Should I go to the Big Cheese about this?

[Urban Ranger]

The head of accounting department in the organisation I am working for is a real arse, but that's just a personal opinion.

The real issue is he has been obstructing my work. There is an ongoing project to switch to a new accounting system, but the bastard has been dragging his feet for months. We had put in two systems for them to test for 6 months, and there's still nothing. Not "We like System A," not "We like System B," not "They both suck." Just nothing.

This is getting to be really irritating. It would be less if he has been swamped with work, but he hasn't. He's a clock-watcher who always leave at least five minutes early. He falls asleep often during the day and he even snored a couple of times. From time to time he takes very long lunches.

To put it simply, he isn't busy at all. He even has time to chat on the phone, and even has the gall to complain about work and ask his friends if they have anything better (Of course not, if I were a friend of his I would not want to let such an incompetent fool into my comany either).

I am very tempted to suggest to the Big Boss that they need a new accountant, somebody who actually does his (or her) job.

What do you think?

[DaShi]

First make sure there isn't another reason that he's goofing off.

[Alexander's Horse]

Re: Should I go to the Big Cheese about this?

Originally posted by Urban Ranger

This is getting to be really irritating. It would be less if he has been swamped with work, but he hasn't. He's a clock-watcher who always leave at least five minutes early. He falls asleep often during the day and he even snored a couple of times. From time to time he takes very long lunches.

Hey UR, I didn't know you worked with me

[Provost Harrison]

Re: Should I go to the Big Cheese about this?

Originally posted by Urban Ranger
The head of accounting department in the organisation I am working for is a real arse, but that's just a personal opinion.

The real issue is he has been obstructing my work. There is an ongoing project to switch to a new accounting system, but the bastard has been dragging his feet for months. We had put in two systems for them to test for 6 months, and there's still nothing. Not "We like System A," not "We like System B," not "They both suck." Just nothing.

This is getting to be really irritating. It would be less if he has been swamped with work, but he hasn't. He's a clock-watcher who always leave at least five minutes early. He falls asleep often during the day and he even snored a couple of times. From time to time he takes very long lunches.

To put it simply, he isn't busy at all. He even has time to chat on the phone, and even has the gall to complain about work and ask his friends if they have anything better (Of course not, if I were a friend of his I would not want to let such an incompetent fool into my comany either).

I am very tempted to suggest to the Big Boss that they need a new accountant, somebody who actually does his (or her) job.

What do you think?

You get them everywhere don't you? It's a real pain when you get someone like this in a position where they become a bottleneck. I know it's not generally deemed as 'fair sport' but I'd see the big cheese...you don't necessarily have to directly implicate him because if the big cheese is doing his job properly too, he's probably been suspecting this to be a problem for a while too...

[General Ludd]

Isn't this what accountants are supposed to do?

[SpencerH]

Is he your direct supervisor?

[DAVOUT]

The problem results from the fact that the switch to a new accounting system was not requested by the accountant; he is therefore not motivated to support the change. As any accountant he cannot be forced to accept a new system when the old is working satisfactorily. The only thing to do is to find some improvements resulting from the switch which would make things better for him. If there are no such improvements, or worse, if the new system make things more difficult for him, there is no chance to solve the problem.

[lord of the mark]

i assume from your description that you dont report directly to this guy, but need him for cooperation on your project, and that he is seriously endangering it. If so, I think you really need to consider going to the big boss ASAP. The alternative is having the project get into deep trouble, and big boss coming down on you and asking why, and when you blame the accountant, big boss will ask why you didnt come to him sooner. Something like this happened to me once - someone who was my peer in title and compensation, but was subordinate to me on a project, was sabotaging the project. I was new and didnt want to make a big stink - but when problems arose, I was told by big boss, "you should have come to me sooner, I would have backed you up".

Note - you do NOT need to go into all the things that accountant does wrong, but focus on the fact that his non-responsiveness has impeded YOUR project. Its up to big boss to decide if he wants to probe the accountants work habits or not.

[Ming]

A better idea... Set up a meeting with the the accountant, the big boss, yourself and anybody else involved in the process.

List as the objective of the meeting... "Accounting departments evaluation between the two new Software systems" Set the meeting for about a week in the future so he can't whine that he doesn't have enough time...

This puts him on the spot... no longer will he just be blowing you off... He will be in the "range finder" of the Big Boss as well. He will have no choice but to have a real opinion... and if in the meeting, he tries to ride the fence... blast away with tough questions in front of the big boss...

Problem solved...
However, you will have made a political enemy for life... but by the sounds of the things, no great loss.

[JohnT]

When you work with Ming you just feel the



Btw, that's the best idea yet. Just call a meeting and force the issue. No fuss, no muss.

[Barinthus]

Ming - wow what a terrific advice!

[Kidlicious]

UR,

How important is this change to you personally? Do you just not like the fact that this guy isn't making the change or is it affecting your job. Because, as Ming said, you could end up making an enemy, and you generally don't want to make enemies in the work place.

[SpencerH]

Originally posted by Ming

However, you will have made a political enemy for life... but by the sounds of the things, no great loss.

Unless he's UR's direct supervisor.

[chequita guevara]

He's an accountant. UR's a programmer.

[Kidlicious]

I think it's a bad idea to piss people off even if you don't work for them. Who knows this guy could eventually be URs boss or UR might have to work more closely with him in the future. I say don't make waves.