Yesterday I lost a client.
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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 Forza Stefano! thank you for sharing your stories from the trenches, i appreciate it. Remember the words of the great Tom Petty "you can stand me up at the gates of hell, but I won't back down"
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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 That all sounds decidedly less than professional on your client’s side.
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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 Assholes, trained into being worse assholes are going to be assholes 🙄
Nothing like asking an actual local lawyer about the next steps. Who knows maybe you can sue them. Probably threatening to financially ruin someone who is simply not wanting to renew an expired contract isn’t legal. -
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 Sometimes, it's important to fire the customer.
Don't forget to take detailed contemporaneous notes, just in case they do actually employ a lawyer dumb enough to look at this and decide they can get away with suing 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 why not renegotiate your rates to a pfo number and set an SLA?
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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
@stefano good for you!
People who try to plaster over their incompetence with aggression are the pits.
I assume this melon went to school with somebody.
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@stefano Hope this was not the Ndrangheta or similar
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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
Moral of the story: Don't think you can win against The Barista. He's always one step ahead 😄 -
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 we are all rooting for you. Corporatism sucks.
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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 we are all rooting for you. Corporatism sucks.
-
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 we are all rooting for you. Corporatism sucks.
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@stefano Hope this was not the Ndrangheta or similar
@andersgo no, nothing like that. Just one of those managers that thinks they can "win" by being aggressive.
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@stefano why not renegotiate your rates to a pfo number and set an SLA?
@iredave I don't think I want to work with them anymore. Unless they'll hire a new manager.
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@stefano we are all rooting for you. Corporatism sucks.
@stefano something is wrong with my client it seems it has triple vision!
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@stefano we are all rooting for you. Corporatism sucks.
@stefano something is wrong with my client it seems it has triple vision!
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@stefano Sometimes, it's important to fire the customer.
Don't forget to take detailed contemporaneous notes, just in case they do actually employ a lawyer dumb enough to look at this and decide they can get away with suing you.
@psa I will. But they won't do anything.
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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 typical nogoodnick manager BS: more pressure equals more results. Closely followed by: everything can be solved through reprioritization.
NOTHING on the business side is a matter of life and death. If it is you failed way before today.
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@stefano Assholes, trained into being worse assholes are going to be assholes 🙄
Nothing like asking an actual local lawyer about the next steps. Who knows maybe you can sue them. Probably threatening to financially ruin someone who is simply not wanting to renew an expired contract isn’t legal.@santi it should be fine. I asked for a renewal many times, in the last few months, but they had other priorities (like advertising, etc)
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@stefano Forza Stefano! thank you for sharing your stories from the trenches, i appreciate it. Remember the words of the great Tom Petty "you can stand me up at the gates of hell, but I won't back down"
@gtewallace thank Greg!
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Gli ultimi otto messaggi ricevuti dalla Federazione
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Mi abituo a parlare
senza ricevere
una risposta vera.
Questa vita distratta,
frenetica, povera d’attenzione ... https://cctm.website/fiorella-frandolic-italia/Fiorella Frandolic
#FiorellaFrandolic #poesia #cctmwebsite #anoipiaceleggere #leggere
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@Zambunny Credo che @lealternative possa aiutarti.
La principale differenza sta nella crittografia: in Proton diversi servizi, se non tutti, sono cifrati lato server, Infomaniak ha tutto in chiaro.
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Se la tua priorità è privacy forte e un ecosistema personale completo, Proton ha più senso.
Se la tua priorità è collaborazione in team e tanto spazio cloud per utente a costo basso, Infomaniak kSuite tende a essere più conveniente.🙏
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@Zambunny Io li uso entrambi e non sono sovrapponibili al 100%: per me il prodotto Proton irrinunciabile è la VPN, che infomaniak non offre. Mail e Drive sono sovrapponibili, con i prodotti Proton MOLTO più rifiniti, ma su Drive Infomaniak offre una suite completa di collaborazione su documenti, Proton solo testi e fogli di calcolo. kMeet e kChat di Infomaniak non hanno corrispettivi lato Proton. Entrambe le suite offrono poi strumentini comodi misti, io adoro Pass e Authenticator di Proton, e SwissTransfer di Infomaniak. Ultima cosa: Proton costa un botto di più di Infomaniak.
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@Zambunny non ti so aiutare con quelli ma io sto provando murena e mi ci sto trovando bene, l'unico problema che ho avuto fin'ora è che per la mail non gestiscono gli alias personalizzati
(E murena ha un'opzione gratuita https://murena.com/workspace/?wcpbc-manual-country=IT )
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WaPo reports:
"The FBI executed a search warrant Wednesday morning at a Washington Post reporter’s home as part of an investigation into a government contractor accused of illegally retaining classified government materials."
"The reporter, Hannah Natanson, was at her home in Virginia at the time of the search. Federal agents searched her home and her devices, seizing her phone, two laptops and a Garmin watch. One of the laptops was her personal computer, the other a Washington Post-issued laptop."
"It is exceptionally rare for law enforcement officials to conduct searches at reporters’ homes. Federal regulations intended to protect a free press are designed to make it difficult to use aggressive law enforcement tactics against reporters to obtain the identities of their sources or information."
https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2026/01/14/washington-post-reporter-search/
Guardian piece: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jan/14/fbi-raid-washington-post-hannah-natanson
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Opinion | A.I. Is Real. But OpenAI Might Still Fail. – The New York Times https://blog.quintarelli.it/2026/01/opinion-a-i-is-real-but-openai-might-still-fail-the-new-york-times/
