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Original poster

I've just fucked up at work

34 replies

DerelictWreck · 05/02/2019 14:47

A crucial piece of work that my manager and I have worked on was shared with the wider management team today. They were unaware that I had worked on the piece with him, and sat in the office disparaging the work and talking about all the ways they were going to change it, rather than do as he asked by the deadline.

I tried to step in but they are senior to me (but below him as CEO) so I decided to give my boss the heads up that he wasn't going to get the expected piece of work by the deadline. I emailed him to say that I hated sending a snitchy email (he and I are close so do talk about almost anything workwise, despite our different levels) but that the pushback he had expected had blown out of proportion. I honestly wasn't doing it drop anyone in (didn't use specific names but we're a smallish team) but because I know he's close to snapping with workload and had earmarked a slot at about 10pm tonight to deal with this at home. I wanted to let him know that he would need to set more time aside when the deadline came as the work would have changed a lot.

Except I sent this email to his 'fake-official' account that we use for mailing out from, rather than his actual private work email account. All the people involved and their juniors have access to this account. I've managed to get one of them to delete it for me, but only when I realised half an hour later. I don't know who's seen it or how badly this might land :(

I don't know whether to just pretend it hasn't happened, tell my boss, or proactively apologise to those involved.

OP posts:
Fabaunt · 05/02/2019 14:48

Tell your boss. You didn’t do anything too bad, your work was torn asunder as you sat listening

Hadjab · 05/02/2019 14:50

Just own it! If they ask, you were giving him the heads up, it’s not illegal.

RatherBeRiding · 05/02/2019 15:06

The content of the email was factual. The error was in sending it to people who weren't meant to see it. If you have to, the last bit is all you have to apologise for - not for alerting him to the fact that the work wasn't going to be ready and had been significantly changed to boot.

hadjab is right - face them down. You've done nothing particularly wrong in alerting your boss to something.

chakra69 · 05/02/2019 15:13

Tell your boss, sort it together.

Hoppinggreen · 05/02/2019 15:16

I dont think you’ve fucked up at all, apart from showing your hand when you didn’t want to
Your boss should thank you for your loyalty

ShowMeTheKittens · 05/02/2019 15:18

I once received an email full of lies saying I was quite dreadful. I don't think I was meant to see it. I didn't take it personally ( because I am like that ;-).. next time just SAY it, no emails.

Puggles123 · 05/02/2019 15:18

Just be honest, most issues at work arise from people trying to conceal what they have done; and it seems like you haven’t even done anything particularly wrong. I know what you mean though it can be such a horrible and worrying feeling- hope you’re okay and manage to relax a bit.

Notsurprisedatall · 05/02/2019 15:20

I agree with pp. You haven't fucked up, you've shown your hand and you need to own it and if you are asked about it, you need to say something like "yeah, well that's how it was and is". It was all truthful and factual and helpful to him.

Miane · 05/02/2019 15:20

Was anything in your email factually incorrect? Or rude?

If not I have no idea what you’d be apologising about.

NamedyChangedy · 05/02/2019 15:22

I don't think it's that terrible, but it would have been better if you'd spoken up in the meeting. You could have declared your involvement, and also said something like 'Guys, if you're not going to get it to [CEO] by the deadline, you should at least let him know'. That way you've been consistent, and not going behind anyone's back.

brownmouse · 05/02/2019 15:22

How bad probably depends on the tone.

Oops! So easily done. It will blow over and feel less awful as time goes by. We've all done it!!

Original poster
DerelictWreck · 05/02/2019 15:22

Thanks all, you're right in that I didn't do anything wrong and have reassured me. Aside from facts, my loyalty is to my manager and the others are publically (office) editing his work even now in a very pedantic and immature way.

I suppose the immediate feeling was a 'fuck my life' moment, as I've just got no idea who, if anyone, saw it. No-one has said anything, but some are offsite at the moment. It's an anxious feeling not know what you'll be walking into tomorrow.

OP posts:
Original poster
DerelictWreck · 05/02/2019 15:24

Miane not factually incorrect, but I imagine would seem rude to those involved as it was a negative view of them.

OP posts:
Hoppinggreen · 05/02/2019 15:26

Unless your email title was “bunch of backstabbing cunts”
You should be ok

lynxca16 · 05/02/2019 15:35

Tell your boss both the content and error in sending to wrong e-mail - its not serious, you were doing the correct thing.

Agree with other posts - if you are asked about it just say - yes, that was said and happened - hold your head high and get on with your work.

It sounds like others in the management team have more to worry about than you.

Ihatemyseleffordoingthis · 05/02/2019 15:36

Jesus
I understand its a bit cringe but imagine being the CEO and people deciding together that they were not going to do what was required of them by their boss
They sound like arseholes
You should have spoken up but I understand how hard that is if they are all senior/dismissive

Tweety1981 · 05/02/2019 15:37

Don’t stress . It was only half an hour so maybe no one saw it 😊

tinydancer88 · 05/02/2019 15:38

I can completely appreciate why this will be anxiety-provoking for you, but I think what you did shows integrity and consideration really, and may act as a good reminder to the rest of the team to be careful about the way you express your views at work!

missbattenburg · 05/02/2019 15:40

I once knew someone who found an email on the printer regarding his redundancy - one boss asking another "how much are we going to pay cunty chops".

He WAS 'cunty chops'.

It turns out, they were going to pay him much more than they expected Grin.

Your email does not sound wrong at all - own it. They slagged off the work (unprofessional) and you were just giving him a heads up that deadlines would be missed. Entirely ok, imo.

Whatafustercluck · 05/02/2019 15:40

Speak to your boss, explain fully on the phone - including that you emailed the wrong address and others may have seen it. Other than that, don't mention it to anyone else unless they mention it - and if they do, stand your ground and don't apologise. Explain to them that you were involved in the work, felt uncomfortable with them talking about it the way they did, and that you wish they'd been honest with your boss about their feelings rather than plotting behind backs. They put you in an awkward position and need to be more adult about what a senior manager has asked them to do in future.

Original poster
DerelictWreck · 05/02/2019 15:46

He WAS 'cunty chops'

Wow, well that puts things into perspective!

An old finance manager once left the spreadsheet with the whole team's salaries on in the scanner - illuminating!

I've also seen emails about regarding a possible promotion (which I then got) but it was nice to have a heads up Grin

OP posts:
missbattenburg · 05/02/2019 16:02

Fortunately, he had skin as thick as a rhino so laughed all the way to the bank...

Miane · 05/02/2019 16:11

I imagine would seem rude to those involved as it was a negative view of them.

You aren’t responsible for their bad behaviour Derelict

Italiangreyhound · 05/02/2019 17:13

DerelictWreck I think you did nothing wrong at all.

They did behave in that way and you did warn your boss what happened.

Connieston · 05/02/2019 17:25

Least said soonest mended. Hold your hands up to anyone you need to, but it sounds like it was a fair move to manage the problem. Let it sit with them all - sounds like they underestimated your involvement and actually more fool them.

Tip from me is move onto solutions as soon as possible. In person, in email... whatever... "Let's work out how we fix this" not who said what to who.