That is, how do you push back against an impossible deadline without being targeted as a troublemaker?
Deadlines were short even before but I always managed to do my job, however, lately these are really impossible deadlines that would be hard to meet even for those who have a lot more experience than me.
11 replies (most recent on top)
Slavery was officially abolished in KSA in 1962. Or was it?
@2cva+1bChLNVG Entry Visa wrote: How dare someone tell a white man what to do!
Want me to send a case of Fair & Handsome your way, beta?
Looking at a skin color to distinguish where they're from, you people racist enough?
Seems someone hit a nerve on Mr. EntryVisa.
I wonder why?
There's cases of third worlders with western passports. But there is a particular type that when they introduce themselves will highlight their are from (Insert western country) rather than their point origin, in spite of having their point of origin accent. Those I actually find the worst.
Dear Entry Visa,
Your post makes you seem a racist. Is that true? Nah, can't be no racists in KSA.
“ Expat from a third world country with a Western Passport.”
How dare someone tell a white man what to do!
“ 1. They don't care about people and will use fear to get results, 2. They will do anything management says no matter how unreasonable, 3. They have no lives and will gladly work nights and weekends. ”
White man does 1 but sneakily. He will do 2 but eloquently. And, he will make others do 3 since he’s busy getting wasted or depressed or both.
Unreasonable deadlines have always existed at Aramco. Some high priced consultant probably told management to do that, or maybe it just comes naturally. As others have pointed out, its pretty easy to defend against group deadlines. INDIVIDUAL deadlines are another story.
I'll give you an example that happened to me. I was asked how long it would take to do a job by a partner department, and I told them two weeks after I got all the data. Told my boss (a Saudi guy) and he backed that up. They said they would get the data to me right away. I got a few bits of data, but most of it was still missing. I emailed a list of missing data and cc'ed my boss. Didn't hear from them for about a month. I am busy with something else when I get a data dump one Thursday morning with a note that said a meeting with their VP will take place on Sunday to discuss the results of my work. When I protested, they said they made the request over a month ago. Nice eh?
So, I go to my boss, who goes to his boss (or maybe higher - I wasn't invited). Long story short, my department decided that we needed to be supportive, and that I was to "do my best" to meet the deadline. Now, I knew there was NO WAY I could get the job done, but I said I would try. In fact, I did come into the office over the weekend for a few hours. Sunday came and the work wasn't ready. People weren't happy but nothing bad happened to me. That was the way it worked in the OLD ARAMCO.
In the NEW ARAMCO, your direct boss will likely be a Expat from a third world country with a Western Passport. Aramco has taken to putting these people in as low level managers because they 1. They don't care about people and will use fear to get results, 2. They will do anything management says no matter how unreasonable, 3. They have no lives and will gladly work nights and weekends. Under the NEW ARAMCO, my boss would have probably come in at random times over the weekend to make sure I was there working. Yes, this actually happened to a coworker, although not to me because I quit. LOL.
If you are in this kind of situation, you only have two options: take it or move on. Or better yet, find out that the person you will be working for is a third world slave driver and DON'T COME!
To add to Aramco Expat's remark:
Afterwards apologize for the delay and make sure to start with Inshallah then state that you will work to makeup for the delays. If management is around, make sure to ask for all the support you can muster, especially if it's the flavor of the moment.
True.
That's all anybody does there. Bury their face in their $1000 phones.
Stop seeing this forum and less social media.
In the area I used to work deadlines never got met. You find some way to blame the Aramco system; hardware, software, support, infrastructure, partner departments, contractors, repat, whatever. There was always somewhere else to cast blame. Lots of the time it was truly warranted. Get creative.