he really wanted. His wife LOVED that someone dared to tell him no on a regular basis.

I have to preface some things for H with, "This is an observation, not a request (or complaint)" in order for him to not interpret it as a request or a requisition. Perhaps "This is a question, not an instruction. I need an honest answer" would work?

Plus, if you ask the employee for an honest expectation of completion, you're getting the employee to "buy-in" on the project! (god, I hate business jargon, there are all these motivational posters around the building, and I stare at them and wonder why anyone expects us to take them seriously)