Pulling Rank

If you follow me on Twitter, then you probably already know I vent. I vent A LOT. If I were to tell you that my employer turns perfectly well adjusted people into mean spirited, bitter people, I don't think many people would disagree with me. This workplace will eat you up alive, then spit you out. If you don't keep up with all changes in practices, philosophies or policies of the moment, you're doomed. I can handle change well. It's when people try to manipulate the changes to suit their own managerial needs that I have issues with them.

Right now we're going through our Non-Exempt performance reviews. About 75% of the workforce that I support fall in this category. For the most part, managers value HR opinions and suggestions. Hell, I've got some managers that refuse to make any decision unless they consult the "HR Wizard behind the curtain".

Today I was stuck in conference call hell. I swear I was going through the Ground Hog day movie experience and kept reliving the same situations and conversations with each conference call I got on. Well, by the last call today, I had reached my limit of me preaching "Management should be conservative and make sure we meet our ranking percentage distribution model."

That's where Carlos comes into play. Carlos is one of my Unit Managers. He's your traditional short Mexican with the "don't tell me what to do because I know it all" kind of guy. I can say this because I am Mexican! Anyway, Carlos picked the wrong day to start in with me. Carlos has a tendency to challenge anything that he doesn't support. This is good, but now a days at my company, it's not the attitude to have.

So the conversation on the conference call goes like this:

Carlos: I'm not buying into why we need to be conservative and meet ranking percentages as HR says.

DEAD SILENCE

Me: Excuse me, Carlos, I'm sorry, I don't think I heard you correctly, can you please repeat that?

Carlos: I said Ms. Reeves....

Operations Manager cuts him off - this is Carlos' boss: Carlos, I don't think Judy is here to tell us what to do, she's here to help guide us and clarify what is supposed to be considered when we're reviewing and evaluating staff rankings. She's not....

Carlos: cutting off his boss: Yea, well I know and have had my experiences with HR and I know my staff better than Ms Reeves ever will, so she should have no say or recommendation as to my staff rankings.

AGAIN, DEAD SILENCE.

Me: So Carlos, just so that I'm clear as to what you are saying, because you are far more Superior than anyone in HR could ever aspire to be, you will not listen to any input or suggestions that I might have for you. Is that correct?

Carlos: Yes, now If I may . . .

Me: No Carlos, you may not!

Carlos continues to talk over me and basically tells the group that his staff ratings will not be changing no matter what anyone else says. He continues on by saying that he will not sacrifice any of his ratings because his team is nothing but winners and a reflection of him.

OM: So Carlos, please enlighten us on your ratings and to why they are on a higher pedestal than the rest of their peers.

Carlos: Basically it's like this, I have worked hard with each member of my team so that they are all performing on an exceptional level of competency.

Me: Really? You really think that no one on your staff has an attendance problem? You truly believe no one on your team has ever had a single quality error for the entire year. You're telling me that you have never been in my office wanting to fire someone because they just weren't working out?

Carlos: Ms. Reeves. Please stick with your HR knowledge when asked for it. I'm presenting facts, not the fantasy utopia of HR.

This is where I completely loose it!!!!

Me: Tell you what Carlos I appreciate you clearly stating your moronic statement in front of your manager and your peers and I can assure you that I will take your concern and opinion of HR to your Director to discuss this matter further with him.

OM: Carlos, I don't think you want to alienate our HR partner in this. She's been very insightful and I insist that you at least do her the courtesy of hearing her out.

Carlos: My ratings speak for themselves. I will not be changing any of them.

Carlos proceeded to challenge me on each and every staff rating I questioned. I gave his absenteeism ratings, I gave them previous assessment ratings and I even let him know that his perfect team members have come to me expressing their concern of his management practices and favoritism. Carlos, would not budge.

Finally I had to go there.

Me: Look Carlos, if you really want to play this game, we will. You are being disrespectful, insubordinate and resistant to everything I have to say. You need not listen to me, but at the end of the day, your ratings are submitted to me and guess what, they're changing! They're changing to what falls with in guidelines and ultimately, I will determine what the appropriate ratings will be.

Carlos: You can't do that!

OM: Watch her Carlos. She can, she will and she has both the Director's and my full support in this matter!

What an asshole Carlos made himself out to be. I hate having to pull the rank on people. It's just not my style. In fact, this is the first time I actually pulled rank on anyone so I'm quite proud of myself for doing it. I'm just pissed that I let some jerk get to me to a point where I stooped as low as he did and fought back. Oh well. I got the final say in it.

So Carlos, stick that in your juice box and suck it. Suck it hard Trebec! You're next on my hit list in finding a reason to fire you!