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Original poster

Huge Fuck up at Work

41 replies

Cindy1990 · 03/08/2023 08:41

I am the assistant manager. A month ago, my boss relied on me to book her a seat in a course that's starting in October. To my mind, i filled the application and finished all the requested steps to reserve a seat.
Yesterday they sent us an email stating that the course is fully booked and no more seats are available for us. My boss got furious. He thought I had booked a seat already.

I called them, they told me that it seems there was one additional step that we hadn't done. After begging them for a seat, they told me to finish this step and they'll keep my boss on the waiting list in case someone cancels but won't promise anything.

Ofcourse, i told my boss that we fixed the mistake and we need to wait until next week to confirm the booking (Which might never happen in case no one cancels but she doesn't know that yet in the hope that the problem will miraculously get solved).

I am so stressed. I am afraid that she might fire me in case she didn't get in the course.

OP posts:
Aavalon57 · 03/08/2023 09:52

Will the trainers be running this course again? I would call them and find out, and also like someone else said, find out the dropout rate. That way you can soothe the bitter pill a bit with your boss by giving her some alternatives or possibilities.

Original poster
Cindy1990 · 03/08/2023 09:53

@ThreeRingCircus Indeed it was wrong lying all along. I will do it today at Lunch. I hope she understands. I am really still working on getting her a seat there.

OP posts:
Original poster
Cindy1990 · 03/08/2023 09:54

@Aavalon57 Yes they will in March but she's insisting to take the one taking place in October. She's the type that has OCD, anxiety. The perfectionist kind of managers.

OP posts:
incognitomosqiito · 03/08/2023 09:56

SlightlygrumpyBettyswaitress · 03/08/2023 09:28

Honestly, I would fess up today.
"Hi, just to clarify the situation with the course. The provider has confirmed you are one thewait list for the course as it is over subscribed. It is likely that nearer the time there will be cancellations although this is not guaranteed. I will continue to check in with them to ensure that you are top of the list for a space. Alternatively, I can look for another suitable course for you."

This

incognitomosqiito · 03/08/2023 09:57

Also. I know it doesnt feel like it but
This isn't a huge fuck up
Nobody died.
I always bring it back to the amazing jobs of the emergency services on things like this. I have been where you are (in my case it was a company credit card bill that wasn't properly reconciled) and I know how awful you are feeling but in the big scheme of things it's just a training course.
Sending you positive vibes

TodaysNameIsZig · 03/08/2023 10:03

Everyone makes mistakes but you should be careful about the lie. In my experience there are people who lie or who are evasive or who fudge things who are unaware how obvious it is. You don't want to be that person!

Good luck

Hoppinggreen · 03/08/2023 10:09

kikigen · 03/08/2023 09:43

It wasn’t personal admin it was a work thing.

It was professional personal admin, an assistant manager isn't a lackey, I don't think it's appropriate. In all my years managing, I would never ask a junior member of staff to do something like this unless it was an admin pool/private office.

Even if you are right it doesn’t give the person asked to do it a license to Fuck it up.
If a task is accepted then it should be done.
If it’s not a persons role to do it they should highlight that so someone else can do it

kikigen · 03/08/2023 11:31

@Hoppinggreen it doesn't, but it would alleviate my guilt 🤷‍♀️ I hate managers like this, so I just couldn't give it too much thought.

Hoppinggreen · 03/08/2023 11:41

kikigen · 03/08/2023 11:31

@Hoppinggreen it doesn't, but it would alleviate my guilt 🤷‍♀️ I hate managers like this, so I just couldn't give it too much thought.

OP feeling guilty is irrelevant it’s whether there will be repercussions that counts

Rosecoffeecup · 03/08/2023 11:46

I wouldn't say you've outright lied about it being sorted - tell her you misunderstood initially but have since clarified she is waitlisted only and there is a chance she won't have a place at all

Appreciate this is also a lie, but it's a)believable and b)saves some face

continentallentil · 03/08/2023 11:58

What I would do on Monday is call to badger them and find out how likely a drop out is. Also find out when their next course is, and if anyone else offers an alternative.

Then update your manager that you misunderstood last time - the course is full, but there is X likelihood that she will get a place. Downplay the likelihood rather than overplay it. It’s always better to underpromise and overdeliver when you can. Tell her when the next date is if this place doesn't come through.

As PP say, the problem is you lied to over it up - so pass it off as a misunderstanding as not only is it a disciplinary matter, it makes you seem a bit nuts.

It was a genuine mistake and these things happen. It’s also natural for someone to be annoyed if you didn’t do something you were supposed to.

Figure out how to deal with this better in future. No one is perfect and adults know that.

Rockbird · 03/08/2023 12:06

'Lackey' FFS 🙄

onefinemess · 03/08/2023 12:22

Even if someone cancelled and your boss was allocated a ticket, you're not off the hook.

If I was your boss and I found out you had lied to me, I'd be seeking legal advice to fire you, failing that, your position would become redundant ASAP.

Duckafuk · 03/08/2023 12:55

Cindy1990 · 03/08/2023 09:38

@Glarptip I think of telling her that they called me from the Training company and told me that the situation is harder that they thought, however they are doing the best they can to book her a seat in the course

Id do this. Is she normal a reasonable or unreasonable boss ?

Original poster
Cindy1990 · 03/08/2023 13:26

Ladies I spoke first to the Training Company, they told me that there is a chance that they might give her a seat at the course and they will be reviewing her application today. However, someone must cancel first.

So I went to my boss and told her the truth (worst part is that she was already stressed). She literally told me: "So we are fucked then right?". She wasn't happy about it and I still feel guilty, sad and worried in the hope that Monday she will get accepted. Additionally, she said that she will not take NO for an answer and I should resolve the problem in one way or another or else there will be consequences.

In need of your prayers lol

OP posts:
Cosycover · 03/08/2023 13:44

Cindy1990 · 03/08/2023 13:26

Ladies I spoke first to the Training Company, they told me that there is a chance that they might give her a seat at the course and they will be reviewing her application today. However, someone must cancel first.

So I went to my boss and told her the truth (worst part is that she was already stressed). She literally told me: "So we are fucked then right?". She wasn't happy about it and I still feel guilty, sad and worried in the hope that Monday she will get accepted. Additionally, she said that she will not take NO for an answer and I should resolve the problem in one way or another or else there will be consequences.

In need of your prayers lol

She sounds a right dick tbh

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