How To Deal With A Crappy Boss??!!

CrpntrFrk

are you early in the morning?
Do you stay later if need be?
Do you have your own tools?
Do you have your own truck?
Probably not! So get your lazy, no good, i want but don't give, sorry ass back to work!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Did i you ask!!!!!!!!
Yes god damn it, i did!
Even when i made 10 sorry bucks an hour!!!
Welcome to construction dude!

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DO IT!! DO IT!! DO IT!!

genecarp

You sound like one of my guys- are you ?

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plazaman

you are a new guy, he wants you to be on point. like somone mentioned before, give them an inch, theyll take a mile.

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Westchester Remodeling Contractor
Hartsdale Remodeling Contractor
Ardsley Remodeling Contractor

Rockhound

First of all:be GLAD, be VERY GLAD, you don't get piece rate. Or if you DO then it doesn't MATTER how long you take break ,it's YOUR loss of overall daily wages.
Does he pay well or just acceptable? Does he simply TELL you these things or SCREAM them at you? Feelings are not for the jobsite,and after 24 years on jobsites from blacktop to drywall to concrete and back to drywall even I forget this for a few seconds once in a great while.

Solutions( IF he's worth sticking with)
Let your work speak for itself,do a good quality job and don't make him have to ride you about it. Make yourself valuable and he MAY ease up a bit.
Follow his orders exactly and if possible expand on them to make yourself more than just labor. Remember: what you learn from bosses/GC's goes to knowledge of what to do or not to do in building up to running your own business.
BE EARLY! Get to the job as early as possible and maybe even do a little prep ahead of punching in....have your tools ready( if theyre right in the main path he'l definitely notice this ) do a few things that will speed up completion,something not TOO heavy or involved but SOMEthing that shows forethought and initiative.
Be polite to the homo's... errrr homeowners but also politely avoid actual conversations (ie "I just do the ______" not "***** off") this way you aren't a liability on his reputation but also not seen as trying to go over his head.

I'm not saying any of this is easy,because it isn't...taking orders from others goes against our nature but it's life....you didn't pick a career known for pampering egos,smileyhandshakes or pats on the back....if you want that then run for office....but if you manage to survive you'll at least gain real self confidence instead of youthful cockiness and will make out better either with him OR someone who's worth working for. IF he IS simply an *sshole then it will help your rep with other builders,etc that you maintained a professional attitude.
I've had good bosses that were abrasive/abusive/finicky and those that were ONLY good at the *sshole part and left the actual skill to those who could. Either way you do your best,don't kid yourself either.....you know when you've done 110% and when you haven't.

Good Luck,you might go far kid.

wallmaxx

I am a solo operation for this exact reason....finding self-disciplined, motivated, hard working, competent helpers is near impossible. I have zero tolerance for slackers, whiners, and complainers.

People here have already answered the OP.

Be the perfect employee. If the guy still makes you feel abused....start your own show.

Rockhound

LOL yeah I forgot to mention that. I tend to treat everyone as subs...if they can't get up in the morning for thier own self respect then they don't need to get up at all.

Snobnd

I have seen both sides of this coin,
First I started as a laborer in Orlando fla as a grunt do what ever was asked (1976) Block tender, carpenter helper 78 - Sure I was a little slow ( I was learning) But I didn't piss and moan I showed up for work 20min before- when the boss showed up I got my ass out of the truck and went to work (didn't matter what time it was) bust your a## all day long (bs it's called working in construction) soon I was working harder and faster then most! Near the end of the job the PINK slip came, my boss gave me mine and said come back on Monday (shut your mouth) I look at the slip NOTHING was on it- Because I kept my yap shut EVERY day.

I have worked for some Pricks, jerks, stoners, dickheads...ect But I just did what needed to be done and got paid for it- I won over most of the guys I worked for ( some were a lost cause) I learned from some real good older guys ( some hacks) lol - I have done concrete,bridge work, roofing, siding, framing, windows, carpet and flooring, remolding, rehab, insulation, cabinets, the list goes on. (man I must be old) I have been ripped off - pissed on - over paid ( few jobs) under paid (more then I liked) BUT #1 thing never changed - My love for the work and challenges'! Lose that and your done!

You may work for a jerk - but if you let it get to you. You will end up like the guy you work for..... The job is not pretty, its not even a clean job
Hell I bet there might be stuff on the floor from another tradesman in your way (the nerve) GET OVER IT he has a job also.

If you are not prepared,or able to deal with it. ask your self this question.......................................... .................................................. ....................





Do you want fry's with that?

Now shut up and get back to work!!!!!!

Graham J

Richard123,
I have to say that your boss is going to do certain things that you aren't going to like. I am also going to quote half (or so) the rest of the gentlemen on this thread and say this: If you want to get ahead in this business, then you had better work. This is not a daycare, and your boss is trying to make a living, too. I am guessing that you are not that old, and have probably never had anyone under you on a job. Let me say this, BEING A BOSS IS HIGHLY OVERRATED. (Sorry for the internet scream). If you ever get to that level of responsibility you will see what I mean. If you are there, or have been, my sincere apologies for ripping into you. If you improve on everything that he has told you to do, and then try to outthink him and do more than he asks, you will be the last to get laid off when work is slow.
By the way, That is exactly how I started.
Hope that helps you figure out how to deal with a "crappy boss." Sounds like he is actually quite reasonable, and may even start a thread himself on how to deal with a "crappy employee?" Just a thought.
All the best for success,
Graham

richard123

I think i may have worded this post slightly wrong. now reading over it i can see who i may have came across like a snobby adolesent.

answering some of your many questions, i turn up to work early every morning and mostly stay late on most days, i am always willing to succeed and impove, taking pride in every task i am assigned.

the problem i do have is more bullying for example when i have just started a specific task straight away he will be telling me to hurry up, name calling for example and belittleing me.

I hope some of you could advise me more wisely this time.

Celtic

Nah...I don't think so.

You still are left with 2 choices, I have worded them differently this time:
Put your big girl panties on and quit, start your own
Pull your big girl panties down, bend over and take it like a man


BTW.... underlining every single word is quite gay

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mickeyco

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Some people climb mountains. I take out the trash. But we both do it for the same reason.

Snobnd

I thought my last post gave a little of everything??? What are you asking for ? How to put caulk in his nail pouch, Or maybe nail the thing to the floor. No matter what we tell you - it won't fit your situation.
Don't get me wrong I'm not picking on ya - it's just the way it in this business
He is not your father, brother, respect is earned "not given" if it sill bothers you - 1. get another job 2. tell him off in front of the guys at lunch on Friday. (go back to #1) Kick his a@@ (<1) We all went through it!

rotarex

come work for me dude. take all the breaks, smoke breaks, talk on the phone, dont show up ect ect, but when i dont pay dont complane, and when you run off to do your own thing, dont say i didnt warn you about the bad economy either, 1st of all there is no such thing as a crappy boss, reason being if he/she was crappy they wont be in business, i have worked for lots of so called loosers in the past and i took it as a learning lesson, keep your eyse and ears open and you will be the son he never had, but my offer still stands for you tho, and you can be the son i never had

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Custom Decks
Custom aquarium all salt water
Renovation
next on my list............planting trees for all those material i used

rotarex

ill tell ya something i worked at a gym for a year and the boss way my age, he promised raises, this that and i never got like 4 of them in a year i stayed there because it was 5 min from my house, but that guy has went bankrupt like 3 times and his momma pulled him out and because hes in a community, a rich one in the Toronto area they helped his ass, after i left 2 weeks in 5 more left, now that's a crappy boss, if your boss is like this then boogie from there, if you know you are good at what you do, ..............do like me when i didnt have my own........offer your service to a contractor for free for 1 week and if he has no reason to fire you till the end of the month you get paied for that week, .......................this way is bullit proof, shows you are not in for wasting time and money

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Custom Decks
Custom aquarium all salt water
Renovation
next on my list............planting trees for all those material i used

drive55cat

A classic question," Fight or run". You decide.

tinner666

Lots of good advice here. I'm kinda lost on one thing though. What's a 'lunch break' ??? I'm familiar with my aluminum and shop breaks, but not this lunch one.

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Frank Slate Roof Repairs, Richmond, Va.

K2

Fire him!!

K2

Take a lunch. it's healthy and life is short.

PA woodbutcher

No kidding it's short Mine usually consists of grabbing a sandwich from the lunch pail, a cup of coffee from the thermos and walking or standing back and surveying a particular situation. Then I set the coffee down shove half the sandwich in my mouth, break out the tape and 9 out of 10 times go back to work. I like to take lunch when I find an opening in the work rather than to stop in the middle of a particular project.

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'The trouble with our liberal friends is not that they're ignorant; it's just that they know so much that isn't so.' - Ronald Reagan

Bodger

I absolutely have to get a spit guard for my monitor...