1) My Ex-husband and I owned a home improvement and landscaping S-Corp in the mid 90’s. We had 3 kids. One loved the construction work, and at 16 became a certified welder after months of night school. Yrs of commercial welding and a bachelor’s later, she is a construction FE.
2) It just so happens she needs to build, to make. Unfortunately, many of her co-wkrs ovr the yrs had issues w her choice. It’s as though welding a seam or assembling a work pack req male genitalia. As a welder, she’d train men w ZERO experience, but were paid 40% > as new hires.
3) She though getting her undergrad and becoming a construction mgr would earn her respect, that finally she would be seen for her merits, not her gender.
She was hired by a maj North American company, and put to wk. She was thrilled. A few weeks in, she was sent to a job site.
She was hired by a maj North American company, and put to wk. She was thrilled. A few weeks in, she was sent to a job site.
4) What she encountered was incompetence, back stabbing, and cronyism. Her first superintendents literally didn’t understand or care about the job, and she was expected to fulfill her expectations, and theirs. There were months with no clear guidelines or supervision.
5) She dug in, and created organization where there was none, and for which no college class prepared her. An area far, behind caught up with expectations, then exceeded them. Most ppl would value such an employee. What could be the reason for wrecking her value to the company?
6) The first clues came from over-heard upper mgmt. “Not interested in hearing her *roar*, and “she needs to be put in her place” when she was successful and improved productivity, docu and efficiency was excellent. In the wds of a diff super, she was “hitting it outta the park”.
7) Trouble began. It seemed if she didn’t fail on her own, she’d get help. She became the personal proj of 2 supervisors. Neither had exceptional experience. She was given incorrect data, faulty inspection results, incorrect legacy info, avail equip disappeared.
8) She became responsible for two shifts, and though her supervisor was available in his truck napping, or surfing the internet shopping gun parts, he was never included when things weren’t immaculate. If he made a mistake, she was held responsible. It was abusive and targeted.
9) The two supers who were assigned micromanaged and undermine her, would claim they had given her correct direction, or had offered to be helpful (even to her face) when they all knew otherwise. She started recording their conversations, revwing them and memorizing mtg content.
10) Training is required, and is freq off-site. Ahead of time she put tog her wk packages, schedules, assignments, and data sheets. Arranged coverage for the week she’d be gone.
Info she was given by QC was incorrect, and the week’s work was based on their assessments and go.
Info she was given by QC was incorrect, and the week’s work was based on their assessments and go.
11) The client became aware of a serious mistake, as a result. They wanted heads. They decided to give them my daughter, who wasn’t there, and not responsible for QC. Not one superintendent was held to account, even though she had myriad bosses who claimed great expertise.
12) All around her people had made mistakes great and small. They were met with humor, back slaps, earnest and supportive conversations about teachable moments. Lots of hand-holding. Not so for my daughter. Petty behaviors and hostility were #YetShePersisted
13) She was told she needed to know her place, adjust her communication to the style and tenor of EVERYONE else, and expect no reciprocity. She needed to be careful of how others perceived her, and make sure she never showed frustration (Heard it myself from HR on a recording).
14) Her shift was changed abruptly, and a FE with no site experience (office jobber) was sent to replace her. When she didn’t share her methods and protocols (that had been ridiculed though effective for a year) she was put on a PiP with no measurable metrics because “attitude.”
15) She welcomed the shift chg. She was well known, and respected by most of the crews and mgmt. Her new supers knew she had the right stuff. There are recordings of her praises, her skill in managing her crews. In the job expectations outlined, she excelled, and gave 110%.
16) Despite her shift superintendent’s praises, PiP mtgs by the 2 supers assigned to be her tormentors remained lackluster. Her new supers always attended, and tried to have her back, but they were ignored. PiP summaries were kept secret and sent to a chain of upper mgmt and HR.
17) Reqs by her shift supers and herself to be incl in emails was greeted w hostility, told “It’s none of your business.” Her highest ranking super becm quieter and quieter. Off the record, when he thought they were alone, he spoke one way, but in front of the 2, he was silent.
18) She survived the PiP, and tried to put it behind her. The toxicity changed her passion for her work to a chagrin. She had expected resistance, but not such careful sabotage. Trying to put it behind her, she moved on. Weeks before she had started job hunting, and interviewing.
19) #ReclaimingHerTime, weeks went by. She had begun preparing to move and packing. It eased the pain and disappointment she felt. Every day going to work was like returning to an abusive spouse. Finally, one day, a foreman for the union made her vulnerability tangible.
20) He was in chg of one of her crews, and clearly didn’t like her. In the interest of a solid wkg relationship she ignored his tone and aggression. One day he physically intimidated her, standing over her, yelling and insulting;He was promoted to GF, she was put back on a PiP.
21) Despite the outragious behavior of the foreman, witnessed by several ppl (mostly his crew), she was told her attitude was a problem, and she was taking her frustration out on her co-workers. She had intuited she had no recourse despite company policy, and this confirmed it.
22) Her uncomfortable shift super stumbled around trying explain the now extended PiP, that they had to be fair, that the foreman had a side as well. He knew what he was saying was bs. You could hear the awkwardness. She said little. Yes, this is all on a recording.
23) Bullies succeed when authority is in their corner. They successfully smash and abuse ppl w impunity when those in power give the nod. She has learned, as I did 30 yrs ago, the only real weapon we have is persistence and a refusal to be pushed aside. My daughter is #EveryWoman
