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Calling out co-workers

drkat

I'm gonna vent here for a sec

I work for a small company - 3 techs and a Sr. Engineer on our team. He's anything but Senior. He's of CCNA level and doesnt even demonstrate that very well. Needless to say I'm above him in skill set.

Today I'm configuring a router and he wants to look over the config. I gave him the router and he then gives it back to me saying " It's not wrong, but there is stuff missing" so I look it over. I found a few things I glanced over or didnt write the config before giving it to him. I send the config back to him.

He then responds with "Better, but you're still missing stuff.. look at another router and stare/compare" now at this point I've had it. I told him I dont have time to play "find the error" and to please point out what he thinks is wrong. I have too many tickets and projects to do and was configuring this for him as a favor.

He responded back with that a router I configured had to be sent back because it couldnt be logged into... now I know for a fact that thing was working before it shipped but he's the last guy to spot check the config and he shipped it. I dont know what he did with it but he blamed it on me.

Then he tries to tell me I'm missing stuff from my configuration such as "service password-encryption" and AAA model of authentication.

First let me go ahead and say that I've configured our passwords using MD5 encryption so no need for this service to be turned on at all. We also dont use AAA authentication in our organization but just local authentication setting priviliege (yeah real secure.. i know but this guy just copies and pastes configs he sees in other routers (legacy or not) and goes for it)

Now his tone with me was the last straw - I'm not normally confrontational but I do consider myself an alpha-geek and I do not like folks like this who copy configs, dont know the basics and expects me to fix his mis-haps (has happened plenty of times with regards to simple network design and even building qos maps etc) I'm not sure if I should respond back to him letting him know WHY this stuff is not in the config and offer an technical explanation or if I should just upper cut him and forget about it.

I mean I resent the hell out of this guy - He's got himself his CCNA/CCDA and CTP+ on the wall and walks around like he's all high-sh** but he's really not that knowledgeable and his lack of real world experience shows - he's clearly a paper NA/DA. He also makes roughly 95K a year (he left a nice paper on my desk outlining his package.. not on purpose)

My background? All experience, school of hard knocks no CCNA but "studying" when I can because I realize I'm never going to get this this guys payscale without some serious certifications or a lot of "knee time" and I'm not about to invest in knee pads.

I guess my question here is what do you guys think? Should I get into the technical ins and out with him? or should I just not respond to his email and do it "his way" even though he's wrong - or I could tell him if he doesnt like the way I did it then he can configure it himself. I mean I have options - however I'm one of those guys that doesnt want to lay down for anyone ya know?

He might have the bosses at my job fooled into thinking he's some sort of network guru but he's not fooling me.

Quick Edit: copying configs is OK.... if you know what the hell needs to be configured as a base config. I mean he'll copy 2900 series configs onto 3500's etc.. he'll have frame-relay ACL's and packet marketing for like CIR/PIR and move them over to a router that's handling a PPP T1 or Metro Ethernet... that's what I'm getting at. He doesnt know the difference! How do you have a Senior title with a skillset like that!!

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Comments

pham0329

The guy sounds like a tool, but a quick note on service password-encryption - Your enable secret may be hashed, but without password-encryption, a lot of your other passwords would show up in clear text when doing a show running config

I've never personally worked with senior techs that wouldn't reason or listen to what I have to say. If I put up a hard enough argument and can back it up, they'll listen and let me do it my way. I would try to reason with him first, and if that doesn't work, then I'll take it up with management. If they don't listen, I'll start looking for a new job.

drkat

Good point pham - also all of the other passwords are using md5 as well. console/vty etc we enable login local on them so they check against the local database as well as enable is using secret as well. (atleast I do, I have NO IDEA what he does)

We don't have any other passwords in the enterprise that would need encrypting. (no PPP/CHAP etc)However good point. I dont think though I should need to explain this to him ya know

Darian929

Honestly I don't know the history between both of you guys is or how he is. From my personal experience when someone tells me "look at it over again" i normally don't take it in a bad manner, instead I look at it as a way to improve something I missed or can improve on. This can only help and not hurt. Trust me sometimes it's best to look for it yourself and learn the hard way than be pointed out quickly because this can create a habit of relying on your Sr. techs to always do the "hard" setups or things you dont know since they might or do.

You can always talk to them with your concerns and if he is not an A** he will listen and gain a good working relationship that will make the working environment much easier for both and easier to learn.

the_Grinch

I'd say think it over a few days and then respond with the technical reasons of why you did it the way you did. Given my experience thus far, I always cite best practice for how I would like to do something and then let management/senior level staff tell me in writing how they want it done. That way, if it blows up and they come to me looking for a reason, I can say I was following directions. You obviously don't want to look like all you do is what you are told, which is why I cite best practice. That way, you can show that you offered an alternative view, but were overruled. Sometimes there is a method to the madness, even if you don't see it. Take it from someone who has been told he is not tactful enough, avoid petty arguments and jumping over peoples heads unless you truly have too. I've been in these situations and while you might be right, your method of proving it could hurt you much more then help. It's a hard lesson to learn, but we all learn it eventually. I've had the pleasure of working with some class A idiots and had to wonder why on earth they were being paid. Take it one day at a time, don't sweat the small stuff, and work on bettering yourself. Take what you can from what you do now and work on getting somewhere else. Good luck!

cisco_trooper

Don't do anything on a whim, so to speak. Office politics alone are enough to lose your job. If you want to start getting into it with someone you better know for certain that the rest of the office feels the same way you do. Best thing you can do is cover your ass so if anything comes back you can politely point the finger his direction. In my experience calling people out does nothing but create a hostile work environment over time and that is no way to spend 40 or 50 or 60 hours a week.

drkat

I agree with people to give it time or to not even respond at all. Thanks.

@Darian - I never said there was a problem to look it over.. but you're missing the fact that he is wrong and doesnt know what he's doing.. so why should I pay attention to anything he says?

I've been in the business now going on 7 years and I've run into this type of person plenty of times.

I honestly just need to get out - I have some offers on the table I'm looking into.

IEWANNABE

Ever seen the movie "Animal" with Ving Rhames.... I always try to remeber the that line...."You can be smart, or be tough". And this is coming from someone who's benched close to 600. The "smarter" way is definitely the way to go. I don't condone being a rug, but try to balance things with some humility. Your boss isn't stupid,.. if what you say is true, then he knows that you're smarter than this guy. Why he's in that position is anyone's guess, but we've all know plenty of techs and managers who simply shouldn't be in their prospective positions. I'm willing to bet that your co-workers know that you're smarter as well. Money will come... so I wouldn't worry about that to much.

NOC-Ninja

Ahhhhhhhh reality of life. Life is not fair. A lot of people feels the same way. There are thousands or millions of Sr engineers that not the smartest and Managers that doesnt really know what their doing. This will go down to politics. Usually Sr guys gets away with BS because they are buddy buddy with the higher management or they can talk their way out on everything. Management usually just talks to the bad guy to ease it and then Sr does it again. Its like a parents slapping the hands of a kid and the kids does it again after a week or so.

At the end of the day, you will still report to this guy because your Manager doesnt want to deal with all the BS. Im guessing your SR engineer is also your lead, right? If so,youre in a bad situation. He will make your life will be living hell. The worst part is, you can complain all you want and management wont really do anything serious about it. You're are not alone.

drkat

lol that is so true. I'm not even responding to him.. Like I said I'm movin on anyway within the next few weeks so I'll chew him out then

snokerpoker

drkat wrote: »

lol that is so true. I'm not even responding to him.. Like I said I'm movin on anyway within the next few weeks so I'll chew him out then

Sometimes it is just better to move on to a different job. At my last job, my "senior" colleague/boss was intimidated by me and always questioned everything I did. He also didn't want me to implement fixes because it was a direct reflection on him that he set it up wrong. It was ridiculous. After a year and a half of dealing with him, I decided to move on and I could not be happier with my decision.

Good luck!

drkat

did you atleast chew him out?

Psoasman

drkat wrote: »

lol that is so true. I'm not even responding to him.. Like I said I'm movin on anyway within the next few weeks so I'll chew him out then

I'd be careful with chewing someone out at work, especially if you are going to leave the company. That's a good way to burn bridges, even if you never intend to go back.

drkat

It's true.

We actually talked about it today and we're cool. I'm still gone; had a few interviews today