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Tell the client the truth

9 replies [Last post]
Wed, 2008-02-27 04:52
Frans Lasut
User offline. Last seen 15 years 29 weeks ago. Offline
Joined: 13 Jun 2006
Posts: 26
Groups: Petro-Chem / Oil & Gas
What will you do if your boss tell not to tell the truth to the client?


Please advise
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Replies

Thu, 2008-03-20 15:24
#1
Cyril Armentia
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Joined: 22 Feb 2003
Posts: 23
Groups: Petro-Chem / Oil & Gas
Hi,

I know it’s not easy to deal with that situation. Before you tell a lie, ask your boss if he will support you whenever the client questions about the things you are hiding or you can discuss with your boss if what answer that both of you will give to please the client.

Well, there are many reasons why you have to tell a lie. Some are good and some are bad. And they call it ’white lies’. It maybe politics, formality of the contract, or saving somebody from jumping out of the building. You will be use to it at you go along. As long as it is done once in a blue moon, you don’t need to worry.

If you do it every monthly report, then look for place to hide for yourself.

Or you ask yourself who is paying your salary. If your boss won’t support you. Prepare yourself to embrace your updated CV and distribute it to diferent companies. Find some place that you are comfortable to work.

Cyril
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Mon, 2008-03-03 08:43
#2
Mangesh Khuspe
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Joined: 10 Apr 2007
Posts: 162
Groups: Building Information Modelling, Pinoy Planning Planet Community
Hi
honesty is the best policy, but sometimes you have to be honest in a different way, give the poison to somebody but poison should taste good.
use ur contacts on client side & if anybody in higher management who can help you with this.
cheers,

Mangesh
P.S I totally agree with Andrew, this all are politics of Job, the sooner you learn them, the better for you.
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Mon, 2008-03-03 07:47
#3
Andrew Flowerdew
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Joined: 14 Dec 2004
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Frans,

In the long run honesty is the best policy BUT I’d like £1 for every project where it isn’t followed. Sadly for a million and one reasons, the parties end up telling one another half the truth or sometimes outright lies - politics of the job.

The best advice given, (if you stay there), is to keep your own records of what you did, conversations had, etc, etc. If you can get your boss to see the light, all the better, but’s he’s probably now dug himself in a hole and so the lying will go on.
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Sat, 2008-03-01 03:44
#4
Frans Lasut
User offline. Last seen 15 years 29 weeks ago. Offline
Joined: 13 Jun 2006
Posts: 26
Groups: Petro-Chem / Oil & Gas
Thanks all for all your suggestions. I will consider that.

But I still belive that the number one (maybe the only one) competency one should have in Project Controls is honesty.




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Thu, 2008-02-28 06:00
#5
Anoon Iimos
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Joined: 22 Sep 2006
Posts: 1422
Groups: Pinoy Planning Planet Community
Telling the truth? I suggest you just leave that to the Lawyers. If you’re doing a good Planning, I supposed it never lies. The problem is, nobody really accepts (or understands) a good Planning!.
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Thu, 2008-02-28 03:37
#6
Chris Oggham
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Joined: 20 May 2004
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Frans,

Darren and Andy have given you really good advice on how to deal with this situation. Mangesh has highlighted what can go wrong if you do what your boss wants. Ultimately you have got to do what you can live with happily, but don’t rush into anything, consider your options carefully.

Chris Oggham
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Thu, 2008-02-28 03:26
#7
Andrew Dick
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Joined: 14 Feb 2007
Posts: 295
Groups: Regional Representatives, The GrapeVine
Darren,
Spot on with the journal, you should always keep marked up schedules with dates on them when you get them back from those who know best.

I have found on almost every,,,,, No Every project I’ve ever worked on the bosses didn’t like the truth. they always had a hard time swallowing the truth, then there is always the report that you have to create to prove that everything is a bed of roses.

I have managed to always find work arounds to the decisions that have restricted the truth getting out. I have used contacts in senior management and even the relationship with the clients planner to ask certian questions of his management so they in turn ask the questions of my management which cause them to actually ask for the truth.

As long as you keep the records and the e-mails and hand written notes, photgraphs of the whiteboards that are created as part of planning discussions, you have half a chance.

Again if this doesn’t work there is always the option to leave. I personally have been glad to leave one of my former employers for that reason.

Andy
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Wed, 2008-02-27 12:54
#8
Darren Kosa
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Joined: 8 Feb 2008
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What to do with a bad boss... any good at making a shiv??

Actually I’ll retract that statement for fear that it might be classed as premeditated if I ever go to trial!! :0

Depending on their sphere of influence you can do one of the following:

Use the upward management technique to find out why they have to lie, can’t they meet the deliverables, cope with the workload, maybe they’re just bad at their job.

Have it out with them, tell them that you know they’re lying to the customer and you want to know why... be prepared to receive your severance payment as soon as you leave the office.

Concentrate on your own goals and do nothing, how will it affect you if you just wait for your boss to be caught out? Make sure it’s only for a few months and not a few years though!!

Ask to work on another project, depending on how respected you are people my start asking why and look at your project environment a little closer.

Look for other employment with another company, a nice easy way out and you can leave them to it.

One thing to definitely do is keep a journal, that way you’ve got a record that you can refer to and cover yourself if you need to.
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Wed, 2008-02-27 05:37
#9
Mangesh Khuspe
User offline. Last seen 28 weeks 3 days ago. Offline
Joined: 10 Apr 2007
Posts: 162
Groups: Building Information Modelling, Pinoy Planning Planet Community
Hi
If that will get his as* in trouble then do not tell it, but if it may backfire on you, then you can tell the truth in a manner, that the client will understand it and u may be saved or find someone from client side who can help you with this.

cheers
mangesh
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