On work trip abroad. Colleague gone crazy

[Eastie77]

Just that really. I'm abroad for work, 2 days in a major European city with a client meeting tomorrow morning. I've travelled with a female colleague who, like me, has 2 young DC. When we found out about this trip she messaged me to say she was desperately looking forward to it as she needs a break from the DC and is run ragged juggling everything. I said I totally sympathised and she replied that we should use this trip as an opportunity to get rat arsed on the company's money. I just laughed.

Arrived at the airport this morning for our early flight to find she had already had downed 2 pints but was at least sober. She kicked up a fuss on the plane as there was no alcohol on sale - not massively but enough to embarrass me. Landed and she bought more alcohol and has generally been increasingly drunk, hyper and shrill since saying this is 'her time'. We arrived at the hotel at 3pm and were meant to go over our presentation for tomorrow but I've had zero input from her. I need her to contribute a bunch of slides and practice a demo of the technical solution we are meant to be presenting to the client but she is not playing ball and has just been propping up the bar. I'm stressed. It looks as if I will have to do her slides and I don't have enough knowledge so emailing colleagues back home. I don't want to speak to my manager about this. She is normally quite conscientious

Feeling very merry following the football tonight and yes, had a glass of wine on the flight home to celebrate

Those who think my manager needed to check the presentation before we left...I haven't asked a manager to do this since I was in my early 20s!! Who does that? In any case, there would be no point as he doesn't have sufficient knowledge to offer useful feedback. He manages our team but isn't able to do what any of us do or technically explain it. He said he is going to deal with her talk to her about the whole episode tomorrow (well today). I doubt she will make it into the office though, she looked v ill.

I'm glad it is all over. I will never travel with her again.

This whole thread is like a special edition of Absolutely Fabulous!

I knew the location was going to be Lisbon OP from your initial description. Just knew it.

what if she’d been mugged or attacked

She was in a hotel bar, she wasn't lurching around the streets of Lisbon.

Maybe, you're presupposing that OP hasn't disguised any of the facts to avoid identification. Don't make rash assumptions.

I hope she gets severely disciplined for her behaviour. Glad you got the presentation sorted.

Glad you’re home and in one piece. Can’t believe you’re still being told your manager should have reviewed your presentation. Obviously you’ve been doing it wrong all these years!

I hope your manager does more than just talk to your colleague. I wouldn’t wish her sacked either. As you say she has dependants.

Op did you get your boss to check you'd packed your suitcase OK?

I doubt she will make it into the office though, she looked v ill

Ha! Wouldn't that be the cherry on the cake, gets pissed on business trip, cocks up presentation, throws a sickie for the next week to try and dodge a very large bullet heading her way.

Did she sit next to you on the flight home OP? Sorry at all?

Does your colleague know what’s in store for her when she hits the office? Have you discussed it during the afternoon or flight?

I’d be tempted to drop into conversation that you’d had to get in touch with the office to access the info she wouldn’t give you.

Both to prep her a tiny bit, and prevent her dropping you in it by instinct in front of the boss. Sometimes you need to give (hungover) people the time to think through their strategies, and realise that taking it on the chin is really their best option. Cornered folk can get nasty and stupid.

Either way, OP, please give us the updates as the story unfolds. I’m sure your office mates are on tenterhooks for your arrival too!

It's the morning now and OP is home so not a lot she can do regarding the situation and fwiw I wouldn't be warning the colleague. OP did her own job and her colleagues and hopefully got the contract. Think she has done more than enough already.

Most companies have a procedure for gross misconduct which can take months to complete. It involves investigation into what happened, witness statements etc. Employers aren't able to sack on the spot now. And if she's in a Union she might be able to either get away with it or accept any warning.

Not going to get into the whole drunken colleague debate but I did work for a large company who sold IT solutions and a major part of my job was giving presentations. If my manager had had to approve all my presentations - and those of the rest of my team - he would have spent most of his time vetting slides! It was my job to present and I was trusted to do my job professionally without managerial input .

In a busy working environment it is often very difficult to find quality time to liaise on joint presentations in advance. Provided you have 'done you bit' getting together the night before to put together the final presentation means you have the time when you can all focus on just that one thing.

Hope you won the contract OP.

Your work colleague was a bit of a bint tbh.

Glad it went well, be proud

I don’t think the colleague will get sacked for this - I imagine they will be put on some sort of restriction; perhaps no work trips (which will probably affect their bonus).

I’m now entertaining myself by imagining asking my manager to review and approve every single presentation that I do. I often check with her about controversial things or highlight risks; but (apart from the fact she has a million other better things to do) she doesn’t actually have the level of technical knowledge required to vet much - that’s why i’m employed!!!

Do come back and let us know about the fallout op.

Well done on keeping together OP and getting through it all.
I hope she gets a proper bollocking.
And I really hope you keep the contract.

Well done OP & you definitely deserved the glass of wine on the way home!
Has your colleague apologised for her behaviour or been contrite in any way?

I've worked for plenty of managers who would expect to vet slides.

But I've mainly worked with lawyers, so that's probably why.

That's micro management then

That's micro management then

In this instance it would have been good management, micro or otherwise, wouldn't it?

I will never travel with her again. - do you really think that she'll be sent anywhere ever again?

It would have been fortuitous but you can't make management decisions on the basis of your staff being incompetent. Assume competence until shown otherwise