a corporate designer

In my position description it says I need to be "self motivated and work with minimal guidance"

Man, they took that saying to heart. Today I was told I need to help develop a presentation that will be delivered at the end of the month for [company client name].

That's it.

No direction on the content of the thing, just that it needed to look "new and fresh and represent the direction the company is going."

When I asked what the content would be I was told, "I'll know once I see the graphics."

I'd say we're putting the cart before the horse here, but at this point there is no cart or horse.

I'm pretty sure no one thinks my job should take time... 

I may sit in a cube 8 hours a day, but I'm often given seconds to finish projects. "Did you get that thing? Is it done?"

You mean the thing you literally just sent me and that I haven't even had a chance to look at, much less do anything with?

If you need it now, then yeah, it's done, because there is nothing I can do to help you without taking it taking longer than a heartbeat.

Oh to have a solid minute to gather my thoughts and 5 minutes to execute - seems like a distant dream most days. 

Josh Wattles, $makepictures is an expert on copyright law bringing perspective and experience to the issue from multiple creative industries. From art, film,...

Today I had a manager send me 5 brochures from another company and ask me how long it would take me to re-brand them with our company logo.

Think about that one for a moment, but not too long, because your brain will start bleeding. If it didn't happen to me I don't think I would believe that was possible.

I'm use to people not understanding that just because images are on Google it doesn't mean they're free for use (especially in commercial material!) but to blatantly ask me to copy entire paragraphs of text and images from another company's brochure? Have you lost your bloody mind?

Plagiarism. It's called plagiarism, you idiot. 

For the record I simply responded "no." Which was confusing to them since the original question was "how long" it would take, and not whether or not I would partake in the activity of stealing.

This led to a phone call where they tried yelling at me.

Which then led to me trying to, as politely as possible, explain to them the legal ramifications of said request.

Which then led to them stomping off to their manager to tattle on me for "not being a team player." 

I haven't heard about it since. I assume (and hope) that means the idiot was told he was an idiot by his manager, and that a more formal scolding for trying to save the company's ass from a law suit isn't coming my way.

Who knows though. Logic does me no good in some work situations. 

So, this is probably one of the most heartless, upper-management-y things I'll ever say, but here we go: sometimes a company just needs a good solid reorganization.

I'm not talking the kind of reorganization I've seen in the past where valuable employees are cut wholesale, but a restructuring so that there are meaningful lines of authority between upper management and their employees. Sometimes this kind of strategic positioning is exactly what a company needs to flourish. It gives employees a chance to reposition themselves for renewed growth and success.

I'm stuck in a pretty dead-end position where I am now, and I'm really hoping that a company restructure will either reposition me into a new role where I can advance my career, or I'll be cut free to find a position at another company that better suits me. Also, there is just a lot of dead grass at my company that is stealing resources from some unbelievable talent. 

Rumor has it that a reorganization is due to be complete by this October. I've never been so excited by the thought of potential layoffs!