My mind was already revisiting the analysis and documentation for the project I had recently completed as I drove to work. I knew that I would be meeting with some of the higher-levels of management to discuss the overall study and conclusions. I arrived at the office after a 25 minute drive, continuing to consider all the possible angles that could be taken against my bottom-line conclusion. I walked into the building up three flights of stairs to my office. Since it was only 7:15, I still had about 45 minutes to myself before the Division Manager made it into the office. I started up my computer and made a pot of coffee. I settled down in my chair with a cup to tool through my email. The Division Manager left me a message the evening before saying that he has some things to discuss with me first thing in the morning. I thought, "Well, first thing for you is about item number three or four for me...but I would imagine it concerns the report."
I didn't concern myself with it any more until my phone rang a few minutes after 8:00.
"Eric, this is Don, did you get my email?" the Division Manager asked.
"Of course. What do you need to talk to me about?" I said.
"You better come down to my office," he said.
"Okay, I'm on my way," I replied. I poured another cup of coffee and walked down to his office, thinking to myself, "Damn, I really hate talking to people before I've finished my second cup of coffee..."
"Eric, sit down, I want to talk to you about your report...the Director reviewed it," the DM said while looking at me in a way that was intended to make me feel uncomfortable.
"Okay," I said slowly, "and what did she think?"
"Well, I'm afraid the best thing would be for you to go over her review yourself. Here's a copy of it. I admit, I don't really agree with her review, and I don't really know why she felt the need to even review it in the first place. Hell, I wouldn't have even reviewed it if this didn't come across my desk. I have always had confidence in your ability and competence, but she's the Project Director, and well, she's my boss. She shits on me, which means I shit on you...and now you have to shit on some of the people you had working on your team. You know how bullshit flows downhill..."
By this time, I was very angry, but reserved my emotion. I know my team did a superior job on this analysis, and my documentation was as impeccable as I could possibly make it.
"So what the H-" I stopped myself. "Sorry. I mean, what is it that she didn't agree with?" I asked.
"Just take the morning to review what she had to say. She scheduled a meeting with you, because you are the Team Lead on this one, early this afternoon. She scheduled me to be there, also. Unfortunately, since she scheduled it without coordinating with us, I can't make it. I've got that divisional finance meeting with our Headquarters people downtown..."
"What?" I asked, now really perturbed. "I'm walking into this solo? I am confident in our work, and I know I can handle this woman on my own. But, Don, I feel it is highly advisable to have your managerial support on this."
"Sorry, Eric, I tried to tell her, but she said it would be fine if she met with just you...but don't worry, I maintain my standpoint of agreeing with your work. Your engineering and publication is solid, as far as I'm concerned. I'll back you on whatever it is you say in there, and I told her that. She also agreed to that."
"Don, I'm going to have a real difficult time maintaining my cool if her review is biased as a result of her non-engineering background."
"Eric, she's smart. She's been in this game longer than you have, and if you don't drop that attitude, she'll chew you up," he said.
"Yes, Sir." I complied.
"C'mon, Eric, you guys did great work, and you can stand by it. I do," he said, finishing the conversation by sitting down at his desk and turning to his computer.
"Debrief me on the meeting with an email..." he said without looking up to me.
"Of course, I'll shoot that to you before I leave today," I said as I left the office.
Back at my office, I calmed myself down so that I could read her review with a objective mindset.
"This is bullshit," I whispered to myself after I read it the first time. I immediately started taking notes and writing down questions and comments on the copy of the report she bled on with a red pen like some junior-high teacher. The second time I read through her commentary, I was so angry that I could barely maintain a thread of mental clarity. I knew I had to put this down for a bit, or else I would walk into the meeting with a vengeance. I couldn't loose my cool in front of her. I spent the next few hours carefully building my rebuttal.
"She'll see you now, Mr. Smith, you can walk right in" the cute, little secretary said. She had this peculiar smile on her face, sort of like one a little sister would give her older brother when she knew he was in trouble with their parents.
I didn't smile back, but replied as politely as I could, "Thank you, Angela."
I walked into the Project Director's office. I had always thought she was an attractive woman. Actually, the way she carried herself with confidence was considerable, and the tight business suits she wore attenuated a man's focus, to say the least. I knew that she was very, very sexy when she was serious. I always wondered if she knew how much my pulse raised every time she sent a request to me...
She was on the phone with her back to me, but not talking. Maybe she was checking her voice mail, or maybe she just had the phone in her hand to make me wait for just a second. It peaked my awareness of myself and my situation, but didn't make me any less confident. She didn't even turn around when the secretary closed the heavy, mahogany office door. I walked to the center of her large office and stood there holding my folio with two hands in front of me. I stood up straight and put on my 'game face.'
"Please sit down, Mr. Smith," she said as she turned around and hung up the phone. I complied, opening my folio as I did so.
"You know why you are here, and I imagine you have some issues to discuss with me. However, you must understand that I am ultimately responsible for the quality of all the work that we produce on this project. Therefore, I have the authority to review and criticize any and all products that come out of your, or any one else's, division." I could already see that she wasn't going to give me much of a chance to challenge her. I knew I was terrible at this sort of confrontation, but I had not only my teammates, but my personal integrity on the line. It was "go time."
"Ms.-" she immediately held up her hand, cutting me off before I could even get started. That really pissed me off.
"Mr. Smith," she said in a motherly tone, "I'm not finished. I have to reaffirm my commentary in that I do not doubt your capability as an engineer, and I respect your experience. I'm the Project Director, and all divisions fall under my authority. Essentially,
you
fall under my authority. Your division is as much my division as it is the DM's. I'm the boss of you. Further, this really is below the level of intervention your team should require from me." That cut deep, the PD basically told me that my manager and my team needs her micro-management. I take deep pride in my work, and she knew it. She's not even going to give the courtesy of being professional here. She wanted to play hardball, and I was trying to resist.
She paused, and I assume she was giving me the moment to build up some frustration. Instead, I started rationally. The tension was mounting, and it would undoubtedly become a heated discussion. I decided to take my first shot at her by not addressing her by name.
"I find that your review lacked technical merit on several accounts, but I will address those individually. But first, I would like to say that I don't believe that you truly understand the scope of the analysis-"
"Understand the scope?" she immediately heated up, "I
dictated
the scope!"