Sunday, October 19, 2003
Another chilly weekend after a week of stifling heat. Just like in Scotland, the weather is the ‘wrong way round’ – I would so much prefer to work at the office on a cold day like this – 15 people and 30 computers packed into what is basically a classroom gets pretty hot.
Today I had a run-in with one of Darth’s chief cronies. Well, strictly-speaking he is the main technical advisor to another guy who is the Grima Wormtongue (for LOTR fans) on our project. While we were interviewing some candidates for a post I have been trying to fill for two months, he started giving me a sermon about how I needed to work for a greater good of the project and not be selfish yada yada yada. This coming from a guy who has managed to divert a significant propoportion of the budget to expensive international consultants who have yet to deliver anything.
He then proceeded to tell me that we didn’t need to send our recruits on a training course as he could teach them everything. I politely got him to admit that no, he had never actually worked in the position for which he was going to be the fount of all knowledge. I thought, but did not mention, that he had also spent the past week sitting next to me asking basic question about stuff he is supposed to be the guru on. Lack of technical competence is one thing, but to add blatant hypocrisy all wrapped in a package of arrogance is harder to ignore. Plus he nearly reduced the first interviewee to tears by carelessly pointing out that he had no chance of getting the job and was wasting his time. This wasn’t the interviewee’s fault, it was the HR agency for putting him forward in the first place.
Luckily I managed to keep my hair on, plus there was a big table in between us, although I was the furiousest I have been since I came here. Seething. I subsequently tried to convey through the diplomatic channels which link our two fiefdoms, (well, strictly speaking his is an ancien regime dukedom while mine is an impoverished yet free-thinking burgh on the banks of a river which could soon flourish with trade) that it would be nice if he could try to be less of a dickhead sometimes.
Sorry, don’t normally shoot my mouth off so much about work gripes on this blog, but this week was extra special in the pissed-offness stakes.
Today I had a run-in with one of Darth’s chief cronies. Well, strictly-speaking he is the main technical advisor to another guy who is the Grima Wormtongue (for LOTR fans) on our project. While we were interviewing some candidates for a post I have been trying to fill for two months, he started giving me a sermon about how I needed to work for a greater good of the project and not be selfish yada yada yada. This coming from a guy who has managed to divert a significant propoportion of the budget to expensive international consultants who have yet to deliver anything.
He then proceeded to tell me that we didn’t need to send our recruits on a training course as he could teach them everything. I politely got him to admit that no, he had never actually worked in the position for which he was going to be the fount of all knowledge. I thought, but did not mention, that he had also spent the past week sitting next to me asking basic question about stuff he is supposed to be the guru on. Lack of technical competence is one thing, but to add blatant hypocrisy all wrapped in a package of arrogance is harder to ignore. Plus he nearly reduced the first interviewee to tears by carelessly pointing out that he had no chance of getting the job and was wasting his time. This wasn’t the interviewee’s fault, it was the HR agency for putting him forward in the first place.
Luckily I managed to keep my hair on, plus there was a big table in between us, although I was the furiousest I have been since I came here. Seething. I subsequently tried to convey through the diplomatic channels which link our two fiefdoms, (well, strictly speaking his is an ancien regime dukedom while mine is an impoverished yet free-thinking burgh on the banks of a river which could soon flourish with trade) that it would be nice if he could try to be less of a dickhead sometimes.
Sorry, don’t normally shoot my mouth off so much about work gripes on this blog, but this week was extra special in the pissed-offness stakes.
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