Problems at work for Actuarial Students

[EarlGrey]

There is a problem in my office and I would like some feedback from others in the consulting business.

The problem is we have a partner who does nothing all day long. He will sit in his office, look at his email, and then call friends and family and organize social and charitable events. He then comes at 5:30pm and tells his people "Let's get together and discuss.." and keeps his people there till 7 to 8pm. Is this a common situation in actuarial consulting?

We all know that clients certainly will call last minute for things and you have to work late. However, when a project manager poorly manages his time and screws things up constantly for his people, what can you do?

[Troy McClure]

Staying till 7 or 8 can be, depending on time of year and depending on the office. Having a partner that does nothing is pretty uncommon. I don't know how you get to that position without being more on-the-ball. Are other partners aware of the situation? Consulting firms tend to hire good consultants, not good managers. It's not uncommon to see management look the other way until they are forced to do something. Often consulting firms are places where, if you don't like your manager, you need to start working on your resume.

[Ammie]

Why not suggest at the end of the next impromptu meetings that as a group you have been discussing how useful it would be to have weekly status meetings, say on Monday mornings? Tell the partner that you think it would be helpful in getting a handle on who's working on what, and what the looming deadlines are.

[WWSituation]

It isn't common, but not the first time I've heard this (I've seen it in some offices I've worked in).

Short of speaking with the partner yourself, there is nothing you can do to alter that culture (until you complain about it during your exit interview).

[NO1UNO]

Is there another partener you could discuss this with? People notice these things, but don't do anything until someone complains.

[EarlGrey]

I agree with what Troy is suggesting about working on the resume. My one concern is about getting into a similar situation at another firm.

Staying late or working weekends consistently seems to be a problem only with this partner. I have had to work only one other weekend all year with the other actuaries here.

The partners are aware of the problem but they do nothing. The partner causing the problem brings in revenue. I think the others are willing to look the other way based on this.

[ajphilly]

He is a partner. He paid his dues. He can do what he wants. When you become a partner, you can mold the position into what you want.

[WWSituation]

If his employees abandon his unit, he won't be a partner for long. This I've seen enough of.

[Ammie]

I'm not sure it's fair to say he's doing nothing if he's bringing in lots of business. JMO. I do agree with you that the project management sucks, and it's something you either address (best as a group request, then he does not read it as criticism), you learn to live with it, or sadly, you go elsewhere. Wish I had better advice...

[EarlGrey]

On 2002-02-19 19:31, Ammie wrote:
I'm not sure it's fair to say he's doing nothing if he's bringing in lots of business. JMO. I do agree with you that the project management sucks, and it's something you either address (best as a group request, then he does not read it as criticism), you learn to live with it, or sadly, you go elsewhere. Wish I had better advice...



Perhaps I didn't explain it correctly. The partner I was talking about brings in business because most of his projects are way underpriced relative to what we bill. There was a $7000 project which other partners were saying we should have charged at least $50000 for. We ended up spending $55000 on this project.

I am going to take the advice offered in this thread about moving on. I can't see myself covering for someone else's bad work habits. So the whining shall stop.

What surprises me though is all the partners I have encountered, have excellent work habits. How can you be a partner and not learn time management and project management skills?

[Lee Mellon]

Perhaps he can draw a tennis ball through 100 feet of garden hose. Do the other partners call him "sweetheart?"

[Anonymous]

Lee,
That's gross.

[Fletch]

Anon - you're right, but it gave me the good laugh I needed this morning. Thanks Lee!

[NO1UNO]

On 2002-02-20 07:16, EarlGrey wrote:
[Perhaps I didn't explain it correctly. The partner I was talking about brings in business because most of his projects are way underpriced relative to what we bill. There was a $7000 project which other partners were saying we should have charged at least $50000 for. We ended up spending $55000 on this project.



Just to clarify, he gives a client an estimate on a project of $7,000, then bills them $55,000? Or does he collect $7,000 even though the firm spent $55,000 on the project?

In either case, I can't believe he gets away with this. If I were a client and paid several times the estimate, I would never use that consultant again. I would think his business would dry up pretty quickly. If it's the latter, I would think the other partners would get rid of him since he's losing so much money.

[anon789]

On 2002-02-20 07:51, Lee Mellon wrote:
Perhaps he can draw a tennis ball through 100 feet of garden hose. Do the other partners call him "sweetheart?"

I was eating soup when I read this. Now I'm cleaning my screen. ROTFLMAO!

[EarlGrey]

On 2002-02-20 11:09, NO1UNO wrote:

On 2002-02-20 07:16, EarlGrey wrote:
[Perhaps I didn't explain it correctly. The partner I was talking about brings in business because most of his projects are way underpriced relative to what we bill. There was a $7000 project which other partners were saying we should have charged at least $50000 for. We ended up spending $55000 on this project.



Just to clarify, he gives a client an estimate on a project of $7,000, then bills them $55,000? Or does he collect $7,000 even though the firm spent $55,000 on the project?

In either case, I can't believe he gets away with this. If I were a client and paid several times the estimate, I would never use that consultant again. I would think his business would dry up pretty quickly. If it's the latter, I would think the other partners would get rid of him since he's losing so much money.


It's the latter. He bids low and we get stuck going over budget.

[NO1UNO]

If I were a partner, I would not be very happy with that.

[E. Blackadder]

Two words: Blackmail.

[L. Mo]

um, that's one word. Don't you have a more cunning plan?

[42]

Elmo, I think Blackadder is suggesting that the overbudget partner is somehow blackmailing the other partners, and that's why they don't get rid of him. E.B., you don't happen to know this from experience now, do you? :grin:

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: 42 on 2002-02-20 18:34 ]</font>

[Ammie]

On 2002-02-20 07:16, EarlGrey wrote:
How can you be a partner and not learn time management and project management skills?


From time to time, they slip through the cracks. Sad but true.

[scout]

Seems to me like the other partners would have very little motivation to do anything. In my experience, someone has to get burned on their own project/client before they will consider addressing a situation like this. As long as they don't have to work with him, why not just ignore the issue?

[Anonymous]

On 2002-02-20 07:51, Lee Mellon wrote:
Perhaps he can draw a tennis ball through 100 feet of garden hose. Do the other partners call him "sweetheart?"

Man, what some people won't say on these public forums. Disgraceful, I say, disgraceful.

For this Heinous action which has no humor or merit, you will be castrated, banned, deleted, and ridiculed publicly you bad, baaaad man.
(drip, drip, drip) < -- sound of sarcasm.