I messed up :(

[thyme4change]

The CEO and the COB called me today and asked me if I was the right person to do something.  I answered truthfully that it wasn't my specialty and they could find someone more qualified who would do a better job.  I didn't then tell them what I am awesome at.  I know they didn't care - but it would have been nice to do a little soft-sell, in case they are looking to cut more heads.  



How often do you self-promote and ring your own bell at work?  I find it works wonders for the people who do it well. 

[Virgil Showlion]

You mean "toot your own horn"?

"Ringing your own bell" implies that you're beating the tar out of yourself. I don't often do that.

[Malarky]

I'm big fish in a little pond.  Part of my success is because I clearly state that:  "This is what I do well, these are my weaknesses, and these are avenues I'd like to explore because I think I can bring something useful to the table."

 I just took 10 weeks off for surgery and went back without being 100%.  But...I made sure to be gone long enough for them to miss the unique things I do, but for it to not hurt the business, it was just inconvenient.  Heading into our busy season, I'm here, I can't physically do it all, but I can lend support and give direction.

I'm a big picture sort of person.  I can see long term and overall.  I think that's a trait shared by many of the YM/not money people.  Are you like that?  I have found in RL that most can't really see down the road and I think it's a very valuable skill in business. 

[thyme4change]

Lawyers use the term "Ring the bell" when they win a big case and make a lot of money.

[Virgil Showlion]

Sept 10, 2013 21:01:22 GMT -5 thyme4change said:

Lawyers use the term "Ring the bell" when they win a big case and make a lot of money.

Ah. Well I learned something new then.

As for tooting my own horn at work, I guess it depends on how you define self-promotion. In some discussions I'll mention projects I've worked on, ideas I've had, papers I've published, etc. It communicates a certain breadth of experience. Do I deliberately throw in favourable adjectives like "the excellent project I worked on", or "the award-winning paper I competently authored"? No. Lauding one's accomplishments comes at evaluation time when the whole purpose is to report one's accomplishments.

[Tennesseer]

Thyme-I imagine they were well aware of your skills.  Otherwise they would never have asked you in the first place.

Our actions and work product often speak louder than words.

[Malarky]

       




                Hating on advertising!!!!  Don't click on red highlighted words in my posts.  It's all an ugly ploy to waste your time. 

[happyscooter]

Years ago I went to work in a medical office.  The company I had been at previously had really beaten me down.  My self esteem was in the toilet and I no longer thought I could even walk down the street right.  The office manager in the medical office was a super nice person.  After about a month or 2 of me being hired, one of the bookkeepers gave her notice.  The office manager approached me and asked if I was interested in the job.  I had 0 experience and again felt like I couldn't add 2 + 2 with a pencil and piece of paper.  I declined the position.  The new girl didn't know much more than I did but picked it right up with training.  I vowed never again to say 'no' to any opportunity that I was offered.

Thyme, type up what you are GREAT at and be prepared the next time 'opportunity' comes knocking. 

[thyme4change]

Well - this wasn't an opportunity for me.  It was doing stuff I am not interested in, for a division that is in the toilet.  When they asked me to do some analysis and reporting on the division, I was all over it (a month ago) but now they want to reassign me to do their accounting because their balance sheet is all jacked up.  I am not a great accountant, and balance sheet reconciliations bore the life out of me.  

I am hoping that when they shop this around, they are told the best way to do this is to merge it in with another division and have me continue to do the reporting and analysis and parse out the accounting to the team I work with.  That way, they have a specialist working on each piece, rather than one person trying to do it - top to bottom.  Keeps me visible and gives other people the opportunity to save the day.  We can all look like heroes.

[Pants]

Did you tell them what you think the best way is? If not, write an email or pull one ofthem aside and say "You know, I was thinking about the problem of X division. I still don't think it's the right place for me, but I think if we merged it with Y division it might really work for A, B, C reasons. Let me know if you'd like to discuss further."

[NomoreDramaQ1015]

I admit when I don't know something.  I have the tendency to bite off way more than I can chew and it's backfired in my face professionally in a pretty spectacular manner on two occassions.  I learned from that.

However after I admit I don't know it I offer to learn it, whether that be finding someone who can teach me or reading up on it and teaching myself.  Depends on the project if it's smarter for me to shadow or go at it alone

When I am good at something I don't have a problem tooting my own horn.  I am very good at animal handling and I can practically recite the entire IACUC manual from memory.  I got this job because of that.  I admitted I didn't know 95% of what they were talking about in the interview but they REALLY needed my animal skills so I got offered the job the next day.

Part of it was luck too I happened to be the first to walk in the door with extensive animal experience but I would not have been offered the job if I hadn't made it clear how good I really am.   It's not that hard to slap animal experience on your resume, doesn't mean you were good at it, just means you worked in a lab with animals.

[Abby Normal]

I often get asked to do things I'm less than stellar at. I usually go with- I have no idea what I'm doing, but I'll give it a go.  We don't have a big staff and someone needs to do it.

I had to do one project and I felt like I had been dropped in the middle of a foreign country and didn't speak the language.  It was awful, but I managed.  Lots of job security now, because I'm the only who can speak the language and make it happen.  It would not have been my first choice- it was a horribly painful process. and completely unrelated to accounting (my field).

[Regis]

Never make promises you know you cannot keep...either with employers or clients.

[greeniis10]

I would definitely do what bsbound suggested: go back to them (preferrably in person, but in email if necessary) and tell them you've been thinking about it and may have another solution. 

Helps you with the negative feeling of regret (or, like you said, that you "messed up") and it helps them strategize.  If you do it, let us know how it goes!

[mmhmm]

Sept 11, 2013 12:06:28 GMT -5 greeniis10 said:

I would definitely do what bsbound suggested: go back to them (preferrably in person, but in email if necessary) and tell them you've been thinking about it and may have another solution. 

Helps you with the negative feeling of regret (or, like you said, that you "messed up") and it helps them strategize.  If you do it, let us know how it goes!

Doing as bsbound suggested also makes it clear you have a real interest in what's going to work, and what's good for the company.  It also shows you've really given it some thought.

[swamp]

Sept 10, 2013 21:01:22 GMT -5 thyme4change said:

Lawyers use the term "Ring the bell" when they win a big case and make a lot of money.

No wonder I've never heard it used that way.

[Bob Ross]

Sept 10, 2013 20:41:09 GMT -5 thyme4change said:

The CEO and the COB called me today and asked me if I was the right person to do something.  I answered truthfully that it wasn't my specialty and they could find someone more qualified who would do a better job.  I didn't then tell them what I am awesome at.  I know they didn't care - but it would have been nice to do a little soft-sell, in case they are looking to cut more heads.  

So you basically told a couple of C-types to eff off and get someone else to do it?

You are my new hero.

[973beachbum]

Sept 10, 2013 20:58:04 GMT -5 Virgil Showlion said:

You mean "toot your own horn"?

"Ringing your own bell" implies that you're beating the tar out of yourself. I don't often do that.

Is that what the kids are calling it now?

[thyme4change]

Sept 11, 2013 15:05:13 GMT -5 Bob Ross said:

Sept 10, 2013 20:41:09 GMT -5 thyme4change said:

The CEO and the COB called me today and asked me if I was the right person to do something.  I answered truthfully that it wasn't my specialty and they could find someone more qualified who would do a better job.  I didn't then tell them what I am awesome at.  I know they didn't care - but it would have been nice to do a little soft-sell, in case they are looking to cut more heads.  

So you basically told a couple of C-types to eff off and get someone else to do it?

You are my new hero.

Well - sort of.   But today I got a couple of VPs calling me and I was much clearer with them that they needed to eff off and get someone else to do it.  I told them I would not do their admin's job, and if it was very important to them, I would gladly train a temp to do the work.  I am blown away at how little courage these two had.  They are totally afraid to hire a temp.  Seriously, they both have signing power up to $10k with no additional oversight.  How much could a temp cost for a couple of weeks?  I'm already doing the job of two and a half people, I'm not going to become the department admin, too.

[Deleted]

I think thyme said the right thing.  You could not follow that up with a 'but I'm awesome at it' without getting the work dumped on you.

They are looking for an easy solution because they don't know what needs to be done at the detail level and are not able to train anyone or probably even vette them for the right skill set.  

Offering to train a temp was the right way to approach it if there isn't anyone else to do the training.

[happyscooter]

I thought 'ringing your bell' meant something else.  Remember the 70s song 'You can ring my bell, ring my bell'. 

Now I have to google it.

[happyscooter]

Anita Ward.  1 hit wonder.

[Deleted]

Sept 11, 2013 12:14:32 GMT -5 swamp said:

Sept 10, 2013 21:01:22 GMT -5 thyme4change said:

Lawyers use the term "Ring the bell" when they win a big case and make a lot of money.

No wonder I've never heard it used that way.

I have never heard it used that way, or by any attorney I have worked with.

Are you sure you aren't confusing it with the other term attorneys use:  Un-ring the bell?  Meaning you can't un-ring a bell just like a person can't "un-hear" testimony once it is said (even if the judge tells them to ignore it).

At any rate, I want to hear how this whole thing works out for thyme.