Hi
In my work I am required to follow procedures for certain activities.
There are formal procedures (FP) for most activities and informal procedures (IP) for some others.
Management expects, quite rightly, that all aspects of FP are carried out.
The FP do change over time.
It is not part of my job to maintain the FPs
2 years ago I followed an IP for activity X , there wasn't a FP written.
At the time I kept a file of all FPs available , I did not include activity X as no FP existed. A colleague did the same.
It has now come to light that I missed part of the requirements for Activity X
Within hours of this coming to light the staff member ( SM) in charge of ensuring the FP are kept up to date, had
Created a new folder named "Activity X" in our online main FP Folder.
Created inside the folder 4 documents relating to various aspects of the FP for activity X.
All at a time SM was at home / after working hours.
We are due a meeting about this soon.
It may well be that SM created the documents so that , going forward, my mistake is avoided and I will have to take any consequences on the chin.
What I will not tolerate , though , is being criticized for not following the FP when , 2 years ago, it did not exist.
I don't want to accuse the SM of lying.
I thought something along the lines of
"I wasn't aware of a FP for activity X in 2019, was it in the main FP folder ?"
If SM responds "The FP didn't exist in 2019" then all good.
If SM responds "Yes it was in the FP folder in 2019" then they are saying the FP existed when it didn't.
Can you help with the phrasing of what I need to ask the SM ?
I'm not on a witch hunt , I just KNOW , as does my colleague, that the FP didn't exist.
thanks