an interesting dilemma...

[Very Duke Blue]

This thread has turned into a very fun reed.

[ArkieDukie]

The latest chapter in "As the Manuscript Turns"

My boss met with Pushy PI and The Minion today. After the meeting concluded, Pushy PI came to my desk and requested to chat with me privately. He "feels badly" because I put in so much work on a manuscript that's likely to be accepted to a major journal and wanted me to reconsider being listed as a co-author. He also wanted me to know that my boss had given them a copy of the alternate assignment for their spectrum today (yes, the one I sent him in early June), and they're going to include it in the manuscript as as assignment that's "equally likely" to the one they gave. 9Okay, half the peaks in the spectrum are unassigned for your possibility; they're completely assigned in my "equally likely" spectrum. Whatever.)

So, I laid it on the line. I asked him if he knew why I had asked to have my name taken off the manuscript. Let's just say his reason was WAY off base. He gave his answer (the one thing that WASN'T on the list of reasons I sent to my boss); I told him it was far more serious than that, named one other issue, and said there were more. He seemed surprised by this and wanted me to send him my list of concerns. Pushy PI swears that he wants everything to be right. I think this means my boss did absolutely nothing with the list of problems I sent him, which means the draft of the manuscript I saw (and pulled my name from) is the one that went out the first time. I also told him that, since this is going in a journal in my field, people who know our lab would think I was responsible for the analysis. I also mentioned the fact that he and The Minion were allowed to over-rule me on issues that would impact my professional reputation and not theirs. He then asked me if I believed everything that came from Lab in My Field XXX that I have previously mentioned as publishing a lot of junk. My response was, "Absolutely not, and I don't want that sort of reputation myself."

He still wants me to consider co-authorship, and I gave my conditions: I want to see the final version of the manuscript and the reviewers' comments before I make a decision. He seemed surprised that I hadn't already seen any of this (whatever). So, supposedly, I'll be receiving a copy of the newest version of the manuscript and the reviewers' comments from the first version of the manuscript. I honestly think he expected me to fall all over myself to have my name put back on the manuscript without asking any questions about what they had done or looking at the work. Wrong song, Donkey Kong.

Funny note: in the beginning of our conversation, when he was making his speech about the manuscript and what they had changed, I pointed out at least 2 things they hadn't thought of doing. Both were somewhat major; both are major oversights on the part of The Minion. That's what you get for tossing me off the project, dude.

[Lavabe]

Stick to your guns.
I am undecided as to which smilie to use to sum up my opinion about your boss not passing on your email list of issues. ;)

[lawgrad91]

You go, AD!

[OZZIE4DUKE]

So when does the Pushy PI, who suddenly doesn't sound like a complete ignoramus/asshole/schmuck (take your pick, use any or all), realize that he's screwed up by relying on the Minion and your boss (instead of you)? And when he does, and he probably will, what will he do about it, if anything? And will this all happen before you leave for your new opportunity?

Did you tell him straight out how flawed his data is in the manuscript, or just hint at it?

[DukieInKansas]

You go, girl!

[Ima Facultiwyfe]

The latest chapter in "As the Manuscript Turns"

My boss met with Pushy PI and The Minion today. After the meeting concluded, Pushy PI came to my desk and requested to chat with me privately. He "feels badly".

All this and we now discover he's bad feeler TOO?
Love, Ima

[ArkieDukie]

Stick to your guns.
I am undecided as to which smilie to use to sum up my opinion about your boss not passing on your email list of issues. ;)

Exactly. I have a new working theory: my boss and The Minion are the major problems in this situation. The Minion is perfectly willing to do whatever it takes, up to and including data falsification, to get the answers that her boss wants to see. My boss will say whatever needs to be said to make Pushy PI happy. Here's what has happened repeatedly: The Minion brings data to me to get my opinion. I tell her it's wrong. It's the one piece of data she needs to make her boss happy. She takes it to him anyway and tells him it's right. She presents it in a meeting with my boss. He glances at it and says it looks good. I start to voice an objection and am quickly shut down by my boss. Pushy PI is happy, because my boss, who is an expert, tells him he has the data he needs for his publication. He's the expert, right? The Minion has positive reinforcement for her dishonest behavior and continues in a similar manner. Pushy PI thinks I'm being difficult because I keep saying that their answer is wrong; he really thinks everything is okay because he trusts my boss's opinion, and my boss is too wary of ticking off Pushy PI to tell him the truth. Puts me in a great spot, doesn't it?

What would've happened if, just once, my boss had actually sided with me in a meeting with Pushy PI? Or even if he had the backbone to stand up and tell them that their experimental design was sloppy? Or tell Pushy PI that The Minion is a total idiot and has no business doing data analysis that's out of her field of expertise? Why do I have to be bad cop on this particular issue? Heck, he agrees with me often enough about this particular issue when Pushy PI is not around. And why the heck is he letting them put in the correct spectral assignment after their incorrect one with a note that "this is another alternative that has an equal likelihood of being correct." WTF??? Let's see, my answer was returned from a database search with a score that translates to "it has a high likelihood of being correct." Theirs was not. Once upon a time I thought my boss had a spine. Now I wonder how he manages to stand upright.

Of course, I can't help but wonder about the convenient timing of the big reveal of the correct spectrum and the invitiation for me to put my name on the manuscript. They've revised the manuscript and it's going out the door. There's no time for them to take my concerns into account before sending it off. I was not involved in the revision process at all. After all, why have someone involved who will readily call BS when you don't want to hear it? Doing things correctly might take too long, you know, and there's a manuscript that needs to go out the door so Pushy PI can have his big grant renewed.

Yeah, I think my name will probably stay off this paper. Nothing I heard today changes my mind on that point.

[ArkieDukie]

So when does the Pushy PI, who suddenly doesn't sound like a complete ignoramus/asshole/schmuck (take your pick, use any or all), realize that he's screwed up by relying on the Minion and your boss (instead of you)? And when he does, and he probably will, what will he do about it, if anything? And will this all happen before you leave for your new opportunity?

Did you tell him straight out how flawed his data is in the manuscript, or just hint at it?

Congrats, Ozzie; you hit the nail on the head. My boss is veering more over on the major league schmuck side of the scale. Pushy PI has actually said a couple of times that he respects me. He even told me that this is going out with his name on it, so he wants it to be right. He then said, "I hope you believe that." The problem is, he has a bit of a warped idea about what's "right," all because my boss always agrees with Pushy PI - even when he's wrong. This does not help matters.

[DevilAlumna]

Congrats, Ozzie; you hit the nail on the head. My boss is veering more over on the major league schmuck side of the scale. Pushy PI has actually said a couple of times that he respects me. He even told me that this is going out with his name on it, so he wants it to be right. He then said, "I hope you believe that." The problem is, he has a bit of a warped idea about what's "right," all because my boss always agrees with Pushy PI - even when he's wrong. This does not help matters.

AD, I have no idea how the politics of academia works, but out of curiosity, does this turn of events make you wish you'd just gone straight to Pushy PI with your concerns, instead of relying on your boss to escalate your issues?

At the borg, it's generally de rigueur to go directly to the person who is the final authority - folks who rely on the "beg for forgiveness," as opposed to "ask for permission," for going over/around manager heads usually are the ones who are rewarded at year's end.

[ArkieDukie]

Congrats, Ozzie; you hit the nail on the head. My boss is veering more over on the major league schmuck side of the scale. Pushy PI has actually said a couple of times that he respects me. He even told me that this is going out with his name on it, so he wants it to be right. He then said, "I hope you believe that." The problem is, he has a bit of a warped idea about what's "right," all because my boss always agrees with Pushy PI - even when he's wrong. This does not help matters.

AD, I have no idea how the politics of academia works, but out of curiosity, does this turn of events make you wish you'd just gone straight to Pushy PI with your concerns, instead of relying on your boss to escalate your issues?

At the borg, it's generally de rigueur to go directly to the person who is the final authority - folks who rely on the "beg for forgiveness," as opposed to "ask for permission," for going over/around manager heads usually are the ones who are rewarded at year's end.

That's an interesting question, DA; the answer is that I'm not sure. Pushy PI and my boss are both political schmoozers, so it's hard to tell how much of Pushy PI's comments to me are for show. Maybe I'm just cynical. At least he's having the conversation with me. That's something my boss has never done.

[CathyCA]

Oh. I thought that Pushy PI was female.

[ArkieDukie]

Oh. I thought that Pushy PI was female.

No - Pushy PI is male; The Minion is female.

[ArkieDukie]

The latest chapter in "As the Manuscript Turns"

My boss met with Pushy PI and The Minion today. After the meeting concluded, Pushy PI came to my desk and requested to chat with me privately. He "feels badly".

All this and we now discover he's bad feeler TOO?
Love, Ima

BTW, forgot to mention this yesterday, but LOL!

Love you, Ima.

[captmojo]

Praises galore to you.

[DukieInKansas]

You currently find yourself in a situation that can be used to answer the inevitable interview question - how have you handled a difficult situation in the past.

I'm not sure I'd include "discussing it with my invisible friends" as part of the handling.

[ArkieDukie]

You currently find yourself in a situation that can be used to answer the inevitable interview question - how have you handled a difficult situation in the past.

I'm not sure I'd include "discussing it with my invisible friends" as part of the handling.

Probably not.

I actually referred a friend to this thread yesterday to get the dirt on what's going on. This friend is someone who's passing my CV along but has, up until now, not known the reasons for my job search.

[captmojo]

They've a lot o'readin' to catch up on.

Hey, I'm only invisible when needin' service from some...like a/c parts folks. Again,

[shereec]

They've a lot o'readin' to catch up on.

Hey, I'm only invisible when needin' service from some...like a/c parts folks. Again,

I sincerely hope that the a/c parts you need are for a vehicle and not your house! Anti-invisibility vibes for you - Big Time!!!

[captmojo]

It's a central air unit for the house.