Office Environment

[wildcat]

Hey I forgot one more office personality I run into:

The "ass kisser" -- every office environment has one.

 

[laurence]

There certainly is! The thing that baffles me is how these ass kissers can't see themselves for what they are. At one point our office brown noser was my lead, and when he took my work and claimed it as his own for more "face time" with the bosses, I backed him into the corner and verbally tore him a new one without a single curse word. He was purple by the end of the "conversation" but never tried it with me again, and avoided me for some time. He is still pulling his old tricks, though, just with new victims. I don't know how he does it, he's not physically intimidating (5' 6", ~250lbs and wears polos 2 sizes too small), far from it. I think people just feel it's not worth the effort to stand up to him or call him on his antics. He has been removed from a lead role and will most likely never have that opportunity again, so I guess he can't cause too much damage anymore.

 

[teachme]

The "ass kisser" -- every office environment has one.

wildcat, I know exactly where you're coming from and appreciate your posts. It is an honor to be part of the same forum and some day I hope to reach your level of professionalism and have the wonderful style you demonstrate on your posts.

Sorry, couldn't resist....forums have them as well

 

[chinaco]

I've got two problems with my current gig. ....

Hey, it sounds like we work at the same place!

I can related to the stratification... Hard Workers vs Hide and Do Nothings.


To everyone - Funny stuff!



Here is one you probably missed. Perhaps only managers can relate to this one...

Distort reality. Paint a nice pretty verbal picture to upper mgmt when everyone knows damn well that there are big problems. Some would call it a deception. Others would call it managing perception. The net result is that the underlying pain points persist and fester into big (ignored) problems.

I do not know if you have noticed... but the rosy picture guy is always rewarded, while the bearer of the bad new is usually sacrificed.

 

[CuppaJoe]

One of the guys who committed suicide, a Navy diver, had been his salvage ship's Sailor of the Year. An E-6, he'd been awarded a Navy Commendation Medal.

An acquaintance from my home neck-of-the-woods was killed in action 12/68. Of course over the years I followed news stories about awards ceremonies. Years later I looked his name up on the internet, and was very surprised to discover for the first time that it was friendly fire. I doubt very much that COD was suicide but was surprised again to learn that suicide is a sub-category of friendly fire. Seems like unfortunate terminology since civilians might view friendly fire as the fault/mistake of our troops/buddies.

 

[cube_rat]

he's not physically intimidating (5' 6", ~250lbs and wears polos 2 sizes too small),

Thanks for the IT geek visual. Does he wear floods with white socks too?

 

[laurence]

Thanks for the IT geek visual. Does he wear floods with white socks too?

Actually, black deck shoes/rockports with white socks, and highwater slacks! But I've got plenty of good friends here in geekland that do the same. 8 more weeks....

 

[BunsGettingFirm]

In 1998, while I was working for NASA, DW had surgery that involved a long recovery at home with much assistance needed. I got permission to telecommute for two months. Even with the time I spent helping her each day, I was WAY more productive than in the office. I didn't need to sit through long meetings, I only responded to urgent calls or emails and I was not interrupted by folks stopping by the cubicle to chat. While I was glad when she no longer needed me at home, I hated going back into the office environment.

Grumpy

What's all the obsession with productivity? What's the use of productivity if you're not in the office trumpeting your own horns and building your brand image as upper-management material?

 

[CyclingInvestor]

What's all the obsession with productivity? What's the use of productivity if you're not in the office trumpeting your own horns and building your brand image as upper-management material?

High productivity = lots of free time, when managed properly.As a programmer
I was often given assignments covering a month that I could do in a day or less.
Write the program / find the bug / whatever the first day, then relax the rest of
the month doling out the results. Of course, this attitude came about after many
years of management grinding out all sense of 'fair play' by attempting to get
free overtime, etc.

 

[Texas2step]

High productivity = lots of free time, when managed properly.As a programmer
I was often given assignments covering a month that I could do in a day or less.
Write the program / find the bug / whatever the first day, then relax the rest of
the month doling out the results. Of course, this attitude came about after many
years of management grinding out all sense of 'fair play' by attempting to get
free overtime, etc.

That is exactly my situation now. It is a great place to be if you don't mind going to the office everyday, which I do.

2

 

[Buckeye]

It would be so much easier if I just worked with machines and there were no humans around. Why do people have to be so negative/angry/whining/compaining? It just a job. Do a good job or at least do the best job you can do with the tools you have been given and don't worry about it. I can put on my Bose noise-cancelling headphones to block out the noise from the machines but I haven't figured out the shield for the negative emotions.

 

[Texas2step]

I wish I could figure out how to shield myself from stupidity of humans. Oh and my headphones won't cancel out the cell phone ringing in the cube next to me. It's moronic owner went to lunch and left it to ring endlessly on his desk. Nothing and I mean nothing can shield you from complete stupidity in the work place, except retirement.

2

 

[teachme]

I wish I could figure out how to shield myself from stupidity of humans. Oh and my headphones won't cancel out the cell phone ringing in the cube next to me. It's moronic owner went to lunch and left it to ring endlessly on his desk. Nothing and I mean nothing can shield you from complete stupidity in the work place, except retirement.

2

Whenever that used to happen when I worked in an office I would go over and put it on vibrate.

 

[CuppaJoe]

Whenever that used to happen when I worked in an office I would go over and put it on vibrate.

When a neighbor (in my apt. building) goes off on vacation but leaves an alarm clock or radio to go off at an ungodly hour, I cut the power to his apt. for a split second; solves the annoyance.

 

[HFWR]

It seems everyone chooses the loudest, most obnoxious ringtone possible...

Speakerphones... I HATE speakerphones...