Now, let me start off by saying that I love engineers. My father is one (hi Dad!). They are most often quite brilliant. Unfortunately, some of them have seriously huge egos, and little common sense. They do not believe that the policies and procedures we have set up, apply to them in any way, shape or form. Did I mention that I love engineers? Without them, my job would be so mundane.

In this particular incident, the engineer gave a verbal ok to the supplier to use a different type of wood. Ahem. Contract. Drawing. Specifications. Not something I want to hear when I have a group of people waiting for this container and I CAN'T RELEASE IT! I won't mention the fact that changing the wood basically raised the price by approximately $450.

So, let's summarize. Contract stated specific kind of wood, engineer authorized using different material, using different wood went against what the drawing required, the price was raised significantly. And guess what? No one told me.

So, here I have this container, delivered, and can't receive it because it is not what I ordered. Among other things. There are ways around that and I won't bother going into the details. It's a big pain in the but, but most times, you can do it.

Getting back to the original point (I do go on, don't I?); I made a much needed phone call to the engineer in question. Simply put, I told this person that he is not ever to make a change in the contract without going through me first. He is not authorized to obligate company funds, nor change drawing requirements without going through the proper channels. I then made a call to the supplier, and let them know in no uncertain terms, that I was not obligated to fund the change because it was not in the contract. Let me say that during both of these calls, the silence was so deafening, you could hear the crickets chirp.

My boss was in the area when I was making these calls. After I hung up from the last one, she walked over to me and said, "how do you do that?" I asked her what she meant. She said, "how do you tell someone that they screwed up big time, yet make it seem like you are complimenting them on their intelligence, and profound knowledge all at once?"

I just smiled and went back to work. I think I mumbled something unintelligible, but I can't be sure.

It's all about respect. People can have bad days. People can have things going on in their lives that are really stressful. Most likely the engineer knows that he did was wrong. But was it going to help me in any way to drag him through the dirt? Would it fix my situation? Would it make me feel better to let him know that he was one nugget short of a happy meal? Or that his ego was way too big for his britches? Or that the supplier wouldn't know which end was up, even if I tattooed an arrow on his but? Ok, it would make me feel better, but that's not the point.

I think that you can say the whole thing boils down to respect. Respect for your co-workers, your external customers. Your day to day contacts. You show people respect, you'll get it back. I think this can also be brought into play in your personal relationships.

Do you diss your friends because they have a different opinion than you? Because they are a different religion? Because they don't hold the same political ideals that you do? That they belong to a particular group you don't like? If their behavior warrants it, perhaps they should not be a friend. But if they've done nothing to you, why would you take them down? Either publicly or privately? I'm sorry that you had a terrible divorce and that you hate women/men. I'm sorry that you don't believe in God, because you've had a rough time of it, or what have you. The list is endless. I could go on but I think you get the gist.

In my life, just because I don't subscribe to opinions that you hold close to your heart, doesn't mean we can't be friends, or respect each other's opinions. If you have done nothing untoward against me, why should I hate you? I realize that's a strong word, but I think you know what I'm talking about.

Personally, our differences make life exciting. We can debate. We can tease each other. But the bottom line is, I respect the fact that you have a different opinion that I do. It goes both ways.

I realize that I've rambled a bit (alot) in this post. But this is an issue that has been bothering me for a while.

Perhaps I'm naive, most likely I am. How do you deal with this?

Discuss.