Is There ALWAYS One?

[Rovers]

So, I started a new job, no dream job, but OK enuff. Without getting into specific details, because I'd rather not, I'll just say that it is a job that entails a harried pace, a lot of customer interaction and involves working with many other employees in a very team oriented corporate culture. Lots of co-workers, constant contact and interaction with them as well.

 

Of course, there has to be ONE jerk wad. Of the 50 or so people I have met, virtually all of them are friendly and willing tyo be helpful. But, there always has to be that ONE guy, doesn't there? He isn't a supervisor, but he acts like one and people treat him like one. He has some tenure. He thinks he runs the place. To some extent, he is allowed to. He has two modes. Annoyed and very annoyed. He seems to believe that everyone with few exceptions are there to skate and get paid (which from my new perspective is far from the truth). He operates almost diametrically opposed to what corporate preaches in terms of customer service and general policies. He thinks he knows how to do things, and corp culture holds no sway with him until someone (in this case not me) calls him out on it, then he lies to defend himself.

 

Here is the kicker... he does indeed do some very important things very well, but in terms of overall knowledge in this area, he seems pretty uninformed, but he treats others like they are all idiots. He hides this lack of knowledge by being short and gruff. Thing is, I am only a seasonal temp hire, with the goal of sticking and starting something of a new career path, but this moran might be able to get in my way. I know far more about what the company sells than he ever will. I overheard him say to another permanent employee "You have to ride these guys. Get on them, stay on them, ride them." Now, the new hires are all doing their very best, and few have much product knowledge, yet this guy seems to think every last one of them are slackers, apprently including me.

 

Having been around the block, I know that there is always that ONE guy... there always is. He and I will either come to an understanding of the fact that we are equals and both deserving of respect, or I'll end up going to war with this guy. They know he is rough around the edges, but what he DOES do he is very good at. He just isn't good beyond that one (albeit important) aspect of the operation.

 

I'm not really asking for advice, as much venting, but advice would be welcome and considered, and I ask if others beleive in this "ONE guy" theory I have. Have you been in a similar situation? How did you deal with the ONE guy?

[tazinib1]

Invite him for a few drinks. Solved.

[Rovers]

Invite him for a few drinks. Solved.

 

Frankly, I don't think he would accept, and I really would not want to have a few brews with him. He IS an a hole. I don't want him to be a buddy, I want him to leave me alone and stay out of my way. He is not approachable for such an invite in any case. I'd hate to lose the job because I laid him out in a pub.

[tazinib1]

Next step...sabotage

[Big John]

Next step...sabotage

Calling cliaz

[matt770]

It would be a shame if a pallet of mulch fell on his head.

[Kid Cid]

Keep you head down, do your job better than everyone else and never, ever fail to mention to the bosses how good you're doing. I used to think that just being the best at what you do, being personable, and letting your work speak for you was enough. Now I know better. It is vastly more important to talk a good game than it is to actually be a good worker. Oh, don't forget to pin the blame for everything on this guy. It really helps to knock your other co-workers down a peg whenever you get the chance.

[matt770]

Yep, there is always one.

[Hugh 0ne]

Yep, there is always one.

 

Lol, beat me to it.

[Savage Beatings]

This is the kind of person who thrives on the incorrect assumption that he is irreplaceable. He thinks the company will fall apart without him and he takes advantage of that mirage. It NEVER really is the case that someone is irreplaceable though is it?

 

Learn the corporate policies front and back. Ignore the guy and his advice about how to do things right. When a conflict arises, always quote the corporate policy and use that to defend your position. If it ever escalates to a Supervisor or Manager, you will have the stated company policy to back you up.

[Clubfoothead]

With all due respect, I will say that there is a very fine line between the temp that's a go-getter that you want to keep and the a-hole dush temp that despite only a few weeks on the job, already knows better than everyone else.

[wildcat2334]

With all due respect, I will say that there is a very fine line between the temp that's a go-getter that you want to keep and the a-hole dush temp that despite only a few weeks on the job, already knows better than everyone else.

 

 

there is MORE than 1 in every office, organization............ sack up, be a top performer and prove your value.

[Lucky11]

kill 'em with kindness. nothing pisses "that guy" off more than a coworker with positive attitude.

[nuke'em ttg]

I know a guy just like this, always yellin ,never happy, everybody else is screw up...I've gone toe ta toe with'm and thought he'd brack off but he didn't....the guy has one way of life....miserable

[Rovers]

It would be a shame if a pallet of mulch fell on his head.

 

So, you figured it out...might as well come clean, yep, it's Home Depot. Somewhat embarrassing to admit to, after owning a successful landscaping company, shot down by health issues, but there it is.

 

Club, I am not trying to do anything more than fit in and stick to becoming permanent right now. I am a state DEC certified pesticide technician, I worked part time for Scotts as an in store customer advisor for a couple of years until my landscaping biz made me too busy to keep that gig. I have formal training and a HS occupational degree in ornamental horticulture. In other words, I know what the F I am doing, and know far more than any other employee in the store about fert, herbicides, pesticides and the planting material they sell. My goal ius to be a garden dept manager within 2 or 3 years. I lack in retail experience.

 

I'll say it again, this guy IGNORES the somewhat new HD management directive. You walk people to another dept. You NEVER point. You NEVER just send a customer off. When HD started up, they were all about customer service. That eroded over time... and now they are gung ho to return to what made them successful in the first place. Knowledgable people who will go the whole 9 yards to help customers.

 

This guy is NOT going to treat me like any "other" temp seasonal. Here is what he does well: He keeps pallets moving from the stack to the floor. That's it. That is darned important. But he is nothing more than a pallet manager. He knows diddly squat about anything else. He keeps the mulch, soil and other palletized product on the floor. So it can be sold. Other than that, he doesn't know chit about anything.

 

My first day on the floor... the dept mgr has a day off, so this guy is calling the shots. It's a Sunday, busy as heck. He puts me in the greenhouse. I know nothing about indoor plasnts, and the place is a madhouse. I ask him if I can get out of the greenhouse where I can do some selling, selling the products I am an expert on. He gets pissed off.

 

He told me and all the other new hires to stay in an aisle. Don't walk a customer through a project, just STAY there. Blatant vioilation of HD policy. Later he tells my "coach" who is supposed to be helping new hires out, that some other guy told an asst store manager that he was telling people NOT to walk a customer to not just another dept, but even from the greenhouse to the fert aisle, within the same dept! He told all of us to STAY PUT. So, he approaches me while I am talking to my "Coach" (a very nice guy) and whinmes about some other new hire that told a mgr that **** the **** told him to not walk a customer. Now, that is exactly what he told me too, but now he's been caught, and he starts lying about it.

 

I'm not too big for my bridges here... I just want this a hole to stay the F out of my way, and if he doesn't, I'll take him on. All he has to do is back off. I will not back off, I'm doing my job ther way corp HD says it weants me to do it. I'm not telling him how to do his job. I just want to do mine without his idiotic interference. Big difference.

Edited February 15, 2012 by Rovers

[tazinib1]

Ask him if he plays FF. If he says yes, rip him on every single player he mentions. Make sure you do it in front of the cute cashier.

[Rovers]

have you talked with your coach about this?

 

Briefly... this guy approached my coach and myself in a rant, and told my coach that so and so told so and so that **** the **** (himself) had told this person NOT to walk a customer to another dept, and how he swore he never said that, and he was gonna go find this guy and rip him a new one.

 

As soon as he walked away, I told my coach that this was exactly what he had told all of us newbies that day.... NEVER leave your aisle. My coach seems to know what the deal is, but rerfrained from getting into it. That was fine... he and I think management knows... **** the **** is not going to make me another of his whipping boys, that much I can say. Everyone else bows... I will not. Mutual respect, or it's gonna get ugly.

Edited February 15, 2012 by Rovers

[matt770]

So, you figured it out...might as well come clean, yep, it's Home Depot. Somewhat embarrassing to admit to, after owning a successful landscaping company, shot down by health issues, but there it is.

 

Club, I am not trying to do anything more than fit in and stick to becoming permanent right now. I am a state DEC certified pesticide technician, I worked part time for Scotts as an in store customer advisor for a couple of years until my landscaping biz made me too busy to keep that gig. I have formal training and a HS occupational degree in ornamental horticulture. In other words, I know what the F I am doing, and know far more than any other employee in the store about fert, herbicides, pesticides and the planting material they sell. My goal ius to be a garden dept manager within 2 or 3 years. I lack in retail experience.

 

I'll say it again, this guy IGNORES the somewhat new HD management directive. You walk people to another dept. You NEVER point. You NEVER just send a customer off. When HD started up, they were all about customer service. That eroded over time... and now they are gung ho to return to what made them successful in the first place. Knowledgable people who will go the whole 9 yards to help customers.

 

This guy is NOT going to treat me like any "other" temp seasonal. Here is what he does well: He keeps pallets moving from the stack to the floor. That's it. That is darned important. But he is nothing more than a pallet manager. He knows diddly squat about anything else. He keeps the mulch, soil and other palletized product on the floor. So it can be sold. Other than that, he doesn't know chit about anything.

 

My first day on the floor... the dept mgr has a day off, so this guy is calling the shots. It's a Sunday, busy as heck. He puts me in the greenhouse. I know nothing about indoor plasnts, and the place is a madhouse. I ask him if I can get out of the greenhouse where I can do some selling, selling the products I am an expert on. He gets pissed off.

 

He told me and all the other new hires to stay in an aisle. Don't walk a customer through a project, just STAY there. Blatant vioilation of HD policy. Later he tells my "coach" who is supposed to be helping new hires out, that some other guy told an asst store manager that he was telling people NOT to walk a customer to not just another dept, but even from the greenhouse to the fert aisle, within the same dept! He told all of us to STAY PUT. So, he approaches me while I am talking to my "Coach" (a very nice guy) and whinmes about some other new hire that told a mgr that Nick the dock told him to not walk a customer. Now, that is exactly what he told me too, but now he's been caught, and he starts lying about it.

 

I'm not too big for my bridges here... I just want this a hole to stay the F out of my way, and if he doesn't, I'll take him on. All he has to do is back off. I will not back off, I'm doing my job ther way corp HD says it weants me to do it. I'm not telling him how to do his job. I just want to do mine without his idiotic interference. Big difference.

John, good for you and nothing to be embarrassed about. HD is a great company. I've worked with a lot of people like this guy you describe. King sh!t of turd mountain -- he's figured out how to do a menial task better than anyone else and wants everyone to show him respect accordingly. Plus he's been there a long time so he can tell people what to do. The way I would handle it: you're new, so give him the respect his ego so desperately needs. Be nice to this idiot, even marvel at his pallet skills and ask questions about how he does it. Act like you want to be just like him. Before you know it he'll be an ally. He'll confide in you about how he keeps the place running and everyone including the managers are idiots. Just nod. Keep your friends close and enemies closer.

 

You just need time to show that you're a hard worker and know your stuff, which shouldn't take long, and you'll earn his respect. It's ludicrous that you should have to earn his respect at all since he's a jackass, but that's what happens when you're new. In my experience, the cream rises to the top -- over a period of months or years, people recognize the quality of your work and the rewards come. Sometimes you have to be patient and eat sh!t for a while, but it comes. Just let your work speak for itself and follow the manual like you have been. If he confronts you about it, tell him you're doing what's in the manual, and maybe we should sit down with a manager if he has a problem with it.

 

Again, that's just how I would do it. Others are more confrontational than me or play politics. I prefer to blend in, know who I need to finesse, and just work my ass off.

[nuke'em ttg]

does he drive a Vet...that could be the problem

[Scooby]

little man syndrome--he'll eventually shoot himself in the foot, just a matter of time. Sounds like u are doing a great job and being patient. Thats all u can do. Best wishes friend:)

[Rovers]

John, good for you and nothing to be embarrassed about. HD is a great company. I've worked with a lot of people like this guy you describe. King sh!t of turd mountain -- he's figured out how to do a menial task better than anyone else and wants everyone to show him respect accordingly. Plus he's been there a long time so he can tell people what to do. The way I would handle it: you're new, so give him the respect his ego so desperately needs. Be nice to this idiot, even marvel at his pallet skills and ask questions about how he does it. Act like you want to be just like him. Before you know it he'll be an ally. He'll confide in you about how he keeps the place running and everyone including the managers are idiots. Just nod. Keep your friends close and enemies closer.

 

You just need time to show that you're a hard worker and know your stuff, which shouldn't take long, and you'll earn his respect. It's ludicrous that you should have to earn his respect at all since he's a jackass, but that's what happens when you're new. In my experience, the cream rises to the top -- over a period of months or years, people recognize the quality of your work and the rewards come. Sometimes you have to be patient and eat sh!t for a while, but it comes. Just let your work speak for itself and follow the manual like you have been. If he confronts you about it, tell him you're doing what's in the manual, and maybe we should sit down with a manager if he has a problem with it.

 

Again, that's just how I would do it. Others are more confrontational than me or play politics. I prefer to blend in, know who I need to finesse, and just work my ass off.

 

 

Matt, wiser words are I think rarely spoken. Excellent advbice, advice I will take. I am able to partonize, and this guy will need that for sure. All I really said to my coach was this: "I will work harder than anyone else here, or try to, and all I want to do is my job to the very best on my ability. Corp culture demands one thing, Nick seems to have his own rule set. If what Nick says is the law, no problem, I can do that. I just can't go in two different directions at the same time." He knew what I meant.

 

I'll pacify this guy for now, as best I can, and even do a bit of sucking up as you suggested. I've only been in the store for a week, I have much to learn with open ears and closed mouth for the time being. Thing is, I find that the rest of the people I have interacted with aside from this guy are super nice folk. Almost hard to beleive sort of nice and friendly. I met one guy I went through catholic grammar school with. I recognized him immediately, a wierd talent I have, being I hadn't seen him for 43 years. He happens to be a coach as well. Different dept.

 

I sometimes go to war before exhausting negotiations... so I think for the time being, pacifistic deplomacy is likely my best route, as you suggested. Thanks... here I was not asking for advice, but got some much needed advice anyway. It will be a long summer. I'll see how it goes.

[BeeR]

does he drive a Vet...that could be the problem

Actually he sounds like a Camaro guy. yknow...those mid-80s models that just scream "dumbass d-bag"

 

Rovers, if this describes only 1 in 50 of the people you work with, you doing better than most people in most jobs IMO. You may have it better than you realize. FWIW and g/l and piss on the Jets

[Rovers]

sorry bro, that's frustrating.

 

And I'm guessing that you're torn on taking the chance on losing a good gig in this crap economy I'm sure you already looked, but is there a landscaping company that can use you as a consultant or something?

 

I could probably land a job as a crew supervisor, but even that really requires the ability to speak spanish around here. I could have walked into any of the local nurseries around here and gotten a better paying gig, but no chance of being a permanent hire doing that. Most of them are family run businesses, and only the family works year round for the most part.

 

I know I have what it takes to be a garden center dept mgr at the HD, so that is what I have my sights set on. I can already see ways to improve associate's knowledge base and increase sales. I do like the culture that management is trying to recapture.

[rocknrobn26]

+1 on what Matt sai.

Further advice:

Don Corleone: "Keep your friends close and your enemies closer."

[Rovers]

I could probably land a job as a crew supervisor, but even that really requires the ability to speak spanish around here. I could have walked into any of the local nurseries around here and gotten a better paying gig, but no chance of being a permanent hire doing that. Most of them are family run businesses, and only the family works year round for the most part.

 

I know I have what it takes to be a garden center dept mgr at the HD, so that is what I have my sights set on. I can already see ways to improve associate's knowledge base and increase sales. I do like the culture that management is trying to recapture.

 

Well... here's thew update for anyone intersted. I am. That makes one.

 

OK, the ONE guy.... he wants to be a dept head, but won't go "inside", meaning doing all the MIS and stocking maintenance, or directly supervising the inside aisles.... power equipment, barbeques and pesticide/weed control aisles. This guy wants to work outside, taking care of the outside, the mulch, soil, etc. So.... because he wants to write his own dept head job description, he's been shot down.

 

Next up, yours truely. To make dept mgr in under a year, especially in this store, one of the highest volume stores in the HD network would be an anomoly. But it's lookin like 50-50 right now. I've got a real shot at it. Maybe even better than that now. I've gotten ASM's (ast store mgrs) and some dept heads to teach me some of the MIS and other tools. I've made sure that they all know how I am driving towards this goal. Each week that goes by, I ask more.... they know I'm doing all I can to get primed. Each time I have a chance to let them know what I've learned, I do it. They are more than just noticing. i have support from just about every corner, except for that ONE guy. He will be a potential problem, but, the problem will be his, not mine.

 

So.... I've got the lead garden dept head and a couple of ASM's talking to me like I'm a DH already. I'm driving this as hard as I can. Funny thing is even if I do get promoted, it will still be a barely living wage, but it's what I've got on my plate. I've always kicked buttocks anytime I applied myself, so I still have high expectations, even if the $ isn't great.

 

Ya want a football analogy? When I was an RB in HS, I lowered my head and my helmet was a weapon. Then it was speed and open field moves. The whole thing... eye fakes, you name it. If you don't know what an eye fake is... you do a wiggle and lock your eyes onto where you will NOT run. You take a long step towards where your eyes are, and go left. Leave socks, spikes and jocks in yopuir wake. Never understood why this move isn't taught at the college or NFL level. Defenders ALWAYS read your eyes. I business, I do the same, metaphorically.

 

Rambling a bit I suppose, but it's been a long lonely Christamas day. I have a roof over my head, I have a job and I have some goals no matter how modest they may. Being alone on Christmas... I just needed to post about what is good in my life right now I guess. I'm a stubborn old irishman, and I'll swim until i just swallow too much water.b Yeah, this is my Taz post.... I'm drunk!