Re: I was blindsided . . . how to handle? UPDATE #14

[Petticoats]

That sounds like it went very well. I'm glad you and your boss were able to discuss it reasonably and come to a workable solution.

[onyonryngs]

You told your boss that it's a headache you didn't want to take on.  I would've left that part out and just said you'd be swamped with the extra duties from the other designer who's leaving.

[oceanus]

I wouldn't have said anything about the task being outside your job description.

[gramma dishes]

jpcher ~~  I personally think you did fine.

[Mental Magpie]

I think you did great, you were honest and straightforward.

[Virg]

I have to disagree that it was a bad idea to tell your boss that you didn't want to take on the new task, or that it's a bad fit for your current skill set.  It's easy to get into the position where you're worried that anything you say like that will reflect badly on you, but being assertive about the duties you want has its place.  I've always been of the opinion that if you can't say "I have no desire to take on a task that's outside my current job and will interfere with doing the tasks I'm assigned now" then you've got bigger problems than not being seen as a team player.

All told, I think you handled it very well.

Virg

[bopper]

When I have had to take on a task that I don't really want to I usually do it but then over time try to transfer it to who it really should belong to. So we had our project manager laid off so I had to take on some of the document librarian duties...I was the best choice at the time, but really do you want to pay an engineer to do that? So over time a new project manager came in who managed multiple projects did it.  Or another time our person who did some of the documents got laid off...I took over one relevant to my work but also another one where I was strictly an editor and added no technical content.  I really didn't like that so the next software release got it moved to another person who was closer to the work. I also got assigned testing duties. Those are in line with my technical skills so I have kept those duties.

[Annoyed in America]

You handled it well.  It' sad that in this economic climate some organizations are having to do this.  One group I work with has had to eliminate several positions.  The people remaining have had to pick up the slack.  Some of them are incredibly stressed out now and unable to complete the work.  Their work product has suffered, they are subjected to unhappy customers and they haven't had a raise in 4 years.  At least they have jobs...How I long for pre 2008 economic days!