Busy bodies do my head in!!!

[emdrneeded]

Currently working from home. Had a member of my team who works in a different office phoning me with a query, then started quizzing me about my yearly appraisal (nothing to do with him). He asked me what my line management structure is and I, very nonchalantly, told him I wasn't sure as there have been a lot of changes since lockdown and we are in the middle of a restructure. I'm likely to know in the near future.

He then called my line manager and told him I was unsure and worried about the uncertainty of the line management structure and he was trying to gain clarity for me!!! I couldn't have been less worried during our phonecall and I just wanted to get off the phone as it wasn't anything to do with him.

I now have an email from my manager asking why I didn't come to him with my (non existent) concerns!!

Why do people do this? I want to bang my head against a brick wall sometimes!

I am pretty proud of the self restraint I've had in not sending a shitty email about this!

Who was the person who called you in relation to your position ?

@YesINameChangeEveryDay

Who was the person who called you in relation to your position ?

he's a grade above me in a different office (4 hours away) who is in a completely different team to me. We just work together on a lot of things and depend on information sharing. He's not in my immediate team.

It's more the fact that he completely made up the fact that I was anxious, unsure and worried about this! I absolutely was not. I don't even know how he could've come to that conclusion.

I’d just say exactly what you said in your op. I once had a meeting With my senior and she raised a minor point the said ‘Did this not get raised in your appraisal?’ I said I didn’t remember and she noted that. My boss was livid as appraisals were between me and her and not shared with seniors who were one grade up from me and were none of their business. She apologised and assured me that my appraisal was not shared.

Petty of me, but i’d be tempted to one-up the passive aggression. Email his manager and say that you’re worried that your colleague appears to be misunderstanding basic conversations and bothering your manager with irrelevant and minor queries. Cite the example of his repeated questioning about your appraisal which is of course strictly confidential.

Ask Is he perhaps overworked or under pressure? Can you help in anyway, as you’re concerned that he isn’t coping very well? You’d hate to have to raise this with HR, But you really are quite concerned about his recent unprofessional conduct etc.

Lay on the faux concern with a trowel. That way you can raise your hands in innocence when he gets angry about it and say it was all to help him

I fucking hate this shit. Always perpetrated by some little work weasel trying to score points with management with non existent bullshit.

Oh, ps, he didn’t “come to that conclusion“, he was shit stirring. Your guess is as good as ours as to why. Does he want sole credit for something you work on together? Does he want a promotion and see you as competition? Does he not like women or people the level below him getting uppity? Is he just naturally an arsehole?

I'd just reply with "I've no idea what this is about".

Make the other guy look like an idiot.

Sounds like he is having a dig at your manager rather than you really.

Just reply to your manager that he appeared to be asking personal and inappropriate messages that were none of his business. He asked about your line of management and you gave a vague answer because you thought he was interfering.

#Rubaiyatofanyone ,I like your style . And have mentally noted it for future usefulness. OP, hes a shit stirrer: I'd keep contact to emails only in case of further 'miscommunication'.