Yesterday I lost a client.
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This sounds very much like the reddit-yarn from years past when hubris in an old house restoration led to cascading failures. Linking here for the schadenfreude.
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UPDATE: I just had a talk with two of the owners (whom I've known for years) and one of the young developers who was on yesterday's call. She confirmed that this manager's behavior was unmanageable. High-strung and narcissistic, he had apparently been let go from his previous company due to his inability to work with colleagues and owners alike. It seems he was even trying to boss the owners around.
To make a long story short, the entire sysadmin team threatened to quit if I stopped collaborating with the company. As a result, the owners summoned the manager in the late morning, and he resigned. They are reverting to the previous management structure (led by one of the owners). They might drop a few projects, but they said they prefer returning to a more "human" way of running the business - which is what always set them apart in the past.
I told them I'll think about it. If things are truly as they say (and I have no reason to doubt them yet), I'll propose a 6-month trial collaboration to see how things actually evolve. I'm aware it's easy to "pass the buck" - was it really just the manager's fault, or are the owners using him as a scapegoat now that things went south? However, given our history, I'm willing to give them the benefit of the doubt for now.
UPDATE: One of the company owners (whom I've known for many years and is a good person) has asked to speak with me in about fifteen minutes. I've agreed. I'm curious to see what he has to say. I'll update this post after the call.
Original post:
Yesterday I lost a client. And I couldn't be happier about it.
It's a long-standing client, but the management changed a few months ago. On Monday, they requested an emergency intervention, which I handled immediately.
On Tuesday (yesterday, evening), they asked for a non-urgent enhancement to be closed by Wednesday evening. I explained that due to various reasons (including urgent family matters), I wouldn't be able to finish the task before Friday. That's when the lecturing started: they told me they set tight deadlines even for non-emergencies because "that's the proper way to do things", and anyone working with them must respect them without exception.
I requested a video call to clarify. I explained that the work requires nearly a full day and that I simply couldn't close it by Wednesday. Even the physical time required to copy the data exceeded their deadline. But the new management believes that by applying pressure, you can overcome anything. Even the laws of physics.
Their response was sarcastic: "Our requests take priority, even if you are dying". I smiled and reiterated that I had no other way. "We will therefore have to find a new consultant who respects our timing", they said.
My response: "Okay. Our agreement expired on 31st December. I was waiting for a renewal, but it never arrived. Meaning, I have no legal obligations toward you. You have the data, the passwords, everything. Have a great day.".
The manager, annoyed and failing to understand the implications, replied: "Fine, we’ll look for someone younger with fewer family ties to manage.".
This morning, the phone rang. It was the manager, asking me to reconsider. His tone remained contemptuous, so I told him my decision was final. Two minutes later, I got a call from their biggest client - the one responsible for over 50% of their revenue. They had been notified I was leaving and informed the company they would also leave if I was no longer the one supervising their machines.
I called the manager back, friendly, trying to see if they were willing to change their attitude - to move from peremptory orders to requests between human beings. He started talking about "suing for damages" if they lost their main client because of me (to be clear: I am not taking that client for myself).
I don’t know how this story will evolve, but right now, I'm just enjoying a breath of fresh air outside my window.
#IT #FreelanceLife #WorkLifeBalance #ToxicManagement #TechLife #Consulting #SelfEmployed
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UPDATE: I just had a talk with two of the owners (whom I've known for years) and one of the young developers who was on yesterday's call. She confirmed that this manager's behavior was unmanageable. High-strung and narcissistic, he had apparently been let go from his previous company due to his inability to work with colleagues and owners alike. It seems he was even trying to boss the owners around.
To make a long story short, the entire sysadmin team threatened to quit if I stopped collaborating with the company. As a result, the owners summoned the manager in the late morning, and he resigned. They are reverting to the previous management structure (led by one of the owners). They might drop a few projects, but they said they prefer returning to a more "human" way of running the business - which is what always set them apart in the past.
I told them I'll think about it. If things are truly as they say (and I have no reason to doubt them yet), I'll propose a 6-month trial collaboration to see how things actually evolve. I'm aware it's easy to "pass the buck" - was it really just the manager's fault, or are the owners using him as a scapegoat now that things went south? However, given our history, I'm willing to give them the benefit of the doubt for now.
UPDATE: One of the company owners (whom I've known for many years and is a good person) has asked to speak with me in about fifteen minutes. I've agreed. I'm curious to see what he has to say. I'll update this post after the call.
Original post:
Yesterday I lost a client. And I couldn't be happier about it.
It's a long-standing client, but the management changed a few months ago. On Monday, they requested an emergency intervention, which I handled immediately.
On Tuesday (yesterday, evening), they asked for a non-urgent enhancement to be closed by Wednesday evening. I explained that due to various reasons (including urgent family matters), I wouldn't be able to finish the task before Friday. That's when the lecturing started: they told me they set tight deadlines even for non-emergencies because "that's the proper way to do things", and anyone working with them must respect them without exception.
I requested a video call to clarify. I explained that the work requires nearly a full day and that I simply couldn't close it by Wednesday. Even the physical time required to copy the data exceeded their deadline. But the new management believes that by applying pressure, you can overcome anything. Even the laws of physics.
Their response was sarcastic: "Our requests take priority, even if you are dying". I smiled and reiterated that I had no other way. "We will therefore have to find a new consultant who respects our timing", they said.
My response: "Okay. Our agreement expired on 31st December. I was waiting for a renewal, but it never arrived. Meaning, I have no legal obligations toward you. You have the data, the passwords, everything. Have a great day.".
The manager, annoyed and failing to understand the implications, replied: "Fine, we’ll look for someone younger with fewer family ties to manage.".
This morning, the phone rang. It was the manager, asking me to reconsider. His tone remained contemptuous, so I told him my decision was final. Two minutes later, I got a call from their biggest client - the one responsible for over 50% of their revenue. They had been notified I was leaving and informed the company they would also leave if I was no longer the one supervising their machines.
I called the manager back, friendly, trying to see if they were willing to change their attitude - to move from peremptory orders to requests between human beings. He started talking about "suing for damages" if they lost their main client because of me (to be clear: I am not taking that client for myself).
I don’t know how this story will evolve, but right now, I'm just enjoying a breath of fresh air outside my window.
#IT #FreelanceLife #WorkLifeBalance #ToxicManagement #TechLife #Consulting #SelfEmployed
> “High-strung and narcissistic, he had apparently been let go from his previous company due to his inability to work with colleagues and owners alike. It seems he was even trying to boss the owners around.”
As someone looking hard for work and *not* a high-strung narcissist, I’d be interested to know how that guy got hired at your place.
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@radioclash @stefano No, it's never just "one bad apple" - that's the point of the proverb.
One bad apple spoils the whole barrel.
https://www.merriam-webster.com/wordplay/one-bad-apple-spoil-the-barrel-metaphor-phrase
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UPDATE: I just had a talk with two of the owners (whom I've known for years) and one of the young developers who was on yesterday's call. She confirmed that this manager's behavior was unmanageable. High-strung and narcissistic, he had apparently been let go from his previous company due to his inability to work with colleagues and owners alike. It seems he was even trying to boss the owners around.
To make a long story short, the entire sysadmin team threatened to quit if I stopped collaborating with the company. As a result, the owners summoned the manager in the late morning, and he resigned. They are reverting to the previous management structure (led by one of the owners). They might drop a few projects, but they said they prefer returning to a more "human" way of running the business - which is what always set them apart in the past.
I told them I'll think about it. If things are truly as they say (and I have no reason to doubt them yet), I'll propose a 6-month trial collaboration to see how things actually evolve. I'm aware it's easy to "pass the buck" - was it really just the manager's fault, or are the owners using him as a scapegoat now that things went south? However, given our history, I'm willing to give them the benefit of the doubt for now.
UPDATE: One of the company owners (whom I've known for many years and is a good person) has asked to speak with me in about fifteen minutes. I've agreed. I'm curious to see what he has to say. I'll update this post after the call.
Original post:
Yesterday I lost a client. And I couldn't be happier about it.
It's a long-standing client, but the management changed a few months ago. On Monday, they requested an emergency intervention, which I handled immediately.
On Tuesday (yesterday, evening), they asked for a non-urgent enhancement to be closed by Wednesday evening. I explained that due to various reasons (including urgent family matters), I wouldn't be able to finish the task before Friday. That's when the lecturing started: they told me they set tight deadlines even for non-emergencies because "that's the proper way to do things", and anyone working with them must respect them without exception.
I requested a video call to clarify. I explained that the work requires nearly a full day and that I simply couldn't close it by Wednesday. Even the physical time required to copy the data exceeded their deadline. But the new management believes that by applying pressure, you can overcome anything. Even the laws of physics.
Their response was sarcastic: "Our requests take priority, even if you are dying". I smiled and reiterated that I had no other way. "We will therefore have to find a new consultant who respects our timing", they said.
My response: "Okay. Our agreement expired on 31st December. I was waiting for a renewal, but it never arrived. Meaning, I have no legal obligations toward you. You have the data, the passwords, everything. Have a great day.".
The manager, annoyed and failing to understand the implications, replied: "Fine, we’ll look for someone younger with fewer family ties to manage.".
This morning, the phone rang. It was the manager, asking me to reconsider. His tone remained contemptuous, so I told him my decision was final. Two minutes later, I got a call from their biggest client - the one responsible for over 50% of their revenue. They had been notified I was leaving and informed the company they would also leave if I was no longer the one supervising their machines.
I called the manager back, friendly, trying to see if they were willing to change their attitude - to move from peremptory orders to requests between human beings. He started talking about "suing for damages" if they lost their main client because of me (to be clear: I am not taking that client for myself).
I don’t know how this story will evolve, but right now, I'm just enjoying a breath of fresh air outside my window.
#IT #FreelanceLife #WorkLifeBalance #ToxicManagement #TechLife #Consulting #SelfEmployed
@stefano Ed Zitron would call that guy a “business idiot”
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True (for those joining later: the writer dies in the middle of the process updates, and the wife finishes the story based on information she gets from his husband's friend).
Though I would say that the original writer seemed like a person who would enjoy being remembered as a good storyteller, so laughing for the story is a good way to honour him.
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UPDATE: I just had a talk with two of the owners (whom I've known for years) and one of the young developers who was on yesterday's call. She confirmed that this manager's behavior was unmanageable. High-strung and narcissistic, he had apparently been let go from his previous company due to his inability to work with colleagues and owners alike. It seems he was even trying to boss the owners around.
To make a long story short, the entire sysadmin team threatened to quit if I stopped collaborating with the company. As a result, the owners summoned the manager in the late morning, and he resigned. They are reverting to the previous management structure (led by one of the owners). They might drop a few projects, but they said they prefer returning to a more "human" way of running the business - which is what always set them apart in the past.
I told them I'll think about it. If things are truly as they say (and I have no reason to doubt them yet), I'll propose a 6-month trial collaboration to see how things actually evolve. I'm aware it's easy to "pass the buck" - was it really just the manager's fault, or are the owners using him as a scapegoat now that things went south? However, given our history, I'm willing to give them the benefit of the doubt for now.
UPDATE: One of the company owners (whom I've known for many years and is a good person) has asked to speak with me in about fifteen minutes. I've agreed. I'm curious to see what he has to say. I'll update this post after the call.
Original post:
Yesterday I lost a client. And I couldn't be happier about it.
It's a long-standing client, but the management changed a few months ago. On Monday, they requested an emergency intervention, which I handled immediately.
On Tuesday (yesterday, evening), they asked for a non-urgent enhancement to be closed by Wednesday evening. I explained that due to various reasons (including urgent family matters), I wouldn't be able to finish the task before Friday. That's when the lecturing started: they told me they set tight deadlines even for non-emergencies because "that's the proper way to do things", and anyone working with them must respect them without exception.
I requested a video call to clarify. I explained that the work requires nearly a full day and that I simply couldn't close it by Wednesday. Even the physical time required to copy the data exceeded their deadline. But the new management believes that by applying pressure, you can overcome anything. Even the laws of physics.
Their response was sarcastic: "Our requests take priority, even if you are dying". I smiled and reiterated that I had no other way. "We will therefore have to find a new consultant who respects our timing", they said.
My response: "Okay. Our agreement expired on 31st December. I was waiting for a renewal, but it never arrived. Meaning, I have no legal obligations toward you. You have the data, the passwords, everything. Have a great day.".
The manager, annoyed and failing to understand the implications, replied: "Fine, we’ll look for someone younger with fewer family ties to manage.".
This morning, the phone rang. It was the manager, asking me to reconsider. His tone remained contemptuous, so I told him my decision was final. Two minutes later, I got a call from their biggest client - the one responsible for over 50% of their revenue. They had been notified I was leaving and informed the company they would also leave if I was no longer the one supervising their machines.
I called the manager back, friendly, trying to see if they were willing to change their attitude - to move from peremptory orders to requests between human beings. He started talking about "suing for damages" if they lost their main client because of me (to be clear: I am not taking that client for myself).
I don’t know how this story will evolve, but right now, I'm just enjoying a breath of fresh air outside my window.
#IT #FreelanceLife #WorkLifeBalance #ToxicManagement #TechLife #Consulting #SelfEmployed
@stefano the thanks is to our #trident #pitchfork #trinity #troika #tripod - guess it is still a working title - of #theforkiverse @pj @Casey @kevin
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UPDATE: I just had a talk with two of the owners (whom I've known for years) and one of the young developers who was on yesterday's call. She confirmed that this manager's behavior was unmanageable. High-strung and narcissistic, he had apparently been let go from his previous company due to his inability to work with colleagues and owners alike. It seems he was even trying to boss the owners around.
To make a long story short, the entire sysadmin team threatened to quit if I stopped collaborating with the company. As a result, the owners summoned the manager in the late morning, and he resigned. They are reverting to the previous management structure (led by one of the owners). They might drop a few projects, but they said they prefer returning to a more "human" way of running the business - which is what always set them apart in the past.
I told them I'll think about it. If things are truly as they say (and I have no reason to doubt them yet), I'll propose a 6-month trial collaboration to see how things actually evolve. I'm aware it's easy to "pass the buck" - was it really just the manager's fault, or are the owners using him as a scapegoat now that things went south? However, given our history, I'm willing to give them the benefit of the doubt for now.
UPDATE: One of the company owners (whom I've known for many years and is a good person) has asked to speak with me in about fifteen minutes. I've agreed. I'm curious to see what he has to say. I'll update this post after the call.
Original post:
Yesterday I lost a client. And I couldn't be happier about it.
It's a long-standing client, but the management changed a few months ago. On Monday, they requested an emergency intervention, which I handled immediately.
On Tuesday (yesterday, evening), they asked for a non-urgent enhancement to be closed by Wednesday evening. I explained that due to various reasons (including urgent family matters), I wouldn't be able to finish the task before Friday. That's when the lecturing started: they told me they set tight deadlines even for non-emergencies because "that's the proper way to do things", and anyone working with them must respect them without exception.
I requested a video call to clarify. I explained that the work requires nearly a full day and that I simply couldn't close it by Wednesday. Even the physical time required to copy the data exceeded their deadline. But the new management believes that by applying pressure, you can overcome anything. Even the laws of physics.
Their response was sarcastic: "Our requests take priority, even if you are dying". I smiled and reiterated that I had no other way. "We will therefore have to find a new consultant who respects our timing", they said.
My response: "Okay. Our agreement expired on 31st December. I was waiting for a renewal, but it never arrived. Meaning, I have no legal obligations toward you. You have the data, the passwords, everything. Have a great day.".
The manager, annoyed and failing to understand the implications, replied: "Fine, we’ll look for someone younger with fewer family ties to manage.".
This morning, the phone rang. It was the manager, asking me to reconsider. His tone remained contemptuous, so I told him my decision was final. Two minutes later, I got a call from their biggest client - the one responsible for over 50% of their revenue. They had been notified I was leaving and informed the company they would also leave if I was no longer the one supervising their machines.
I called the manager back, friendly, trying to see if they were willing to change their attitude - to move from peremptory orders to requests between human beings. He started talking about "suing for damages" if they lost their main client because of me (to be clear: I am not taking that client for myself).
I don’t know how this story will evolve, but right now, I'm just enjoying a breath of fresh air outside my window.
#IT #FreelanceLife #WorkLifeBalance #ToxicManagement #TechLife #Consulting #SelfEmployed
@stefano glad to see the update is positive. I hope it all works out for you. I would still encourage you to put an SLA in place in case they restructure again or the management gets bought out or something. It'll make life easier for you.
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UPDATE: I just had a talk with two of the owners (whom I've known for years) and one of the young developers who was on yesterday's call. She confirmed that this manager's behavior was unmanageable. High-strung and narcissistic, he had apparently been let go from his previous company due to his inability to work with colleagues and owners alike. It seems he was even trying to boss the owners around.
To make a long story short, the entire sysadmin team threatened to quit if I stopped collaborating with the company. As a result, the owners summoned the manager in the late morning, and he resigned. They are reverting to the previous management structure (led by one of the owners). They might drop a few projects, but they said they prefer returning to a more "human" way of running the business - which is what always set them apart in the past.
I told them I'll think about it. If things are truly as they say (and I have no reason to doubt them yet), I'll propose a 6-month trial collaboration to see how things actually evolve. I'm aware it's easy to "pass the buck" - was it really just the manager's fault, or are the owners using him as a scapegoat now that things went south? However, given our history, I'm willing to give them the benefit of the doubt for now.
UPDATE: One of the company owners (whom I've known for many years and is a good person) has asked to speak with me in about fifteen minutes. I've agreed. I'm curious to see what he has to say. I'll update this post after the call.
Original post:
Yesterday I lost a client. And I couldn't be happier about it.
It's a long-standing client, but the management changed a few months ago. On Monday, they requested an emergency intervention, which I handled immediately.
On Tuesday (yesterday, evening), they asked for a non-urgent enhancement to be closed by Wednesday evening. I explained that due to various reasons (including urgent family matters), I wouldn't be able to finish the task before Friday. That's when the lecturing started: they told me they set tight deadlines even for non-emergencies because "that's the proper way to do things", and anyone working with them must respect them without exception.
I requested a video call to clarify. I explained that the work requires nearly a full day and that I simply couldn't close it by Wednesday. Even the physical time required to copy the data exceeded their deadline. But the new management believes that by applying pressure, you can overcome anything. Even the laws of physics.
Their response was sarcastic: "Our requests take priority, even if you are dying". I smiled and reiterated that I had no other way. "We will therefore have to find a new consultant who respects our timing", they said.
My response: "Okay. Our agreement expired on 31st December. I was waiting for a renewal, but it never arrived. Meaning, I have no legal obligations toward you. You have the data, the passwords, everything. Have a great day.".
The manager, annoyed and failing to understand the implications, replied: "Fine, we’ll look for someone younger with fewer family ties to manage.".
This morning, the phone rang. It was the manager, asking me to reconsider. His tone remained contemptuous, so I told him my decision was final. Two minutes later, I got a call from their biggest client - the one responsible for over 50% of their revenue. They had been notified I was leaving and informed the company they would also leave if I was no longer the one supervising their machines.
I called the manager back, friendly, trying to see if they were willing to change their attitude - to move from peremptory orders to requests between human beings. He started talking about "suing for damages" if they lost their main client because of me (to be clear: I am not taking that client for myself).
I don’t know how this story will evolve, but right now, I'm just enjoying a breath of fresh air outside my window.
#IT #FreelanceLife #WorkLifeBalance #ToxicManagement #TechLife #Consulting #SelfEmployed
@stefano Sounds like you’re in the perfect position to: raise rates by ~5x, and get a lawyer to write into your next contract a long list of terms that are non-negotiable for you. Or just continue to tell them to fuck off. Good luck :)
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@stefano Sounds like you’re in the perfect position to: raise rates by ~5x, and get a lawyer to write into your next contract a long list of terms that are non-negotiable for you. Or just continue to tell them to fuck off. Good luck :)
@caleb eheh thanks
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