What would you do in this situation? Someone from another department asks you about a team member’s errors

[Anonymous]

Yes, you should have told A as a courtesy. I don't think you were obligated, but going forward you should.

But A should also have done their work right in the first place, so no need to go beyond a bare-bones apology, OP.

[Anonymous]

OP did nothing wrong. It is fine to answer questions in a work context. If A didn't like it, tough, they should do their job properly!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP did nothing wrong. It is fine to answer questions in a work context. If A didn't like it, tough, they should do their job properly!

It is not fine for another department’s management to reach out to another manager’s staff for something like this. OP needed to loop in her boss, who could talk to A about it.

[Anonymous]

It's always touchy not going through chains of command. Often times it will look as if a subordinate is fluffing it, but he's actually just doing what is being ordered (psst he's the fall guy.) This is contracts or MOU's come into play as a to set terms for people in different organizations or parts of organization to go about communicating without directing everything through the central leadership.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP did nothing wrong. It is fine to answer questions in a work context. If A didn't like it, tough, they should do their job properly!

It is not fine for another department’s management to reach out to another manager’s staff for something like this. OP needed to loop in her boss, who could talk to A about it.

I suppose if it’s a culture that just accepts that level of inefficiency

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Op here. Thanks PPs, in this case it was visual what was missing and causing Higher Up’s area to not be able to move forward. If I say I was unsure, it would be an obvious lie as I manage the database that Team Member A did not complete the process on and can visibly see the missing steps.

I can’t think of a good example that applies in multiple job fields - It would be like someone using orange marmalade instead of raspberry jam and asking you to confirm the flavor you see and taste. You can see and taste the difference.

“I was not involved in the sticky sweet stuff process this week. Manager is the person who can help you with this”

To Manager: FYI Annoyatron was asking me about the use of orange marmalade. I referred their question to you.

To Screwup: Heads up that Annoyatron noticed and asked about your using orange marmalade, in case you want to get ahead of any questions they or Manager might have.

You don’t cut out your manager if there is an issue involving your team. It’s not strictly necessary to tell Screwup, but it’s nice to give them a heads up , and could bank some goodwill.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP did nothing wrong. It is fine to answer questions in a work context. If A didn't like it, tough, they should do their job properly!

It is not fine for another department’s management to reach out to another manager’s staff for something like this. OP needed to loop in her boss, who could talk to A about it.

I suppose if it’s a culture that just accepts that level of inefficiency

there is nothing efficient about cutting out the direct manager if someone on your team made a mistake.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP did nothing wrong. It is fine to answer questions in a work context. If A didn't like it, tough, they should do their job properly!

It is not fine for another department’s management to reach out to another manager’s staff for something like this. OP needed to loop in her boss, who could talk to A about it.

I suppose if it’s a culture that just accepts that level of inefficiency

Maybe OP’s boss told A to do things differently. Maybe OP isn’t aware of why things changed. OP should tell her boss what happened so that her boss can talk to the other manager about whatever the concern was. The other manager is also in the wrong.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP did nothing wrong. It is fine to answer questions in a work context. If A didn't like it, tough, they should do their job properly!

+1. I work in risk management for a financial company. This is how investigations sometimes get started - an independent employee is asked to confirm when someone notices something. As long as OP is qualified to provide a factual answer, no problem.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP did nothing wrong. It is fine to answer questions in a work context. If A didn't like it, tough, they should do their job properly!

It is not fine for another department’s management to reach out to another manager’s staff for something like this. OP needed to loop in her boss, who could talk to A about it.

You don't know OP's workplace organization. Sometimes it's not so clear cut.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP did nothing wrong. It is fine to answer questions in a work context. If A didn't like it, tough, they should do their job properly!

+1. I work in risk management for a financial company. This is how investigations sometimes get started - an independent employee is asked to confirm when someone notices something. As long as OP is qualified to provide a factual answer, no problem.

Yeah, there should be nothing wrong with the truth.