Is this management?

Much like a typical office we have a Receptionist. And much like a typical office she is wickedly moody. Unlike a typical office, that moodiness is tolerated. Wait, tolerated in not the correct word. Accepted, ignored, and tiptoed around is.

I had a billing issue the other day and guess who takes care of billing issues? I could not understand how an issue could possibly come up; I had done everything for this account except personally inputting the data into the system. I had even spoken with the Receptionist to ensure there was no confusion.

Apparently she billed the account twice for the same thing, which is fine, mistakes happen. The problem I have is she called me and asked me what was wrong with the account. Being that I do not have access to the accounting system I reply in true corporate mediocrity, “I don’t know.” She goes straight to the GM to ask her. The GM promptly logs onto the accounting system, and after 2.5 hours discovers the mistake. The mistake is blatantly the Receptionist’s fault.

The GM, being completely cowed by the Receptionist’s moodiness, blames the problem on me. So, the Receptionist has no idea she made a mistake, making it ridiculously more likely that she will make the mistake in the future. Oh, and she thinks I am the mistake maker, and I do not make mistakes.

This happens again and again. We cannot ever tell her there was an issue. Instead we stealthily sneak around behind her back redoing all of her work. This is just one of the many ways our management ensures the highest productivity and employee growth.