No optimistic platitudes today. No hope for the future. Just a big knot somewhere in my chest. Here's how I got to this state....

In the middle of last week all of the call center personnel were called one by on to the office of the general manager of the call center. This is not my supervisor that I speak of from to time to time. This is his boss, who is responsible for the entire call center from mailroom to the janitors. He is tall and blonde with a hard look in his eyes that does not communicate caring, just a no non-sense seriousness. Yet amazingly, he has no power to adjust wages-thats what he tells us anyway.

We were called to meet with him and the head of sales to discuss customer complaints. Customers are becoming very angry with our overall lack of real customer service. They want to know when the market changes, they want to know when their investments have taken a real dive, they want to know when they have credit problems. In other words they want what they are paying us for. One of our institutional customers gave notice that something needs to change or they will look elsewhere for help with their investments. All of a sudden management is scared and is starting to think about customer service in earnest.

I had a good meeting with the boss. Received no kudos, but no ass chewing either. I have not had a review or any kind of praise for 5 years. After he finished explaining what they needed from the employees to keep the company going, I looked him in the eyes and said "Is there anything else I need to know about what is going on around here?" , to which he quickly replied "no". I excused myself after that.

Today he walked out through the cubicles pausing at different desks. He said nothing, just walking slowly, stopping and staring hardly. We hate it when he does this. He stopped at my desk and told me that I "had better step it up", then turned and walked away again.

What does this guy want? I wouldn't care if he yelled at me, or told me what a lousy stinking slacker I am, but to be so entirely vague, just kills me. If he wrote me up and told me he was going to fire me if I did not improve, that would be like a miracle. But I don't get any of that. No idea where to change, no good news or bad news, just mixed signals, and hardness.

Here's an incredible idea, maybe you could lead with honesty, courage, and clarity. Instead we are subjected to mind games, beating around the bush, and a real fear of confrontation. I used to think he a plain dealing businessman that could be trusted. Now I just think the opposite.

I've got a plan to get out of here, I can't say much more than that. If I can stick it out, I will be able to make a real career change.
Thanks for reading, it does help.

-Anonymous Cog