How to handle a bad VP

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Brahma

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So, you're looking for a new job, right?

Yep. There is a gig right down the street from where I will be moving. (Bought a house). I qualify for 80% of what they asking. The other 20% I never even heard of, never mind actually know.
 
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a_skeleton_02

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Usually Hoshkar is the cause of a bad VP, His AE DD and Slow can cripple a raid with lots of Melee in it and one shot casters. The best thing to do is pull Hoshkar out of his lair and down the ramp towards the entrance, From there you can wedge him in the wall with the healers hiding behind it.

From there it's just a matter of doing ins and outs on his 12 second AE and burning him down.

He is weak to fire.

Once he's done VP is usually a cake walk with Nexonna the only other dragon giving you issues.
 
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Vinen

God is dead
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Ever thought about becoming an Avaya implementation engineer at a local or national Avaya re-seller? I'm sure you could make bank doing that.

Isn't Avaya spiraling down the drain? I'd recommend learning another companies technologies.
 
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OU Ariakas

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Isn't Avaya spiraling down the drain? I'd recommend learning another companies technologies.

Haha, I almost typed that he needs to learn Cisco Telephony (UC) or switching from the other guy and then use that to become a Cisco delivery engineer since he is guaranteed work for the foreseeable future and Avaya just went bankrupt. Seriously Brahma Brahma , if you are within 10 years of retirement you might be fine; but I already see Avaya clients fleeing to Cisco or MyTel because of the uncertanty around their future. Worst case is one of the giants like Dell/EMC or a Nortel buys them in a fire sale.
 
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sakkath

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Haha, I almost typed that he needs to learn Cisco Telephony (UC) or switching from the other guy and then use that to become a Cisco delivery engineer since he is guaranteed work for the foreseeable future and Avaya just went bankrupt. Seriously Brahma Brahma , if you are within 10 years of retirement you might be fine; but I already see Avaya clients fleeing to Cisco or MyTel because of the uncertanty around their future. Worst case is one of the giants like Dell/EMC or a Nortel buys them in a fire sale.
Was thinking the same thing when I first saw Avaya mentioned. Although I still have to power up Business Element Manager and Avaya Site Administration now and then we have mostly moved to CUCM. Wouldn't expect Avaya to be bought up by Nortel though since Nortel went bankrupt years ago and most of their tech was acquired by Avaya... Pretty sure what's left of Nortel is still being sued by the canadian govt.
 
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Chancellor Alkorin

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Pretty sure what's left of Nortel is still being sued by the canadian govt.

Ironically, I'm typing this from the old Nortel campus, which is now owned by the Government of Canada. Nice place. I worked here during their heyday in the mid-90s and it still looks almost exactly the same.

The case against Nortel (in the US and Canada, anyway) was over in early 2017. It was the largest chapter 11 case in Canadian history.
 
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OU Ariakas

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Was thinking the same thing when I first saw Avaya mentioned. Although I still have to power up Business Element Manager and Avaya Site Administration now and then we have mostly moved to CUCM. Wouldn't expect Avaya to be bought up by Nortel though since Nortel went bankrupt years ago and most of their tech was acquired by Avaya... Pretty sure what's left of Nortel is still being sued by the canadian govt.

You are right. My mind was thinking Motorola while I was typing Nortel for some reason.
 
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SuperNaught

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I have this atrophied place in my brain storing useless bits of information on Nortel AN and ASN routers. Excuse me, I just threw up a little in my mouth...
 
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Brahma

Obi-Bro Kenobi-X
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Sorry for the necro:

Going into a meeting in 30 minutes. I have a co-worker that has the same title as me, but his skill level is a couple notches below mine. He caused a major outage because of his laziness. (estimated a few million lost) During my RCA I figured out what and who the problem was. IF I call him out he might get fired. If I don't call him out I am blatantly lying, and my co-workers will know I am lying, because my RCA won't make sense. I then need to worry about someone going back to my VP with this analysis.

I do NOT like this guy for professional reasons. But he's a good person.
I call him out my team will see me as a sell out?
I am NOT a person to fuck with peoples careers or money this way. But I do my job when told. I try and be professional.

Quick thoughts?
 
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zzeris

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Sorry for the necro:

Going into a meeting in 30 minutes. I have a co-worker that has the same title as me, but his skill level is a couple notches below mine. He caused a major outage because of his laziness. (estimated a few million lost) During my RCA I figured out what and who the problem was. IF I call him out he might get fired. If I don't call him out I am blatantly lying, and my co-workers will know I am lying, because my RCA won't make sense. I then need to worry about someone going back to my VP with this analysis.

I do NOT like this guy for professional reasons. But he's a good person.
I call him out my team will see me as a sell out?
I am NOT a person to fuck with peoples careers or money this way. But I do my job when told. I try and be professional.

Quick thoughts?

Call him out and you said the reasons. As a professional, you are expected to be competent, right? Not cause a major outage because of laziness? If he gets away with it this time, there will be another time you have to cover his messes. The company won't be thankful you covered for a huge loss if discovered by others and shit always comes out.
 
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Flobee

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Sorry for the necro:

Going into a meeting in 30 minutes. I have a co-worker that has the same title as me, but his skill level is a couple notches below mine. He caused a major outage because of his laziness. (estimated a few million lost) During my RCA I figured out what and who the problem was. IF I call him out he might get fired. If I don't call him out I am blatantly lying, and my co-workers will know I am lying, because my RCA won't make sense. I then need to worry about someone going back to my VP with this analysis.

I do NOT like this guy for professional reasons. But he's a good person.
I call him out my team will see me as a sell out?
I am NOT a person to fuck with peoples careers or money this way. But I do my job when told. I try and be professional.

Quick thoughts?
IMO explain the situation exactly as it happened. Provide the name when asked but don't dwell on it. I always take the approach of 'shit happens' when dealing with outages and explaining to superiors. I always try to focus on resolution and future steps to prevent it from happening again. It is their decision as to whether or not they need to come down on this guy, not yours. In my experience if you report without judgement, you'll be fine. If he's incompetent it should come out in the problem/resolution description without you blatantly pointing a finger.

Depends on the culture though I imagine
 
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Loser Araysar

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Call him out for sure.

Your reputation as a professional is the most important thing here. That's what builds better teams, not covering up for incompetents.

edit: I just realized my post might have come across as aggressive after reading Flobee Flobee 's post. I agree with Flobee Flobee . I would explain the issue and who caused it, but I wouldnt aggressively try to center it on him. No need to appear vindictive. Just provide info and responsible party and let your bosses figure out what they want to do
 
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Soygen

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IMO explain the situation exactly as it happened. Provide the name when asked but don't dwell on it. I always take the approach of 'shit happens' when dealing with outages and explaining to superiors. I always try to focus on resolution and future steps to prevent it from happening again. It is their decision as to whether or not they need to come down on this guy, not yours. In my experience if you report without judgement, you'll be fine. If he's incompetent it should come out in the problem/resolution description without you blatantly pointing a finger.

Depends on the culture though I imagine
This is pretty much my approach when covering my ass and throwing someone under the bus. Just be diplomatic about it, but at the end of the day, you have to protect your interests above pretty much all else.
 
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OU Ariakas

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Yep, I would explain the whole situation and resolution including mitigation for the future. If they start asking specific names then I'd tell them exactly what they ask. No need to crucify the guy; but this is your job and he is not your friend. It was his fault and he should take the blame.
 

Vinen

God is dead
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You could also just abstract the names out 🤷

Person A
Person B

Just be diplomatic about it and you'll be fine.