I screwed up bad today with my situational awareness at work.
I knew that the supervisor had been grumpy over the last few days over us not getting a raise this year, but let it slip my mind.
So late in the afternoon I asked him over to look at a tree he had trimmed earlier. (I had been asked by the manager to trim off another branch.) I wanted to explain that the cut he made with the chainsaw was a bad cut and how to cut it so it has a better chance to heal. He said that he just couldn't cut it that way and I let it go.
I trimmed the tree the way I had learned in Horticulture school and proceded with the other. When i was done, the supervisor asked what was the difference in how I cut the tree and how he sis. A co-worker at his side was saying, "Let it go.", but I thought the sup was asking an honest question. I explained again how the way he trimmed it didn't allow the bark to grow over the wound and heal and that my cut did. He said it didn't matter, and I said it did because his cut causes the bark to warp out and allow for fungal, viral, and pest problems.
He exclaimed that he's trimmed hundreds of trees that way and wanted to point them out.
I said, fine, show me; but that style of cut can kill or take ten years off the life of the tree.
He then grabbed the chainsaw and hacked at my cut on both trees before throwing it down and walking away.
I was mad then and yelled at him, "How am I supposed to respect you after this!"
He answered, "Don't." And walked away.
I then called up the park manager to let him know that there was something wrong with the Supervisor and he should talk to him. (Obviously this is not a daily occurance. I was sincerely concerned for the guy.)
The Manager called up and the supervisor hung up.
Then after repeated calls, other workers saw him throw the company phone onto the street.
The manager told me to stay away from him. (Not sure how to do that when we both have to be in the shop to put away tools and clock out.)
Then the supervisor got into his truck and peeled out.
I soon heard he had turned in his keys and phone to the Manager, saying he was done. (But the manager is not taking this a the sup quitting.)
So what did I do wrong.
1 I forgot the guy was already agitated.
2 I procede to lecture him on how to do his job.
3. I failed to see I was angering him.
4 I became confrontational when challenged insted of de-escalating.
5 I stood there while he was in raged and using a chain saw.
6 I was even more confrontational after he used it. (Anger is stupid)
7 I forgot he had anger problems and had earlier destroyed a chair and tried to run over a homeless person with a UTV (Rhino)
Like I said. Failure!
MBTV
Forum Index
Help
Calendar
Contact Info
Register as a member
