when was a time you used authority to influence another in the workplace?

2 comments

1. I work in IT and manage a semi-big team, when one of the newer members kept making mistakes that made my team look bad I had to pull him aside and tell him straight up “If you mess up again I’ll have you fired”

   I felt like such an asshole saying that, but he bucked up and never messed up again, so I guess it worked lol

2. Yes. I was an intern in a huge law firm.
   A new & not too bright attorney treated me like scum, gave me erroneous orders, lacked basic understanding of the field. Kept getting upset when I saw his mistakes. Yelled a lot at me.
   For some reason he got the idea I intentionally was speaking in a quiet voice on the phone so that he won’t hear, to annoy him. This was BS.
   When I was very busy with work from partners, on a tight deadline, he demanded to use me for his stupid tasks he was too lazy to do. When I said I couldn’t take it on, there weren’t enough hours in the day, he went “do it” and hung up.
   I did what he wanted the first time he pulled this trick, but by next time I decided I need to stand my ground.
   He shouted at me so loudly, said he’d call my boss. I told him I will too. I got called for a talk.
   My boss said he’ll talk to that person. He kept being problematic after that talk, and my boss said if he “protects” me I’m coming off as weak. I told my boss either I stop working under him or I quit.
   I was the only woman there and to this day I think this whole story reeks of chauvinism.