Quick run down. I'm a contractor and I install structured data cabling. Last year I met this guy on a job site whom just happened to live on my corner. We became friends and car pooled to work. Into the the job, a little drama went down and I left. He did as well and we lost contact. Ran into him this year and I hired him to assist me with some ongoing gigs I've got. He's knows his stuff and I don't have to worry about babysitting him. Way better than just hiring some stranger off the street. Plus we're friends and practically neighbors. Except there's just one small hitch. He likes to question my work procedure a little too much. A few times I've told him, "I don't pay you to worry about it, let me worry about it"
So, we're doing a job yesterday requiring a lift in a box store during the store hours and I let him drive it while I managed the cables on the ground. I wanted him to go a specific way and he basically argued and debated why I should do it his way instead. I ended up letting him have his way. This is now the second time.
I realize I'm balancing a delicate act hiring a friend so I'm keeping my cool not to let things escalate. However, I can see this becoming a pattern. Advice or suggestions is one thing, but this guy literally complains or tries to dominate my decisions. Dragging out the time involved to just do it already. Even last year I had to tell him to stop working against me and just follow my instructions please. I've got 10 years on him in age and probably the same amount of time in work experience in this field. He does know quite a bit about technology and perhaps even more than me in some areas, but it goes to his head a bit.
So,I'm trying to figure out a way to nip this in the bud before this becomes a bad habit. Worst case scenario is very real here. Friends are quick to envy and stab you in the back. It's almost like he's got a "I can do it better than you" attitude.
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[–] cyclops1771 ago
I'll play it from his POV.
We can do it like X. I did it before and it worked. You say, do it Y. I say, yeah, but X works. Just fucking do Y, don't question my authority! Fuck you, what's wrong with X? I don't care, let's just do Y!
All I can add is that I get better results from my employees when I explain what we are doing AND WHY before we start. The WHY is important, so they understand what you are doing, how you think, and can ask questions THEN, not when on the job site.
So, that previsou conversation goes like this:
Hey, tomorrow we are doing thisjob. We are going to run this like Y, because reasons. Oh, I always do X on these jobs for myreasons, would that work? Hmmm, let me think. Yeah, that might work, but I prefer Y, because thisotherreason. You cool with that? Oh, yeah, I can see that.
Now, when you get onsite, you don't have to argue X or Y. Granted, running cable, you are going to find shit you didn't see on your site survey and have to go on the fly, but at least you have a way to communicate now.