Stuck in the middle.

I hate days at work where I am stuck in the middle between people who want things done and my boss who seems to not want things to get done.

Today bossman was out sick as was webguy. Of course in the early part of the morning I'm stuck answering phones because everyone else has wandered off. Never mind that my systems didn't run correctly over the weekend and I need to get them cranking. I'm a high priced receptionist at least an hour a day. At this point I've been in the office for 15 minutes or less and I do not know about the sick calls.

In comes the lady from marketing wanting fixes to some of the bank web sites. As she is stopping by to ask me to give a message to bossman, the e-vp (ie bigger boss) calls. He says bossman is out and has marketing lady been up. He asks me to go through the changes with her so that someone knows what she needs. So I do. Then she thinks I will be making the changes for her. Ok maybe. I make no promises, I know better.

So she leaves and I get down to fixing my issues. I get things rolling and do my morning routines. Then I speak to the princess who is the office's second in command. The question is simple, should I make these web changes. She (being the princess she is) refuses to decide and calls bossman at home. He says don't do anything with it, "it's too late for changes". So I leave it and move on.

Later, of course, the e-vp calls to see how those changes are coming. I tell him that bossman said not to do them and he was handling it. Shortly afterward the bossman calls and asks what the heck is going on. Shortly after that, marketing lady calls to find out how the changes are going. Yikes! Now I have 2 people asking me if I've finished doing someone else's job.

I'm pretty sure the e-vp is torqued at bossman for telling me not to make the changes. I explained to the marketing lady why I didn't make the changes and she's torqued at bossman too. I'm pretty sure this will lead to bossman being torqued at me.

That'll teach me not to pick up the phone!