It’s All Your Fault!

Why make a buck when you can just pass one?

Here at Quality Digest, we get a lot of mail: Some of it’s critical, some of it’s praiseworthy, some of it’s cantankerous, and some of it’s challenging. All of it is insightful. And then, every once in awhile, something comes along that simply... well...

The following was sent to us from a reader who shall go nameless, for obvious reasons. It is reputed to be a note from said reader’s boss, a kind and caring sort for whom, obviously, there is no “I” in “blame.” We cannot vouch for the note’s veracity, but can tell you that it was written in shiny gold crayon and adorned with butterflies, flowers, sunbeams, and little “I heart you” signs.

Judge for yourself.

Dear Quality Worker Bee:

…

Want to continue?

By logging in you agree to receive communication from Quality Digest. Privacy Policy.

Create a FREE account

Forgot My Password

Comments

You should write a book...

Seriously, you should solicit similar horror stories from your readers and publish them! Please do it. This reminds me of the stuff people used to post on Scott Adams' Dilbert site when he ran a reader forum. Like the web designer who was denied internet access. Memories of my former bosses:

> The one who told me I had an unhealthy attachment to the Truth - his tone suggested that "truth" was a four-letter word.

> The one who said "You Black Belts sure like to solve problems, don't you" with a note of incredulity. His underling took me out to the floor, explained in detail what the root cause of Problem X was, and didn't bother to verbalize the fact that no-one was going to do anything about it.

> The one who ordered me to find a way to accept thousands of potentially hydrogen-embrittled components and didn't care how I did it. Destructive testing, anyone? The same boss snorted after our guest, the Lean Guru, departed following his pitch. "Takt time! Give me a break."

> See above: their favorite Electroplater, the one who embrittled all the parts, said to us "Send them back - I'll bake them at no charge" which is like saying you can reverse a pregnancy.

Great idea!

Thanks, Dave.... that's a terrific idea! So, to anyone who has a moronic boss, don't suffer in silence... share your sorrow with thousands of your fellow quality professionals so that we can laugh at him/her behind his/her back. I strongly encourage anyone reading this to send me any nasty notes or ridiculous requests from bosses who insist on exhibiting their ignorance of quality issues. No names are necessary. E-mail them to me at mrichman@qualitydigest.com.

Delightful, but…it can’t be from the Boss

First, it is too polite and erudite. There is not a CEO or GM who could write something like this and have it be so saccharine. Where is the boss language? Where are the four letter words, the threats and the outright blame toward the “Quality Guy”? A real top manager would not “suggest” that your job could be outsourced, he/she would tell you to provide a list of quality outsourcing companies.

Second, the person knows far too much quality lingo to be a real Top Manager. The Boss even spelled Deming’s name correctly and mentioned red beads in the same context as management responsibility.

Finally, the boss knows when you leave at night and that you are in every other weekend. How could that be when we all know that bosses work 9:00 to 4:00 Monday through Thursday and 9:00 to 2:00 on Friday.

Its everyones fault -Real world

Quality Control
Some of the best things i faced

No finacial support - reason no budget
Why do calibrate Test certificate?
WHEN PROBLEM OCCURS...(Customer complaint ) WHO IS THE INCHARGE OF QUALITY GET HIM TO FLOOR NOW....

When its revenue issues... who is the quality guy to stop our invoiceing or clearing for dispatch... who has authorised him to interference with other depatment issues...
This is only a few to name

A real Boss wouldn't put this in writing.

Real Bosses beat up their underlings orally: most frankly one-on-one, but sometimes in group/staff meeting settings. The only stuff that gets recorded in writing (if anything is recorded) is vague code-words indicating displeasure but not the real reasons.