Major Personality Conflict

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(Note: The names are changed to protect the guilty, but the E-mail address is real) It seems so petty, but I can't stand it! My boss' personality grates on me. He is an IT manager that is a spontaneous, no-priority, "just do it now", excessively outgoing, diplomatic and political creature. I am a Computer Programmer/Administrator who is introverted, detail oriented, tediously honest perfectionist who likes stablity and likes to take pride in well planned and well executed projects.

I prefer E-mail messages (something in writing), he prefers verbal, time consuming, very informal, "shoot-the-bull" type communication. I prefer a desk or barrier during verbal communications and he prefers "nose-to-nose". He pretends to know a lot about stuff that I know about. When he tries to fix a problem, he gathers only a little information and just jumps in and try anything and everything. I try to formulate a quick plan to gather more information, and I always try to double check my information, before I try to fix the problem. He just buys whatever his vendor recommends while I try to double check the vendor's information for misinformation. He says one thing and does another. He gives us bad reviews for his failings to make himself look good.

All of this disturbs my inner peace continually. I'm not the only one in the department with the same problem. So far, I have been coping by focusing on my "inflexiblity" while some of my younger co-workers have confronted him on every lie he has said and each time he wastes money. I was rather not do that, since it does no good. Management must know what is going on, but he gives them excuse after excuse for each "failed challenge" given to him.

The question is: Am I being way too inflexible or is there dangerously wrong with the situation? How should I cope with this until I leave?

Thanks, John

-- John Hysmith (jhysmith@hotmail.com), August 21, 2001


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