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Dealing with Office Runaround-->> Office Veterans click here

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  • Apr 9th, 2017 3:05 pm
Jr. Member
Jul 21, 2016
171 posts
8 upvotes

Dealing with Office Runaround-->> Office Veterans click here

Hi,

At the small firm where I work, I am the new guy and have to deal with a lot of B.S. runaround: Lots of the times I am told, Go to John to get this document/information, I go to John, and then John says go back to Tarnpreet (the guy who originally told me to go to John).

This is extremely annoying, and disrespectful. How to deal with this professionally? This is a small firm, there is no HR.

Only people who have worked in an office environment need reply.

Thanks.
15 replies
Jr. Member
Nov 25, 2007
191 posts
80 upvotes
Ottawa, ON
You could call a meeting that both are required? Or, if its just an initiation, which it could be, then just play along. It will get tired quickly, and they will move on to more entertaining things. The more annoyed you become, the more entertained they will be, and the longer it will drag on.
Deal Addict
User avatar
Mar 16, 2010
3326 posts
1885 upvotes
Urinate on them both to establish dominance.
Deal Fanatic
Dec 31, 2007
5252 posts
1905 upvotes
Richmond Hill
Istillwanttodoit wrote: Hi,

At the small firm where I work, I am the new guy and have to deal with a lot of B.S. runaround: Lots of the times I am told, Go to John to get this document/information, I go to John, and then John says go back to Tarnpreet (the guy who originally told me to go to John).

This is extremely annoying, and disrespectful. How to deal with this professionally? This is a small firm, there is no HR.

Only people who have worked in an office environment need reply.

Thanks.
Why are you getting the document in the first place? Did you ask John?

OP to J: Hey I need Doc A.
J to OP: Go to T. (I would assume that J thinks T has it).
OP to T: Hey I need Doc A. J says you have it.
T to OP: No, I do not. Go back to J. (Here, either T means no tell J T doesn't have it or that J actually has it.)
OP to J: Hey T says he doesn't have it and to ask you.

1. In order to complete your task, since you're confused, set up a meeting with J and T to discuss.
2. Continue being the messenger and run around.

I would suggest #1.
"Buy now, think later. This is the way."
Deal Addict
Mar 8, 2007
1467 posts
135 upvotes
Is it your boss telling you to go to John? Do they both report to the same person as you?

Emailing the person "responsible" and asking for assistance getting documents x,y, and z and CC'ing their boss (and yours) usually does the trick.
Buy/Sell/Trade with confidence, 50+ positive feedback.
Sr. Member
Apr 30, 2013
860 posts
535 upvotes
King City
The old CC your boss trick. Those are the ones I purposely ignore.

Like a child being threatened they will tell their parents. Go ahead.
Deal Addict
Mar 8, 2007
1467 posts
135 upvotes
Missed the point entirely.

It has zero to do with pushing people around and everything to do with proving that you did your due diligence on following up on something you should have only had to ask once for in the first place.

He has his own work to do, hes not paid to do laps around the building.
Buy/Sell/Trade with confidence, 50+ positive feedback.
Deal Fanatic
Mar 15, 2005
6022 posts
1868 upvotes
Send one e-mail to both people saying you need X document, let them work out who is responsible for it.
Jr. Member
Jul 21, 2016
171 posts
8 upvotes
ctrueman82 wrote: Missed the point entirely.

It has zero to do with pushing people around and everything to do with proving that you did your due diligence on following up on something you should have only had to ask once for in the first place.

He has his own work to do, hes not paid to do laps around the building.
What?
Jr. Member
Jul 21, 2016
171 posts
8 upvotes
ctrueman82 wrote: Is it your boss telling you to go to John? Do they both report to the same person as you?

Emailing the person "responsible" and asking for assistance getting documents x,y, and z and CC'ing their boss (and yours) usually does the trick.
Yes it is my boss. They report to my boss, small firm everyone reports to Tarn.
Jr. Member
Mar 10, 2017
151 posts
261 upvotes
Istillwanttodoit wrote: Hi,

At the small firm where I work, I am the new guy and have to deal with a lot of B.S. runaround: Lots of the times I am told, Go to John to get this document/information, I go to John, and then John says go back to Tarnpreet (the guy who originally told me to go to John).

This is extremely annoying, and disrespectful. How to deal with this professionally? This is a small firm, there is no HR.

Only people who have worked in an office environment need reply.

Thanks.
might want to edit out those names
Deal Fanatic
Jul 4, 2004
9473 posts
2650 upvotes
This one is an easy one. Go on short term disability due to stress and anxiety. Yes, for real. Go see a doctor, get a medical opinion supporting your medical condition and off you go for 6 months. A win for you, and a win for your coworkers who don't want to deal with you. Build a medical case first and then go on leave. Your coworkers will thank you for it.
Help an animal charity or sanctuary out today. Become a volunteer, advocate, foster a pet, or donate. They need you as much as you need them!
Deal Fanatic
User avatar
Dec 16, 2015
5405 posts
5751 upvotes
Distance: 50 Metres
Istillwanttodoit wrote: Yes it is my boss. They report to my boss, small firm everyone reports to Tarn.
Hey I know Tarn...
To the moon
Newbie
Mar 20, 2017
4 posts
5 upvotes
I am in the same situation as you - I'm the office runaround boy. Boss says to implement something, in order to implement you need an approval from department manager, who worked there since Ice Age. He will not sign because of this and this. You get that done, but now he doesn't like the wording. Very frustrating to deal with people like this, and it takes days to get simple things done.

Basically I found for myself that it's all about politics. Simply put, John (most likely a senior employee, been there for decades) has some beef with Tarn (relatively newer guy, with good education/experience, hence sits higher than John). And you are caught in between these two, you report to Tarn, but John thinks he should be the boss. Meeting with those people will get you nowhere, a meeting will most likely to get off track and suck you deeper into the politics of the place. CC'ing your boss - same thing, those senior employees have enough "weight" to question the boss entirely and don't care about your CC. They have the power to bring any project you're working on to a grinding halt.

My recommendation? Work there and get "experience" while upgrading your skills, get certificates/network with other people and keep looking for a job. In a small firm environment like that chances are they won't stay in business for long.

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