Anyone told a lie at work to protect others?

[BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz]

There was a specific thing I was asked to do, and I don't usually do it. Process for this has changed recently, just an extra step added, which I had forgot.

I went ahead and did it without the new added Step.

The boss and I were chatting and I mentioned the task and he was quite forceful in reminding me of the new added Step and asking who had asked me to to do the task and why wasn't that step completed and why hadn't I been informed by the manager of the new step?

I immediately said that I hadn't yet completed the task even though I had and that I had admittedly forgot that new part but would ensure that was done before I actually completed the task.

I've since prepared the paperwork for the task and it is waiting to be processed. I know for certain it will be approved as it is necessary to the business, and if on the off chance it doesn't I can cancel the task.

it is absoloutley not sitting well with me to lie

However, the reason for this is that the Boss is the type of person to go off it at the wrong people when something like this happens. I wouldn't be reprimanded for forgetting the new step. The person asking me to carry out the task would get it in the neck. The person whose job it was to tell me about the new step would also get it in the neck.

It's a properly shitty way to operate imo.

And I know for certain if he was the kind of person who scolds the one who made the mistake I'd never have lied. But he isn't. He goes up the ladder and flips.

I don't understand what you've lied about.

I don’t get why your boss would be cross with the person who asked you to do the task rather than you who forgot to include the new step

I don’t get why your boss would be cross with the person who asked you to do the task rather than you who forgot to include the new step

Honestly, because this is what they do. A colleague omitted an element when preparing a contract. They realised, explained, then their manager gets a scolding. It's madness to me.

I’m not sure why the lie is such a big deal.
You did something incorrectly so said you hadn’t done it it, then fixed it and handed it in.
Literally who loses out in this scenario?

If I'm reading it correctly you were informed about the new step, but just forgot. However your boss is under the impression you were never informed, so is quite rightly wanting to blame the person responsible for the mistake, i.e the person he mistakenly believes hasn't told you.

If I was that person, no, I wouldn't lie and pretend I hadn't bothered to tell you so I got the blame instead. But I suppose it depends on the situation, if you were relatively new and it was my job to constantly supervise and remind you then I'd admit I hadn't reminded you.

Surely the person here you were lying to protect is you, as your response should have been "yes, they had told me, I'll get it done."

If you'd said that rather than let him assume they'd forgotten to tell you, then he wouldn't have gone to them anyway.

Lying to protect your colleague would have been saying that they had told you and you forgot, when they hadn't told you.

Agree with PP. The lie you are telling here is to protect yourself, not anyone else.

If you were honest, you would say you forgot about the new step (although you knew about it) but youve put it right now so the new step has been included.

it is absoloutley not sitting well with me to lie

It’s not ideal at all to lie but you’re the one who messed up and someone else would get in trouble for that. By all means salve you’re own conscience while someone else suffers for your negligence.

I didn't let the Boss think the person hadn't told me of the new step I said that I had forgot the new step and that I would put that in before I completed the task.