Is this out of order

[LadyRussell]

Colleague who is same level manager as me asked our joint boss if someone I line manage could do a task for her (small admin task not strictly in her role but it’s quite a flexible role).

Line manager (micro manages everything) agreed it and my colleague ran it past me and told me after boss had ok’d it.

Employee then emails me today cc’ing in my manager saying X has asked me to do this is this in my job role? Line managrt then enails her back CC’ing in me explaining she had already ok’d it.

AIBU to think if a manager (sane level as her own) has asked her to do a task (if she had the time if not don’t worry) she should be then checking with me and certainly not cc’ing in my line manager?

flumpy. the answer will almost certainly be because she just wasn't certain about responsibilities in light of the fact that OP hadn't let her know about this and/or that OP seemed to be out of communication at the relevant time and she needed to check. It's difficult to see how having that answer will help OP. In fact, in her shoes I must just copy that response in to the line manager as well.

I see it differently. Someone who isn't her direct line manager asked her to do something, and she - knowing you were out of the office and might not have access to email - checked with you to make sure she should do it, copying your line manager in so s/he could make a decision in your absence. I really don't think it was malicious.

I think this is the most likely explanation.

You say she’s the only admin person for the whole team yet typing up minutes isn’t in her job discription or something she would normally do so who would normally do it?

I don't think she took credit for your work btw. I doubt very much she would see it like that. I remember when my manager did exactly the same in a meeting, I was too shocked to say anything, just sat there with my mouth open. Maybe he thought he deserved the credit for asking me to sort it out.

WE ARE ALL IN THE SAME TEAM!!!!

even though it’s just our team in our office

She is not “my staff” she has the only admin role in the team for the team but she is line managed by me.

So you are all in the same team unless you are in your team in your office.
She has the only admin role in the team (which team is anybodies guess) because it seems to change
She is not your staff but you line manage her and not only give her work for your "team" but also allow other "teams" to give her work.

I am also interested to know why if she is not your staff, whose staff is she and why aren't they pulling you up on using her?
And why is she in "your teams" office if she is not in "your team"?
Why doesn't she have her own office/central work place that indicates that she can work for all teams, which are one team but aren't?

Gosh this thread has taken a weird turn 😂 I feel for you OP. Other posters have some good points I hadn’t thought of (like how the report might have been CC manager to cover her own back or cos she thought you wouldn’t see it in time) but so many people are taking it personally the message is being lost a little.

Surprised to see so many people openly admit they’d lose respect for you if you did correct them via email re who to email with a problem or query. That’s exactly what a manager should do

In the future OP I can’t recommend Ask a Manager blog highly enough, especially for times when you run across something you want some guidance on. It’s a lot more workplace savvy than MN by the very nature of what it focuses on.

Lime, why do you assume there are no managers on MN?

I don’t, where are you getting that from?

Because you say that something called "Ask a Manager" is more workplace savvy. There's an awful lot of working women, including managers, on MN.

This is one of the funniest threads I've read in a long time and I wonder how many people here work in an office and have had to deal with office games or manage staff.

OP I would suggest you mention to the staff member that next time it's sufficient to email you.

And one thing I hate more than anything else is someone claiming credit for my work or ideas.

Bibesia Of course it’s more workplace savvy, it’s a blog specifically about the workplace where you can ask for advice from an actual manager! MN has plenty of managers but also plenty of people with zero experience in that area who just fancy weighing in anyway (which is fine and something we all do on different threads).

It’s like saying MN is just as good a place to ask for medical advice as NHS direct, because some posters are doctors. Sure, an OP might get a bit of useful advice but it’ll be amongst plenty of irrelevant or plain incorrect info.

I don’t write for ask a manager btw 😂 just a long term reader and think the advice is almost invariably spot on. A lot of posters on this thread are approaching it from the perspective of how hurt or upset they’d be as this employee instead of offering practical advice on how to address the situation and manage. OP might find it useful to get different opinions but if she follows the overarching advice on this thread she’ll make a bit of a knob of herself and be no further in addressing this very straightforward issue.

mikeyssister

I wonder how many people here work in an office and have had to deal with office games or manage staff.

I recognise this office game, its called 'I fucked up and want to blame someone else'.

Unfortunately for the OP the staff member has already made sure that whatever happens that she is bullet proof because she cc'd in the OP's immediate manager due to the OP's lack of communication.

No one has fucked up.

Fucking hell.

Employee lady is admin do the whole team. Colleague was in SV, these minutes need doing. Colleague about to go on leave agreed with big manager it was ok to ask admin lady to do them should she have time. On way out the door colleague mentioned it to me and I said sure that’s fine to ask her, I’m not about tomorrow I am training all day.

College then asked her herself.

Admin lady is pissed off I think because she doesn’t want to do it, not because of who asked her!

So are you going to do anything OP or just let it lie and see if anything else similar happens?

You don’t owe anyone an apology, ignore those baying for blood!

Did you read the links I posted on the first page? I think that’ll be a bit more relevant than the advice you’ve received here :)

Yes thanks Limecheesecaker.

Yeah I will speak to her on Monday and just ask her if she was upset, if she was I will apologise. Then I will ask her to email me in the first instance and if it needs discussing with my manager will discuss it with her.

I NEVER cc in my managers manager.

I would just approach it with genuine curiosity, ask why the CC. If it’s for any of the reasons offered on here she’ll tell you. And then you can iron that out and lay out how you’ll handle it going forward, both on your part if others are assigning work, and your expectations of her (to come to you, her line manager, not CCing people above you).

This is a very typical problem in the workplace, and easily resolved. Don’t worry about it, I hope you don’t feel too dissuaded by the way this thread has gone.

@BoneyBackJefferson, nobody fucked up

Staff member was asked to do something by a manager. If she did her job she wouldn't have to worry about being bulletproof.

LadyRussell and mikeyssister

The information wasn't communicated properly to the staff member by her manager.

Its a fuck up. Not a monumental fuck up but a fuck up non the less.

The information wasn't communicated properly to the staff member by her manager

She can take instruction another manager.

She’s not a police dog.

*from

LadyRussell

She is your staff member otherwise why would your line manager and the other manager (your mate) ok it with you?

I notice that she has gone from your team, to admin, to general admin, to admin for everybody.

you want to change your story some more or drip feed something else in?

I would just say...

" hi x, thanks for checking. Yes please can you to do abc task on Monday. Z manager asked me and I said it would be fine to do this if you have time. Sorry I didn't get chance to inform you directly as I was in Y meeting all day. Let me and Z manager know if you can do it by close of play monday or not"

It's such a non issue and just poor communication. But i can see why you didnt get chance to tell her yourself

I would have done what Limecheesecake said. There was no need for admin person to cc in your line manager and she certainly not have taken credit for your idea. CF.

😂😂 I’m actually buckled reading how frothy everyone is getting over a complete non issue. Op you could say anything now and you still won’t win. Hide the thread, grab a gin and go to bed!