WWYD - vacation during big meeting prep

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Offer to make yourself available if needed while on your trip and go anyway.

If you can be reached while on your trip, you can verify that the information to be presented is correct or identify any new sources of needed information.

In my experience, people don't end up needing you for these "make a big fuss" situations. 3 days and over a weekend and two weeks away is a lot less controversial than what I was expecting.

+1 offer to be available if needed and check email 1-2x a day. Seems like they could clearly plan meetings or drafts around your very brief OOO.

[Anonymous]

I wouldn't cancel. I find that bosses love to say it's "all hands on deck!!" but the actual work doesn't happen until the last minute anyway. Take the vacation and then come back ready to work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So many boot lickers

+1
I had the job with the boss demanding 500 updates to a powerpoint and it's poor management and ego trip, period.

Me too. The woman who kept her staff every day until usually 7 or 7:30 to change a PowerPoint. Would the company make a dollar less without the changes? Of course not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You said yourself it's an unspoken rule not to leave town w/n 3 weeks of said big meeting.

So why did you schedule something w/n that time frame? And your boss doesn't sound encouraging about it so I'd take that as a huge hint.

It's bad optics even if technically you wouldn’t be missed.

+1

And your boss basically told you not to go.

[Anonymous]

Your boss wouldn't think twice about firing you tomorrow, whether you go or stay.

Going might just give her more justification.

Ultimately plan for your future.

[Anonymous]

I once heard a Jack Welch/Jamie Dimon type CEO speaking. They said all the same thing it is really only one question who is a great employee you want by your side.

Would you share a Foxhole with them? I think it is true.

In a Foxhole in WWII at night one man faces one way with a rifle the other man faces other way with a rifle. It is all night you cant turn around to see if other is awake and alert. You cant speak as might get shot by enemy if they hear you.

So you spend entire night in a hole knowing if guy behind you falls asleep, is not alert, is a bad shot you are both dead. He gets shot then you get shot in back.

Literally the other man has your back. You made it clear you have no place in a Foxhole.

When times get tough they know where you stand and you will be first to go.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I once heard a Jack Welch/Jamie Dimon type CEO speaking. They said all the same thing it is really only one question who is a great employee you want by your side.

Would you share a Foxhole with them? I think it is true.

In a Foxhole in WWII at night one man faces one way with a rifle the other man faces other way with a rifle. It is all night you cant turn around to see if other is awake and alert. You cant speak as might get shot by enemy if they hear you.

So you spend entire night in a hole knowing if guy behind you falls asleep, is not alert, is a bad shot you are both dead. He gets shot then you get shot in back.

Literally the other man has your back. You made it clear you have no place in a Foxhole.

When times get tough they know where you stand and you will be first to go.

The face that anyone thinks some worthless PowerPoint updates is comparable to staying alive in war is absolutely insane.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I once heard a Jack Welch/Jamie Dimon type CEO speaking. They said all the same thing it is really only one question who is a great employee you want by your side.

Would you share a Foxhole with them? I think it is true.

In a Foxhole in WWII at night one man faces one way with a rifle the other man faces other way with a rifle. It is all night you cant turn around to see if other is awake and alert. You cant speak as might get shot by enemy if they hear you.

So you spend entire night in a hole knowing if guy behind you falls asleep, is not alert, is a bad shot you are both dead. He gets shot then you get shot in back.

Literally the other man has your back. You made it clear you have no place in a Foxhole.

When times get tough they know where you stand and you will be first to go.

The face that anyone thinks some worthless PowerPoint updates is comparable to staying alive in war is absolutely insane.

And for the peanuts he pays his employee vs. his own salary. Jamie Dimon is an utter feces-dipped ball goblin.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I once heard a Jack Welch/Jamie Dimon type CEO speaking. They said all the same thing it is really only one question who is a great employee you want by your side.

Would you share a Foxhole with them? I think it is true.

In a Foxhole in WWII at night one man faces one way with a rifle the other man faces other way with a rifle. It is all night you cant turn around to see if other is awake and alert. You cant speak as might get shot by enemy if they hear you.

So you spend entire night in a hole knowing if guy behind you falls asleep, is not alert, is a bad shot you are both dead. He gets shot then you get shot in back.

Literally the other man has your back. You made it clear you have no place in a Foxhole.

When times get tough they know where you stand and you will be first to go.

The face that anyone thinks some worthless PowerPoint updates is comparable to staying alive in war is absolutely insane.

Agreed. This is known as "contest culture" in the HR industry.

Google AI summary:

"Contest culture," also known as masculinity contest culture (MCC), is a workplace environment characterized by hyper-competitiveness, dominance, and the suppression of vulnerability. Key norms include "showing no weakness," valuing "strength and stamina," prioritizing "work above all else," and a "dog-eat-dog" environment where colleagues are seen as competitors rather than collaborators. This dysfunctional culture often leads to negative outcomes such as burnout, increased turnover, harassment, a lack of psychological safety, and decreased innovation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I once heard a Jack Welch/Jamie Dimon type CEO speaking. They said all the same thing it is really only one question who is a great employee you want by your side.

Would you share a Foxhole with them? I think it is true.

In a Foxhole in WWII at night one man faces one way with a rifle the other man faces other way with a rifle. It is all night you cant turn around to see if other is awake and alert. You cant speak as might get shot by enemy if they hear you.

So you spend entire night in a hole knowing if guy behind you falls asleep, is not alert, is a bad shot you are both dead. He gets shot then you get shot in back.

Literally the other man has your back. You made it clear you have no place in a Foxhole.

When times get tough they know where you stand and you will be first to go.

The face that anyone thinks some worthless PowerPoint updates is comparable to staying alive in war is absolutely insane.

Could be more important. Look at Financial Crisis in 2008 hundreds of thousands of jobs lost because someone did a PowerPoint to do a risk business move that no one checked and was approved. Guess someone was on vacation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I once heard a Jack Welch/Jamie Dimon type CEO speaking. They said all the same thing it is really only one question who is a great employee you want by your side.

Would you share a Foxhole with them? I think it is true.

In a Foxhole in WWII at night one man faces one way with a rifle the other man faces other way with a rifle. It is all night you cant turn around to see if other is awake and alert. You cant speak as might get shot by enemy if they hear you.

So you spend entire night in a hole knowing if guy behind you falls asleep, is not alert, is a bad shot you are both dead. He gets shot then you get shot in back.

Literally the other man has your back. You made it clear you have no place in a Foxhole.

When times get tough they know where you stand and you will be first to go.

Bingo. Best of luck on your new job search.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I once heard a Jack Welch/Jamie Dimon type CEO speaking. They said all the same thing it is really only one question who is a great employee you want by your side.

Would you share a Foxhole with them? I think it is true.

In a Foxhole in WWII at night one man faces one way with a rifle the other man faces other way with a rifle. It is all night you cant turn around to see if other is awake and alert. You cant speak as might get shot by enemy if they hear you.

So you spend entire night in a hole knowing if guy behind you falls asleep, is not alert, is a bad shot you are both dead. He gets shot then you get shot in back.

Literally the other man has your back. You made it clear you have no place in a Foxhole.

When times get tough they know where you stand and you will be first to go.

The face that anyone thinks some worthless PowerPoint updates is comparable to staying alive in war is absolutely insane.

Could be more important. Look at Financial Crisis in 2008 hundreds of thousands of jobs lost because someone did a PowerPoint to do a risk business move that no one checked and was approved. Guess someone was on vacation.

Wrong. The financial crisis was caused by many unethical people in the finance world operating off of "find a greater fool" theories and not fully understanding complex financial instruments but trusting their "foxhole buddies" who came up with them, and high tolerance for outright fraud (liar loans, etc).

That's "contest culture" talking right there. Somebody taking one Friday off could lead to a global financial crisis. Do you even hear yourself? If the rot wasn't so pervasive across institutions, it wouldn't have spread so quickly.

Google AI summary:

"The 2008 financial crisis was a global economic downturn triggered by the collapse of the U.S. housing market, fueled by subprime mortgages and complex financial products like mortgage-backed securities. The crisis led to the bankruptcy of major financial institutions, a stock market crash, and widespread job losses, ultimately causing the Great Recession."

[Anonymous]

I am surprised at all of the responses saying to go on vacation. Op, this is your project right? I cannot imagine valuing my work so little that I would leave on vacation for a weekend with my DH (who I live with) and not be present at the office to help craft the presentation for something I spent time and energy on. Why do you even work if you do not care about the outcome? Your DH should support you too. So many times people post on here about being divorced and left with nothing and not wanting to work. I do not get it. Have some self respect.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am surprised at all of the responses saying to go on vacation. Op, this is your project right? I cannot imagine valuing my work so little that I would leave on vacation for a weekend with my DH (who I live with) and not be present at the office to help craft the presentation for something I spent time and energy on. Why do you even work if you do not care about the outcome? Your DH should support you too. So many times people post on here about being divorced and left with nothing and not wanting to work. I do not get it. Have some self respect.

Did you read the whole situation? OP would be back in plenty of time for the final prep. It's just a long weekend mid-prep.
And mid-prep is lots of redrafts because the boss sounds like an inefficient egomaniac.

PSA- if you keep making your direct reports redraft POWERPOINTS (hello it's 2025) you are a terrible manager.

[Anonymous]

As someone who is a boss in a similar situation (but it’s a couple month period) team members know they cannot go on vacation for a certain period of time. Take a day off here and there? Sure. Emergency? Sure. I had a team member do what you are saying you’ll do and checking email 1-2x a day wasn’t enough. There was an emergency (in their work) and they weren’t reachable and because they worked an hour they thought that should count for the entire day. I ended up looking closer at their work and realized they weren’t as good as I thought they were and found other questions in judgment.


Don’t schedule anything for the three weeks before this event. If you must travel during this time you should change careers/ companies. You know this is a requirement yet you think you somehow should be able to go away. That isn’t right to the team. I have been the boss who ok’d a vacation at a horrible time and it was a nightmare for me. You could have picked any other weekend or time.

I would cancel and schedule something somewhere else after this event is over and then reschedule this date sometime next year away from this event!

Honestly, it boggles my mind when people don’t understand how they aren’t promoted or move up and then do stuff like this.

The job market is hard right now so just know if you go away and there are layoffs your boss will probably put you at the top (unless other people take off for these 3 weeks) of that layoff list. Not taking vacation for a three week period is not a big deal. Ask accountants.