The Official "WWWD?" Thread

[ArkieDukie]

In the category of things that give me additional gray hairs, I got an unwelcome surprise today. One of our departmental business administrators stuck her head in my office to request help on a project for The Boss. He's putting together a proposal for an institutional research core lab, and she needs my help in working on it. Having worked with The Boss for almost 2 years and seeing his vision of how a core lab works (he gets top priority; everyone else has to get in line), the last thing I want to do is forever be stuck in the position of drawing people's ire because they can't use an instrument they've been promised access to because The Boss is pulling rank. This is what I've been dealing with for the past two (almost) years, and it is not how I envision a core lab working. All in all, I'd far rather deal with Road Runner, but it appears as though I'm going to be stuck helping The Boss put together his proposal.

As soon as I could, I went to Road Runner's office to drop this piece of news on her and tell her to talk to The Boss ASAP. This is when I get the second big bombshell. Road Runner has been trying to schedule a meeting with The Boss for the past week; she even told his administrative assistant what the meeting is about. He absolutely refused to meet with her. The best guess is that he does not want our proposal to see the light of day because it would be in direct competition with his core. Now, here's the thing: based upon Road Runner's preliminary discussions, The Provost (The Boss' boss) is enthusiastic about the proposal that Road Runner would be submitting. It would be extremely attractive for luring a new director for the research center (cancer related) that Road Runner also belongs to. The former center director has already been in discussions with The Provost, so we know this is true. Here's the kicker: The Boss is currently one of three acting directors of the center. He is effectively blocking a very strong proposal from the center in order to give his core a better chance with the internal committee that approves core labs. Acting director number 2 is currently out of the country and won't be returning until next week. Former director is going to be in town for part of the month of February, so I suspect this is when the fireworks will start.

And, yes, I will be staying out of the line of fire as much as possible. Any other advice from the order?

[YmoBeThere]

Take a long vacation?

[ArkieDukie]

Take a long vacation?

Best idea ever. Things could get ugly.

[Lavabe]

Vacation would have to go through the Boss.

What else would work? The flu. And a few convenient relapses.

[OZZIE4DUKE]

I hear that they do cancer research at Duke University, a local football school. They also have the occasional PhD research chemist darken their doors. Hmmmm. Just sayin'....

[windsor]

Long vacation, bout of the flu...all good options. Failing that do exactly what you are asked: not one eyelash more. RR should have the good sense to go to the provost about Boss blocking her.

Try, as much as possible, to stay out of the crossfire. Help with the Boss' little project slowly and deliberately. Try and drag you feet a little until the other Director is back. Make sure there is room under your desk to hide.

[ArkieDukie]

Long vacation, bout of the flu...all good options. Failing that do exactly what you are asked: not one eyelash more. RR should have the good sense to go to the provost about Boss blocking her.

Try, as much as possible, to stay out of the crossfire. Help with the Boss' little project slowly and deliberately. Try and drag you feet a little until the other Director is back. Make sure there is room under your desk to hide.

Yep, that's what I'm doing. Technically, The Boss himself has not asked for my help. I will, however, need to get some clarification from The Boss before proceeding. That will be done pleasantly and with a smile. I was hired by The Boss to work in the lab that he's wanting to convert to a core lab, so it's my job to help him with this. Truth be told, I don't know what he has in mind. He may be thinking of this as a way to keep his little buddy Wile E. Coyote afloat. WEC has absolutely no money for supplies of any kind. And, no, he's not above stealing them from his colleagues. Literally.

I inadvertently misspoke when I said that The Boss was an acting director of the center where Road Runner wants to put the new instrumentation. He's not; there's not an acting director right now. The ball is squarely in The Provost's court until a new director is found. Road Runner's plan is to re-initiate discussions with the instrument company next week. I've already told Road Runner that I HAVE to help The Boss (I really don't have a choice), so I'm not sure what sort of involvement I'll be able to have in her venture. For what she's planning to do, she really does need me. She knows the biology far better than I do, and she freely admits that I've got a far better handle on the data analysis than she does. Of course, she could always hand it over to Bar Minion, who would then have her husband do the work for her.

[OZZIE4DUKE]

AD, I saw this posting on a Greensboro, NC leads group I'm a member of. Don't know if this is something up your alley or not, but labs is labs, right? ;)

HIRING-- Experienced Lab Supervisor for new Infectious Disease department
Susan Vanhoy

Recruiter at B/E Aerospace


Seeking a dynamic supervisor to join this new department in our Burlington, NC location. This is the final opportunity to join a stellar management team who will set the standard for laboratory operations and hiring! Email me at vanhoys@labcorp.com for additional details.

[Ima Facultiwyfe]

Right on Ozzie! Click your heels together and just come home, AD. Enough is enough. We have laboratories here in the Triangle you know. Of course, my daughter, the lab rat, doesn't speak all that highly of the way many of THEM are run either.

Actual research takes a back seat to the politics when it comes to the grant money. I understand that part. Still how do so many obvious incompetents keep jobs while the people who know what they are doing keep running from pillar to post in search of a well run job site?

I'm a homebody, I know. But I'm a captive audience to literally dozens who are tired, frustrated and weary of being taken advantage of by co-workers and bosses and have no alternative but to negotiate the office mine field or move on to what they hope (usually in vain) are better situations.
Is this any way to run an airline ?!?

Love, Ima

[ArkieDukie]

As you may have seen in my most recent "As the Bunsen Burns" post in the LTE, Natasha and I were majorly screwed over by Road Runner. As it turns out, Brilliant Grad Student was as well. BGS had an idea for her project that I thought was really good, but Road Runner trashed it. As it turns out, BGS' idea was given to Bar Minion to work on. Based on some intel that MacGyver got from Road Runner's former boss, everything we've seen here is what caused her to lose her last job - right down to the behavior regarding BarMinion. So, regardless of all that Road Runner has said about BarMinion, that situation is going to stay exactly as it is.

Before I got the bombshell about Bar Minion's paper, I was asked to meet with an incoming student in Road Runner's absence. Unfortunately, I agreed to do so. This student will be doing a rotation in the lab this summer. I'm supposed to tell him about Road Runner's research, give him a tour, and introduce him to everyone in the lab. With all that has happened, I cannot in good conscience tell this student that he should join Road Runner's lab. I really want to simply say that something has come up and I cannot give the tour. Is this wise/reasonable? WWWD?

And, yes, I am beginning to map an exit strategy. Despite being given middle authorship on high profile papers as a consolation prize, I do not work for lying backstabbers.

[CathyCA]

And, yes, I am beginning to map an exit strategy. Despite being given middle authorship on high profile papers as a consolation prize, I do not work for lying backstabbers.

This is huge. Congratulations!

[windsor]

As you may have seen in my most recent "As the Bunsen Burns" post in the LTE, Natasha and I were majorly screwed over by Road Runner. As it turns out, Brilliant Grad Student was as well. BGS had an idea for her project that I thought was really good, but Road Runner trashed it. As it turns out, BGS' idea was given to Bar Minion to work on. Based on some intel that MacGyver got from Road Runner's former boss, everything we've seen here is what caused her to lose her last job - right down to the behavior regarding BarMinion. So, regardless of all that Road Runner has said about BarMinion, that situation is going to stay exactly as it is.

Before I got the bombshell about Bar Minion's paper, I was asked to meet with an incoming student in Road Runner's absence. Unfortunately, I agreed to do so. This student will be doing a rotation in the lab this summer. I'm supposed to tell him about Road Runner's research, give him a tour, and introduce him to everyone in the lab. With all that has happened, I cannot in good conscience tell this student that he should join Road Runner's lab. I really want to simply say that something has come up and I cannot give the tour. Is this wise/reasonable? WWWD?

And, yes, I am beginning to map an exit strategy. Despite being given middle authorship on high profile papers as a consolation prize, I do not work for lying backstabbers.

Holy crap. Windsor can't work with lying backstabbers either. I would confront Road Runner...just so she's knows you know. I'd also let her know that you know this is a pattern... every dealing with RR must now be via e-mail, even if it is to confirm a conversation.

If you can gracefully back out of the student tour, do so.

Out of curiosity...how much can you count on middle authorship AND how much would those papers improve your personal stock? Didn't you have something cooking that would extract your from road runners universe?

[OZZIE4DUKE]

And, yes, I am beginning to map an exit strategy. Despite being given middle authorship on high profile papers as a consolation prize, I do not work for lying backstabbers.

This is huge. Congratulations!

OY. And I don't mean Over Yonder. But it is time to move east! Can Darrel Spells help find you something here?

[lawgrad91]

And, yes, I am beginning to map an exit strategy. Despite being given middle authorship on high profile papers as a consolation prize, I do not work for lying backstabbers.

This is huge. Congratulations!

QFE! We miss you here. You need to move back closer to all of us.

[ArkieDukie]

Unfortunately I cannot yet confront Road Runner. BGS is the one who told me, and she begged me not to say anything. If I do, Road Runner will know who told me, and the repercussions will not be good. If her aim is off, I cannot put Boris (a coauthor on the paper) in the line of fire. Boris is the one who is the source of the original information leak. So, for now I'm silent. I have others to think about besides myself, and I have to act in their best interest as well. With that being said, I have already saved a draft of an email message to Road Runner in which I let her know, in as PC a manner as possible, my thoughts about her actions toward Natasha and me. The message contains quotes from messages she sent me in which she said Bar Minion's work would not be published because she doubts its credibility.

Now, with that being said, karma is building against Road Runner. According to BGS, Road Runner has been blacklisted by the grad students. The current chapter of the saga only adds to the lore that keeps the grad students away from her lab in droves. As long as Bar Minion is a member of Road Runner's lab, she will not be able to get any new grad students. Period. Full stop. There's one MD/PhD student who she thinks she's going to get, but MacGyver was officially this student's mentor. Last summer, this student worked on method development that was for Road Runner's research, but he did it under MacGyver's direction. This particular project is the one that has been handed to Bar Minion on a silver platter. If he does make the mistake of joining Road Runner's group, he will be working under Bar Minion. Based on what I've seen, she will take credit for his work and get first authorship on all resulting papers. No grad student in his right mind would enter this type of situation. MacGyver is planning to have a meeting with the student to discuss the situation and find out what he's thinking of doing. BGS also has plans to give the student the 411 on the current political state in the group. Also, based on what has happened to Natasha, postdoctoral and research scientist candidates will be given similar warnings. Why would anyone want to step into a situation where a research scientist has carte blanche to take over any project she wants and also sabotage others' work?

Oh, more fun: we had a budget meeting this week with various administratiors regarding the instrument company deal. Road Runner did not bother to come. Instead, she sent MacGyver and me. She has not filled us in on all the details she's been working on, but we did the best we could. MacGyver believes her plan is to make us do all the work and then cut us completely out at the end. I think she was trying to make us look bad in order to make herself look better, but she only succeeded in ticking the very people off whose help she needs. The person with the Provost's ear was NOT happy that RR skipped out.

I'm now undecided about the original exit strategy plan. Problem is, I had originally planned to use Road Runner's instrument. Based upon the fact that Bar Minion is in charge of the instrument and has no problem with sabotage, I do not like that approach. Based upon Road Runner's behavior toward MacGyver because he dared to break up with her, I cannot remain here if I disentangle myself from her group. If I do so, I will receive the same treatment as MacGyver. I'm already in a fairly precarious position because I have dared to remain friends with MacGyver. I think my exit strategy will have to involve breaking from the institution. Believe it or not, my first step might be an email to my former boss. I have managed to maintain a civil working relationship with him from a distance, and he could be helpful in my quest for a new job.

[ArkieDukie]

Finally had a chance to chat with Natasha. She's as unhappy as I am, for all of the same reasons. Like me, believes that Road Runner should've been honest with both of us about giving BarMinion the paper from the outset rather than having both of us do work that she had no intention of ever publishing. Natasha is also planning an exit strategy, and she has at least one viable option out there. I assured her that I have her back and will do anything I can to help her. We even tossed around the idea of very quickly putting together a paper in order to submit to a journal with a faster turnaround than the one Bar Minion's paper is going to. It would be hilarious to scoop her ass, but we recognize that such a feat would be difficult if not impossible to pull off.

I learned something from Natasha that made the situation even worse. Road Runner scheduled a meeting with the two of us a couple of weeks ago to discuss manuscripts of our work. The next day, Natasha found out about Bar Minion's manuscript from Boris. This means that Road Runner scheduled the meeting with the two of us AFTER she received a completed copy of Bar Minion's paper. She actually had the nerve to discuss papers with the two of us, knowing that the work we were discussing would never see the light of day. What kind of person does this? Anyone in the grand world of academia know if we have any sort of recourse within our institution? Lavabe?

I decided today that the end game in my exit strategy is to inform various people on up the food chain about this particular incident. I want this to appear in Road Runner's permanent record. The email draft that I have written will be part of the plan. I will edit it to be sure the content is appropriate and send it to Road Runner - with a copy to The Boss. This will happen AFTER the exit plan is fully in place. Given the fact that Road Runner does not have tenure, it would not help her case at all. Maybe my lot in life is to unleash shit storms on unethical people?

In the category of gaining new disciples, I told Brilliant Grad Student and Natasha about the book "Give and Take." BGS, at least, is going to read it. Hopefully Natasha will as well. I've put my copy on my Kindle again and plan to re-read it. I told them we could start a book club in order to discuss this book. Maybe it will help us develop a strategy for dealing with our local taker duo of Bar Minion and Road Runner.

I did get a good dig on Bar Minion at group meeting, and I think it went straight over her head. Natasha caught it, though. Road Runner was talking about poster presentations at the upcoming conference that the rest of the group is going to. As it happens, Bar Minion's poster is on the first day. Natasha's is on the last day. My immediate comment was, "Oh, so the best one is being saved for last."

The other funny thing that happened at group meeting was a discussion of Natasha and Boris and the Russian Mafia. On the way back from lunch, Boris met some friends and went over to say hello to them. We teased him about receiving an assignment for a hit he was supposed to execute; he and Natasha then started talking about watching American movies about the Russian Mob in order to learn how things supposedly worked. The discussion then devolved into a discussion of ways that the Russian Mafia allegedly knocks people off and disposes of bodies. The entire discussion was hilarious, especially because Boris is one of the nicest, most laid-back people I know. Anyway, Boris said that hits are always executed outside and near the water in order to make it easier to clean up the mess. Can't remember what it was that Bar Minion said, but I missed a primo opportunity to tell her that she had nothing to worry about unless she crossed a member of the Russian Mafia. I wil live with that regret for the rest of my life - it would've been totally priceless. Why, oh why, did I bite my tongue?

[windsor]

Love the Russian mafia. Love. At my previous employer I joked about a friend who had a orange groves with a lake...to hide the bodies (she does, and it was less than a mile from the office)
Be careful with an exit strategy like that. I am not saying DON'T I am saying be careful. It is important to know which bridges to cross and which bridges to burn.



I am sure I will feel more eloquent when I am done rending garments and sitting shiva.

[ArkieDukie]

Love the Russian mafia. Love. At my previous employer I joked about a friend who had a orange groves with a lake...to hide the bodies (she does, and it was less than a mile from the office)
Be careful with an exit strategy like that. I am not saying DON'T I am saying be careful. It is important to know which bridges to cross and which bridges to burn.



I am sure I will feel more eloquent when I am done rending garments and sitting shiva.

My email may be completely unnecessary. Remember me mentioning earlier that the main external collaborator (at MDACC) from our big project had been cut out because he dares to be a friend of MacGyver's? Their friendship dates back to their days in college together. He's the person who introduced Road Runner to the people she is now working with. To say that he is unhappy with the current situation is an understatement of epic proportions. He's planning to go to the top, and his end game is Road Runner losing her job. He's not messing around. At the very least, he could squash her remaining collaborations with MDACC. That would be pretty huge. MacGyver is trying to talk him down from his planned course of action because of the consequences to Brilliant Grad Student, Boris, Natasha and me.

I will stress again that he's the originator of the entire project that has gotten Road Runner where she is today, and MacGyver introduced him to Road Runner. He has a company with some VERY successful ongoing clinical trials that are curing glioblastoma. Yes, you read that right, curing. Road Runner had a grant funded from his company from some earlier work we did, but the $$ hasn't come through yet. Anyone want to guess Road Runner's odds of getting that $$ now? Now think about how much political clout this particular person has at his institution. This is NOT someone you want to have working against you.

BGS got a bomb dropped on her at the very end of the day yesterday. BGS submitted some of her work to a very high profile journal, but they rejected it. The group of coauthors had discussed the next best option, and Road Runner agreed with the assessment: the paper should go to the top journal in our field (the same one where we now know Bar Minion has submitted her paper). Road Runner caught BGS in the hall and told her that she had changed her mind. She met with a seminar speaker yesterday who has started a brand new journal (meaning very low impact factor), and she has decided that this journal would be far better for BGS' work. To say that I am flabbergasted is an understatement of epic proportions. BGS' paper is really good and probably far more suited for publication in that particular journal than BM's paper. She has the type of supporting evidence that this particular journal looks for, and I cannot see how BM's paper would have it. It appears to me that it is BGS' turn to be thrown under the bus.

I have a theory that's been floating around in the back of my mind. Did Road Runner throw me under the bus by submitting Bar Minion's paper because I am still friends with MacGyver? The timing would be about right; their big breakup happened late last fall (just before the first big reveal of Bar Minion's work). BGS also dares to still work with/get advice from MacGyver, and now it appears that she's being punished as well. BM, being the devious little sycophant that she is, no longer talks to MacGyver, so she is golden. What does windsor think about this infernal mess?

[DevilWearsPrada2.0]

Bless his heart, Rodney Hood looks like he could cry all over again, as he sits and watches the Duke Girls Basketball team handle Winthrop!!!!!

Go Ladies!!!! ESPN2

[windsor]

I have a theory that's been floating around in the back of my mind. Did Road Runner throw me under the bus by submitting Bar Minion's paper because I am still friends with MacGyver? The timing would be about right; their big breakup happened late last fall (just before the first big reveal of Bar Minion's work). BGS also dares to still work with/get advice from MacGyver, and now it appears that she's being punished as well. BM, being the devious little sycophant that she is, no longer talks to MacGyver, so she is golden. What does windsor think about this infernal mess?

First question...was MacGyver and RR's liason against policy or was it ok? based on my working knowledge, it probably wasn't a policy violation. If not then...
Sit down and think the timing through. Review RRs actions toward you, MacGyver, BGS and anyone else you think she retaliated against. Write them down.
Get your posterior to human resources and report it. Tell them that you believe she is creating a HOSTILE WORK ENVIRONMENT by 'punishing' anyone who collaborates with McGyver.
State your reasons.
This has two beautiful benefits. 1) HR must investigate 2)RR is forbidden to retaliate against you in anyway. This puts her in a bind..because retaliation is a very grey area. They will speak to McGyver, they will speak to BGS...and others. They will not be able to reveal WHO was the source. If RR were male, she would have just handed your her balls on a platter.