I hate working with insecure people...

[PhillyKev 0]

RANT!!
Ok, the other computer guy was here 2 years before me and he was the only one here. They hire me, and 2 months later make me his boss (basically because he's clueless). He's got good technical skills but never thinks or plans ahead for consequences, doesn't do testing, etc. Basically flies by the seat of his pants and is constantly putting out fires instead of proactively managing the network. Anyway, we're setting up a certificate authority for smart card logon, he's been working on it and having problems. So, I looked into it and found the solution. I go to tell him what it is, and he responds, "I hate when you go and research stuff that I'm already working on." The guy is a complete freak. He doesn't know what he's doing, I'm responsible for his performance, and he expects me to just sit back and wait for him to break shit. He's a competitive, defensive, insecure freak. Personally, I appreciate it when someone teaches me something new. I don't get pissed off at them for helping me. And it's not like I just butted in. I asked him if he wanted to do it so he could learn about it, but I'm the one responsible for getting it done. When everything around here works, he's just as fast to take credit as he is to sit back and let me take the heat when something (that he broke in the first place) goes wrong. Uggghhhh.
End of rant.
cielos azules y cerveza fría
-Kevin

[Muenkel 0]

I personally enjoy when others do my work for me. I would appreciate you as a boss.
If you're not confused, you're not paying attention.
Chris

[nacmacfeegle 0]

And both of us hate working with Schizophrenics.
Do we?
Yes we do...
I thought we hated paranoics?
Naw, we just hunt them down for no apparent reason....
Joking aside, bear all this ranting in mind when you are in his position, and you will be a better person for it.
Cya
D
Gravity Rat # 37
Remember, we can do everything right, and still get hurt.

[kmcguffee 0]

You're the boss. Fire him. I've found it helps people's self confidence tremendously. "Some cause happiness wherever they go; others, whenever they go."

[freeflir29 0]

Uuuuummm.....maybe it's just the former NCO in me but.....Tell him to get off his lazy ass and take care of the place before you shit can him and find someone who will do the job. "Here I come to save the BOOBIES!"

[Muenkel 0]

Quote

You're the boss. Fire him. I've found it helps people's self confidence tremendously.

Yeah, just throw the fat bastard out of the plane....wait a minute, that's another thread...never mind.
If you're not confused, you're not paying attention.
Chris

[quade 3]

Well, he probably can't just fire him. I'm not sure what company he works for, but generally speaking the larger the company, the more rules he'd have to deal with when it comes to wrongful termination procedures.
That said, if you're the boss, you can do one of two things; either tell this guy that this is the way you want it done and give him a specific date for completion OR let him have his head and accept whatever B.S. he gives you.
The advantage of the first method is that -- well, you're the boss and the work gets done. You do have to back it up with funding and whatnot, but at least you're the boss. If you give him all the tools AND he fails, then you have something to add to his file for an eventual termination.
The advantage of the second method is that it avoids short term conflict. However, you'll probably end up paying for it over and over in terms of frustration and you don't ever get to fire him unless your company has massive layoffs.
quade
http://futurecam.com

[quade 3]

Quote

I learned a thing or two about how to and definately HOW NOT TO deal with people in my ten years in the Air Force.

The advantage of being military is that you have some pretty good tools for motivating people.
However, those tools don't always work (or are even legal) in the corporate world.
quade
http://futurecam.com

[freeflir29 0]

Quote

The advantage of being military is that you have some pretty good tools for motivating people

Heheheehee.....it ain't what it used to be. In fact while I was at Ft. Bragg there was a big Courts Martial giong on for an NCO that made his Privates stay late and mop floors and such in lieu of administrative paperwork. The NCO was trying to keep the Privates paper trail clean by letting them "work it off" Seemed pretty normal to me and I thought the NCO was going above and beyond for his troops. Not like he got to go home early if his guys were still there working. Instead of seeing the stuation for what it was these asshole Privates got together and tried to screw him. The even more shocking thing was that the "Leadership" (and thats in quotes for a reason) of the Battalion let this go on by them. Absolutely crazy if you ask me. I mean...this guy was facing jail time for having guys mop floors. Now....in the Air Force we had no such problems......I had this one idiot that worked for me doing all the shit details because he was worthless. You can bet he was always the guy out taking down the camo net when it was snowing or washing the trucks when it was 35 degrees outside. "Here I come to save the BOOBIES!"

[PhillyKev 0]

Actually, the exact opposite. Small company, a partnership. I'm his boss in the sense that they made me responsible for both of our performance. The problem is I'm not officially "his boss". I don't review him, I don't assign him duties, basically, I'm supposed to help him learn how to do his job better and be responsible for his actions. In other words, I'm in charge with no authority. That's where the problem lies. He does just enough so that the partners don't feel compelled to fire him. And when they have a problem with him, they tell me to fix it. Very strange predicament.
Think I'll have a long talk with him, and if that doesn't work, I'll have to get dirty to get rid of him. Hate playing the political card, but I can't deal with his whiney ass much longer.
cielos azules y cerveza fría
-Kevin

[kmcguffee 0]

Quote

The advantage of being military is that you have some pretty good tools for motivating people.
However, those tools don't always work (or are even legal) in the corporate world.

Well the problem that I've found in the corporate world is that very few people are willing to tell someone that they are doing a poor job. Everyone is scared to death of confrontation.
In the military it was expected that if you had a dirtbag as a subordinate you tell him 1)what he is doing wrong 2)what he must do to fix it 3)document it and followup to see if he is improving (big pat on the back) or still screwing up (time to start the chapter paperwork).
In the corporate world (I work for General Electric, you can't get much more corporate) it seems if you have a dirt bag subordinate you 1)tell everyone around you that he is a dirtbag and complain about his performance constantly 2)act like nothing is wrong to his face 3)give him a mediocre performance appraisal because you don't have any justification to give him a poor one. When the dirtbag employee gets his mediocre appraisal he complains that he didn't get an outstanding one because he thought he was doing a great job. It is hard to tell someone they are not performing but in the long run it will help both you and him. He might not understand what you expect from him and will turn around 100% when counseled. If he doesn't then you can feel better that you gave him every opportunity to perform better when you axe him.
FYI, the military method would work in the corporate world but you need effective leaders to implement it. The only thing that would be different is the allowable punishments ie you can't use barracks restriction, take away pay, etc.
"Some cause happiness wherever they go; others, whenever they go."

[fred 0]

I say fire him and hire somebody competent.
BTW, have I mentioned that I'm looking for a full time computer job? Got a bachelor's degree and great references...
:)

[drenaline 0]

Like you said, have a decent talk. I dunno how the system in your company works but can you send memo's to upstair and complain that your partner does not know the word Team Work? send the memo until he gets fired.
"Life is full of danger, so why be afraid?"
drenaline

[Scratch 0]

Mmm interesting one.
Authority and respect are earned. They do not automatically come with the position or with the responsibilty. I do not see the uncertainty of your seniority as being an issue.
The military will say that you should respect the rank if you cannot respect the person. That is not an option which is open to you.
The key is to get the man to respect you. That will not happen by doing his work, it happens by getting him to do his.
Where is he weak? Can you put systems in place to accomodate those weaknesses. Where is he strong? Use him there.
Publicly praise a job well done. Chastise him in private.
Walk into work with a grin. Project energy and go, go, go.
All these things will benefit a reluctant staff.
Set realistic goals, things which are not easily achievable but achievable non the less, measure performance consistantly.
Draw the line in the sand clearly and never move it.
He steps over and things go bad for him. He stays behind and things go good.
If none of this works and he is just useless and from what you are saying you have no official authority over him then the paper trail is also not an option.
Get in his face and stay there. Day in and day out. Find that weakness and exploit it. This may sound horrible but we are talking about the job that earns the money that pays the jump tickets. It is not your fault that he is an asshole, he has to take that up with his parents or his therapist. Either way it is not your problem.
It is all mind games in the end, strongest mind wins the prize. He will leave eventually, or you will.
I wish the real world
would just stop hassling me~~~matchbox20

[GrumpySmurf 0]

Tell him you got two words for him, "You're fired".
With the market the way it is, can't be hard to find a replacement?
Or assign him menial jobs, eventually he with either complain about the jobs and ask why is he assigned them, or leave.