Do you work with anyone you just don't understand?

Recipe please! :up:

 

I live by this rule...it's always better to under promise and over deliver than it is to over promise and fail to deliver.

 

I agree. I don't over committ on unrealistic expectations.

 

I agree.

Stan, I've heard your concerns and would like your honest assessment as to whether you can handle this job and additional future workloads as they come in. If not, I will try to find you some temporary help until you can get your rythym.

Start with that, see what he says. You could also add "If not, I will try to find you some help or somebody that can do it."

Or you can tell him he is an unorganized grab-asstic piece of amphibian sh!t.

 

sales guys and ops guys never get along.

Just the way it is.

 

I'm a software developer and yeah, I don't understand our Sales guys at all. They won't take the time to understand how our systems work, won't acknowledge the fact that an accurate time/cost estimate cannot be done without complete specifications, think that 9 women can have a baby in 1 month and won't accept the fact that we're the experts on what can and cannot be done, not them.

The best part is that anytime we (the software development team) bring any of this stuff up, we're tagged as not being "team players" and accused of being negative.

Makes you just want to scream.

 

does Stan have the manpower available to him to implement the task?
or were they laid off?

 

The task will take at most two men. Stan has 6 that are trying to stay busy.

 

That may be the best example I've heard, and quite accurate. :up:

 

Instead of pissing on Stan, pull him aside and offer the following advice.. "Stan I know there are hardships and milestones we have to overcome on this account, but you are the best that we have and I need you to support this project, regardless of your personal feelings, espescially when in view of your peers and direct reports. You and I can discuss the milestones when you have compiled hard data to support your feelings."

Stan needs to understand that not only is he just as important to keeping the ship running as sales, but it's his responsibility to be innovative and overcome obstacles to ensure the product has the support it needs. With that, if Stan was excelling at his position, your sales team would already be abreast of the constraints in operations.

If Satn continues to be negative and poison the group, he's no longer 1st string and it's time to either bench, trade, or send him back to the minors.

 

This isn't so much true where I currently work, but my last job was at large corporation. The sales guys liked to promise the moon and the operations guys worked purely by CYA principles. Both made a habit of blaming the engineers (me) when they didn't get their way, so I can't say that I'm too fond of either of them. There are always exceptions, though.

 

Stan?

Didn't Simon & Garfunkel have a song about Stan?


Just slip out the back, Jack, make a new plan, Stan
Don't need to be coy, Roy, just listen to me
Hop on the bus, Gus, don't need to discuss much
Just drop off the key, Lee, and get yourself free


...Fuck, I'm old.

 

Stan could be playing the game, like George Costanza. Always look busy, always complain that you are too busy etc. I've seen it work in my office and it pisses me off.

 

i was going to answer "all of them"....... then realized, maybe it is just me :lol


Seriously though, I work with mostly guys my age (30) and younger. I am constantly amazed by the lack of efficiency, work ethic, and drive.... as well as intelligence... by people my age and younger. I simply dont get it. All 4 of those basically tie together really though.

 

I have a "Stan" at my job as well. Only problem is he's the same guy that signs my paycheck!!

I work for a wine distributor. I sell wine. In addition to signing my paycheck, "Stan" orders wine from the importers/wineries. Seems like every time I make a good, high volume placement with a wine, "Stan" decides "that wine will never sell" and stops ordering it. When I ask when the wine will be back in stock, I get: "Why don't you sell some of the wine we DO have in the warehouse?"

At least I have a job...

 

Sounds like stans ass needs to have a discussion with DAVEKs foot:up:

 

My boss is a "Stan"...lol.
Sometimes I just have to not question his wisdom til the shit hits the fan. Then he'll turn around and ask me "Why didnt you stick your foot up my ass?".
Now I ask the same question 3 different ways and note the responses for the file.
CMA... kinda. Guess Im just preparing for when this gravy train derails...lol

 

I'm with Kenny on this one. I can be a "Stan" from time to time. Usually, what I find to be the problem is...the Salesman don't know really what is going on in the back. All they see is...move this product to make more commission for me. I've had Salesman tell customers that we can do this or do that...then we show up at the site and are told we can remove this or that. Umm yeah sorry we can't do that...it's against the law. Salesman are always willing to push the envelope to do whatever it takes to "get their foot in the door", bottom line is once that sale is made...it's not up to them to deliver...its the guys in the back making it work. The burden is placed on them. This sorta ties into what Cannoli and I were talking about in the other thread. I'm not a Salesman, but I know for a fact that it's not their work that sells the rest of the product after the first order.

I'm friends with our Salesman, and like all of them. I tend to be the Salesman after the fact. However, I don't see the commission. I don't have any desire to be a Salesman. Although I'm told I'd make a good one because I'm a NO BS kinda guy, I don't have a problem telling a customer the way it really is. No sugar coating. I'm gonna tell you what it can do and what it won't. Like Kenny said...I'd rather not promise what it might be able to do, but what I can do is promise what I know it can do.:up:

So with that said...as Kenny mentioned. Meet with Stan, ask him to explain why it won't work. Maybe, just maybe he is right and something needs to be adjusted to make it work smoother. I'm not saying this is you, but I think some Salesman tend to sell the product before asking or researching first. Maybe a call or a meeting with Stan to say "hey look, I'm meeting with this customer that could bring in a good profit for our company, here is what we are looking at. Do you see any problem with any of this?" This does a number of things:
1. Makes you all feel like a team, which will boost moral.
2. It can/will elevate issues like the one you are dealing.
3. With you knowing that everyone is on board and that YES this is something we can do instead of back pedaling 6months later...it will boost your confidence and the customer will see that.

Now I don't know if this was done or not on your end. If not, then this is likely how he is feeling. If it was all done this way or similar...Stan maybe just a lazy guy and don't want to work harder than he has too.

Just because you did that job before...don't mean they do things the way you did. Things change, so maybe just sitting down with him...finding out what the problem is; shoot it might just be something you can fix by shedding light on how you use to do this or that. Just do it in a way that is not demeaning to him...word it like. "This used to work for me, do you think it's something that would benefit you?" or "What do you think about doing it this way?"

Just some thoughts.

 

Hey Nick, your first sentence pretty much nailed it. Stan is a pessimist. You are an optomist. Your boss should easily see the difference and make a decision that best suits his company. It only takes one person to dramatically affect a work situation. I'm sure Stan has that same attitude towards everything in his life. Stan might just need some help realizing that life is short and we need to appeciate all we have. He has a job, that's a huge plus these days. Sometimes we don't know what we have till there's a threat to lose it. Maybe Stans jealous.

Congrats....it sounds like you hit a homer!!! That's very good in this economy. Does this mean you'll be sporting that white plate at all the NC races now? haha

 

I read you're OP but not all the replies. This is as easy one IMO. I would have a closed door meeting with Stan and be very blunt and to the point. Detail his exact replies. Tell him this is not personal but business and if he doesn't get on the bus than he will be left behind. At the end of the conversation explicity tell him this is a verbal warning. Document the conversation and send a copy to HR. It's best to nip this now before it gets worse. This dude needs a reality check. There are plenty of great Operations type people out there that are hungry to take his job.