What do I do
What do I do
(OP)
I am not sure where to post this but this forum felt the most appropriate. I am currently facing a dilemma at work which has me confused on what to do and how to navigate through it. Hence I am asking for help and feedback from the members.
The firm I work for is collaborating with one other bridge design firm on a particular bridge project. I am one of the two engineers working on the slab spans and Type III girder spans of the project. Our firm has a project manager (lets call him X) who is overlooking us two engineers and delegating the responsibilities. The other firm has the Principal Project Manager (lets call him Y) who is coordinating roadway engineers, structural engineers, drainage engineers etc. Right now we are at a 60% design submittal phase and the dilemma started about a week back. When I was about to send the drawings to Y for their review, Y said that he does not need the slab spans portion of the project since they are taking care of it. As far as I know slab spans were our firms responsibility and I was never told that it is not anymore. So I ask Y what exactly does he mean when he said they are taking care of it. So Y said that he had a talk with X couple of days before and negotiated that slab spans will be their responsibility. I told Y that I need to talk to X before I do anything and I will call him back.
So I go to X and tell him that this was my conversation with Y. Is it true and please confirm it. So now X goes on a rant saying he did not know what he was agreeing to and did not think Y and his firm is taking over the entire slab spans portion of the project. I tell X that atleast he should have asked Y for some time to talk it over with us or the upper management before taking such a critical decision since this is severely going to affect the incoming money. So X confesses that he messed up and tells me not to let the vice president of our firm know about these changes.
Today the vice president makes his routine stop at my office and asks me how is the project going and how we need to put in more effort to give a good impression to the DOTD about this project etc. Do I let the vice president know about the deal that X and Y made. Or do I let the vice president know that he needs to talk to X or Y. Or do I talk to X about coming clean to the vice president. Or do I pretend like everything is ok and get on with it. Please provide your inputs.
The firm I work for is collaborating with one other bridge design firm on a particular bridge project. I am one of the two engineers working on the slab spans and Type III girder spans of the project. Our firm has a project manager (lets call him X) who is overlooking us two engineers and delegating the responsibilities. The other firm has the Principal Project Manager (lets call him Y) who is coordinating roadway engineers, structural engineers, drainage engineers etc. Right now we are at a 60% design submittal phase and the dilemma started about a week back. When I was about to send the drawings to Y for their review, Y said that he does not need the slab spans portion of the project since they are taking care of it. As far as I know slab spans were our firms responsibility and I was never told that it is not anymore. So I ask Y what exactly does he mean when he said they are taking care of it. So Y said that he had a talk with X couple of days before and negotiated that slab spans will be their responsibility. I told Y that I need to talk to X before I do anything and I will call him back.
So I go to X and tell him that this was my conversation with Y. Is it true and please confirm it. So now X goes on a rant saying he did not know what he was agreeing to and did not think Y and his firm is taking over the entire slab spans portion of the project. I tell X that atleast he should have asked Y for some time to talk it over with us or the upper management before taking such a critical decision since this is severely going to affect the incoming money. So X confesses that he messed up and tells me not to let the vice president of our firm know about these changes.
Today the vice president makes his routine stop at my office and asks me how is the project going and how we need to put in more effort to give a good impression to the DOTD about this project etc. Do I let the vice president know about the deal that X and Y made. Or do I let the vice president know that he needs to talk to X or Y. Or do I talk to X about coming clean to the vice president. Or do I pretend like everything is ok and get on with it. Please provide your inputs.





RE: What do I do
Is there any chance your VP will not find out that Y is doing the slab spans?
How does X think he is going to conceal this from your VP, without dragging you down with him?
--
JHG
RE: What do I do
RE: What do I do
But be careful, you are definitely in a trap.
RE: What do I do
RE: What do I do
Since it's Friday and I've enjoyed a beverage, MintJulep's answer is the one I like best.
RE: What do I do
In my mind, if you go running your mouth off to him about the portion being uncoordinated you are risking looking like an idiot in front of a VP. Check with X this week and see what the resolution is and be ready to do what you have to do to get the project done.
If anything, go with TenPenny.
PE, SE
Eastern United States
"If a builder builds a house for someone, and does not construct it properly, and the house which he built falls in and kills its owner, then that builder shall be put to death!"
~Code of Hammurabi
RE: What do I do
RE: What do I do
RE: What do I do
I don't know, I had in my mind that the VP was probably checking in with this employee out of courtesy and would want to hear more about any real project managment issues directly from Mr. X (the PM) and not necessarily from this employee. I would think that any conversation this employee got into with the VP about this topic would come off more as spilling dirt on Mr. X rather than showing genuine concern over the project. I suppose the situation would be different if the VP came in, closed the door, and directly addressed this employee along the lines of "OK, how do you really feel this project is going". But it's hard to tell how it was asked by the original post.
I certainly hope Mr. X, since it was his conversation and his responsibility, would discuss something this directly with the VP on his own. If I was Mr. X...I would want the chance to settle things with Mr Y on my own and would be pretty p*ssed if one of my employees went spouting something to the VP that I was in the process of working to correct. It's always better to go to the superior with "we had this problem and here is how I corrected it" versus "we have a problem".
But the general concept of slipping it in to a conversation somehow wouldn't be the worst idea. I just think it's more of Mr. X's job.
PE, SE
Eastern United States
"If a builder builds a house for someone, and does not construct it properly, and the house which he built falls in and kills its owner, then that builder shall be put to death!"
~Code of Hammurabi
RE: What do I do
When he asks what you have heard, ... well, honestly I don't know the right answer to that. If you stick to the facts, then you'll be screwed when the VP finds out the truth, because you have misled him by omission. If you do 'fess up, you will be screwed my middle management for being disloyal and not respecting the chain of command.
Talking to Top Management is always a career decision.
Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA
RE: What do I do
That is certainly the truth. I remember the military version VERY well that was drummed into my head by my senior NCO's (before I became one) that, "Talking to the commander is ALWAYS like standing in the middle of a mine field. The best you can hope for is to pass through unscathed, but more often than not no matter what direction you choose, you will set one off." LOL
RE: What do I do
In all seriousness, follow up with X to see if it has been resolved and see what he says. Let him know that the VP has been asking specifically about this project and ask what he suggests you say regarding the slabs. If he tells you to lie, then you have your answer. Ultimately your allegiance isn't to X, and he sure as hell won't be able to help you if anything goes down and he goes down with it.
Wouldn't go tattling to the VP, but you can't dodge the issue and lie to the VP because your immediate superior made a bad move either.
RE: What do I do
RE: What do I do
If the VP approaches you again, perhaps the best thing to do is advise him to talk to X. Advise X that you are going to do this. This sounds fair to me, and it is probably the approach least likely to end in disaster for you.
--
JHG
RE: What do I do
Regards
Pat
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RE: What do I do
The discussions went well until they began asking very sticky questions about the store manager. I considered my options and decided the truth is always the way to go. I also thought they knew the answers; otherwise, they wouldn't be asking because they wouldn't know to ask. I told the truth and didn't elaborate. I was not promoted.
About 25 years later, I ran into the area manager, who was selling cars at that time. I asked him about that interview and why I was not promoted. They, indeed, knew the answers to their questions. They had hard facts on the subjects in question. They feared my honesty. If I would be honest about my manager, I would be honest about them, if ever asked by their superiors in such an interview, and that scared the crap out of them. They were not going to run the risk of promoting me. He noted their protective scheme had no lasting impact as they both lost their jobs within 5-10 years, if memory serves. He ended that part of the conversation with "no one will be promoted that is too honest." It seems he failed to understand "no one will be kept that is too dishonest."
I did the right thing and paid a price for it. I would do the same thing again. Such things you cannot completely protect yourself from or against. You have to do the right thing and let the dust settle.
Pamela K. Quillin, P.E.
Quillin Engineering, LLC
RE: What do I do
RE: What do I do
If you don't hear anything by the end of this week, I would recommend touching base with your boss at some point early next week to casually ask him how the conversation with the VP went.
Maui
www.EngineeringMetallurgy.com
RE: What do I do
RE: What do I do
Good luck finding something. Check linked in...I found my current position through it and it is the easiest way to do it (if you keep a solid profile on there).
PE, SE
Eastern United States
"If a builder builds a house for someone, and does not construct it properly, and the house which he built falls in and kills its owner, then that builder shall be put to death!"
~Code of Hammurabi
RE: What do I do
So X has resigned from his position as of today !!! He has quoted "work related stress" as his reason to leave and already has another job lined up. I am happy for him if that is what the real reason is, because it has been stressful in this firm for a while now, considering we have been working 50 to 60 hour weeks. The VP came to my office and asked me if I could take Mr.X's responsibilities temporarily until they find someone. It is going to be interesting !!
RE: What do I do
Best to you,
Goober Dave
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RE: What do I do
RE: What do I do
David
:):):)
www.kirkhammotorsports.com