Work woes

I have one major issue with my job this week. Actually it is a recurring theme at my job. I have many tasks in the process of organizing events for the School of Engineering. There are details such as reserving event locations, caterers, flowers, entertainment, creating invitations, maintaining lists, etc.

One issue with this is that I report to 3 different people. Of those 3 people, each has different ideas of which of them has the final say in things...and if the others should even see certain aspects of the planning.

So far, to try and appease everyone, I have taken each step to EACH PERSON so that no one felt like I was usurping them or going behind their back and they all had a say. But the problem is this takes SOOO much time. By the time I run it by one person and they change things, then run it by the other person...then I have to take it back to the first person to show them the changes the second person made - and so on and so on. Sometimes the simplest task takes hours! It is ridiculous.

So this week I proposed a new way of streamlining this process. I created a check list and put each person's name in order from creation to final say (with check boxes under each name). This way, when they see an item, they check it off and say they are done with it. Then if they change their mind down the road (that is a WHOLE other section and thorn in my side...they change minds constantly) I can show them where they signed off and where they agreed the person at the end had final say...not them. No argument.

So what do you think? Do you think this will work? So far my idea seems to be meet with some agreement, my boss apologized for saying she made me feel that way, and one other person I report to seems kind of pissed at me. (I think she realized I was saying she was a control freak)

Oh well, I guess only time will tell. Just had to vent!