(no subject)

[graculus]

There's nothing worse than someone who has to have the last word. And unfortunately I'm dealing with one of those at the moment. Grrrr. Let's call him Q, though that's not his name...

A situation arises in which I have to have a discussion with Q about what should happen next - sadly the majority of the following is via passive-aggressive email or secondhand through another team member:

Q: You need to do Y.
Me: Okay. *looks at policy, in which there is no mention of Y* Hmm. *phones Q's admin* Can you tell me about Y? Is there a criteria, a policy or anything that actually tells me about it?
Q's admin: Dunno. What's Y?
Me: Okay then. *looks again at policy and decides to do X*
Q: You need to do Y.
Me: Y does not appear to exist any more. If I can ever find out what Y is, assuming it's not a duplication of something I've already done, I will do it.
Q: You need to do Y, which is in fact X under another name that nobody has referred to it by for nearly 5 years, though I have failed to mention this fact in any previous conversation but will subsequently claim I have. In fact, you should have done it 2 or 3 weeks ago.
Me: *headdesks repeatedly*

I am so hacked off right now there are barely words. Any tips on how to handle passive-aggressive dipsticks like this gratefully considered!

Comments

[obelix]

Sorry no help here since the last passive-aggressive dipstick I dealt with I divorced...

I feel your pain *hugs*

[khek.livejournal.com]

Wait? Do X and say that it was, of course, what you were working on all along?

Okay, I don't know. But I wish you luck!

[temaris.livejournal.com]

Smile brightly and say, 'yes, that's what I just said. Not to worry, you'll catch up eventually.' And explain it patiently in small, small words. Again. Why yes, I did do this today.

Alternatively: defenestration.

[oceania.livejournal.com]

He is a fucktard. That's what we call 'em up here in the Great White North. I find dealing with passive-agressive fucktards requires my most cheerful expression and a lot of icy coolness. Try writing his name on the bottom of your shoe. You will walk on him all day and when he's talking to you, rub him into the ground. Believe it or not, I found this wonderfully helpful when I had to deal with my own Q a few years back.

[leethet.livejournal.com]

DO you work for the government? :-) I ask because I do (the American one, of course), and this is PRECISELY, EXACTLY the kind of time-, money-, patience- and brain-cell-wasting exchange that goes on regularly between me and my few intelligent co-workers and the vast majority of officious morons who're running things.

If you're young, you fuss and make waves and think you're going to fix the system. If you're old, you sigh, vent, and remind yourself you're doing this to pay your rent, and that in this economy a lot of hard-working, bright people can't find jobs, that all jobs have stupid people, and that you don't have to take it to heart.

[manna]

Get everything in writing (for while e-mail is very handy). Then when they claim they have previously explained it, you can attach all their previous e-mails and say 'Where?'. This is especially useful if their boss is copied in. Eventually they will realise you're no fun and direct their passive-aggressive asshattery elsewhere. Maybe.