I just got called to the boss's "office"

lynnmfrank · November 2010

You've already received a number of good suggestions for rerouting your frustration, but I wanted to acknowledge something in what you said:
It is NEVER kosher for superiors to discuss the activities of their reports with anyone but someone above them in the management chain. In some cases, it is even illegal.

Just felt you needed some validation in that your boss has violated a cardinal management rule. I feel your pain. My boss is so inappropriate with employee information that I am aware of each of the Family Medical Leave Act registered conditions of each of my coworkers--and I have no doubt that they are aware of mine.

All you can do to preserve yourself when forced to work with a manager who is not professional is to committ to be better than he/she is. My boss tells me that he marvels at my professionalism, despite working in a very "snippy" office, and I say quietly to myself, "That is one thing you'll never take away from me."

Just your expression of frustration with what happened to you tells the world that you are far better than she is. You are a professional, even when she isnt. Hang in there.

kikibaby · November 2010

I honestly don't care that she talked to her son about me, and I'm not surprised, but I just don't want to her what his suggestions are.

I don't think it's illegal for her to vent about work to her family.

Snippylynn · November 2010

I used to work on the Home Depot line for Whirlpool and holy mother of god. Kiki, I can completely understand how you feel. EVERYONE in my office made sarcastic comments about the idiots we had to work with. We were never told to knock it off, but it wasn't out of hand either, just like, "Holy crap! This woman just returned $10,000 worth of appliances because they had FINGERPRINTS on them!!" <--True story

Shrug it off and keep going on.

Snippylynn · November 2010

Oh, the reason the appliance story was funny because she called to RE order the same appliances and we wouldn't let her because there was actually nothing wrong with the items, they just needed to be wiped down. She was really mad. And she got charged a 20% restocking charge. Muahahaha.

kikibaby · November 2010

That's funny, Snips. People can just be so... weird.

Ghoti · November 2010

Oooh my vote is write a book!!! And then C&P it here so we can hear your funnies!!!

lynnmfrank · November 2010

Noted. I'm not saying what she did was illegal, I was saying that there are times when supervisors discuss employee information with individuals who are not in the mangement chain, that it can be illegal. I was demonstrating this with the example of my boss discussing other employee FMLA conditions with his direct reports. This is a clear violation of legal privacy.

I am so sorry that you're going through this. Hope tomorrow is better.

JanoBean75 · November 2010

Kiki, I vote for venting here. A lot of us are either in customer service or specifically retail and I know sharing stories and frustrations help me.

zippityb · November 2010

I used to work with a lady who would yell "ASSHOLE" after she'd get off the phone with a particularly difficult person. I thought it was hilarious, because she would sound so nice on the phone, and after she hung up, she would let him have it.

Ghoti · November 2010

Alright Kiki, new plan. Go here- http://damnyouautocorrect.com
Every time after abad call, then you will laugh, therefore lifting Moral and your boss will be so impressed with your attitude change she'll give you a raise

kikibaby · November 2010

That site is hilarious, ghoti. I was literally in tears reading it the other night. My favorite was the poofarts one. I think I'll probably call Pop Tarts poofarts forever and ever.

Ghoti · November 2010

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_just-got-called-bosss-office?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:5ae066a3-f92d-4f35-83e0-be08bba94c56Post:62ab14d7-faf0-4407-b10f-23e2b4f370a9">Re: I just got called to the boss's "office"</a>:
[QUOTE]That site is hilarious, ghoti. I was literally in tears reading it the other night. My favorite was the poofarts one. I think I'll probably call Pop Tarts poofarts forever and ever.
Posted by kikibaby[/QUOTE]

Haha me too. If I say fart in front of FI he falls on the floor and laughs to tears, so thats always a fun stunt to pull. Or if Fart comes on the tv captions, he dies then too. Oy.

I'm knot at work · November 2010

So, apparently, even when someone is an a-hole to me, I'm supposed to just hang up and sit quietly at my desk.

Yeah, it's called being a professional.

The Mel and Todd Show · November 2010

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_just-got-called-bosss-office?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:9Discussion:5ae066a3-f92d-4f35-83e0-be08bba94c56Post:47a07472-6de4-4cdb-bd12-d3ee074172d6">Re: I just got called to the boss's "office"</a>:
[QUOTE]So, apparently, even when someone is an a-hole to me, I'm supposed to just hang up and sit quietly at my desk. Yeah, it's called being a professional.
Posted by I'm knot at work[/QUOTE]

That's easier said than done, isn't it? Client service representatives deal with the worst of people's attitudes, and are rarely compensated appropriately for the abuse that they take. I just heard a client tell one of my associates that she was annoying, and that she needed to transfer her to someone less annoying. The associate apologized and inquired of the offending behavior, so she could correct it, and the client said "it's your voice. I hate your voice." Is it really appropiate for one human to tell another that they won't speak to them because of their voice? People are horrible to the faceless people that they contact for their service issues, and sometimes professionalism can go fuuck itself when the client has stooped to sub-human behaviors.

zippityb · November 2010

You can be a professional and a human being with feelings and stuff at the same time.

kikibaby · November 2010

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_just-got-called-bosss-office?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:9Discussion:5ae066a3-f92d-4f35-83e0-be08bba94c56Post:47a07472-6de4-4cdb-bd12-d3ee074172d6">Re: I just got called to the boss's "office"</a>:
[QUOTE]So, apparently, even when someone is an a-hole to me, I'm supposed to just hang up and sit quietly at my desk. Yeah, it's called being a professional.
Posted by I'm knot at work[/QUOTE]

*snort* You're ridiculous. Please, oh great one, tell me about how perfect you are at your job.

kikibaby · November 2010

Mel- I had a guy ask me at the end of our conversation once if this was my "real voice". Um, yes? I've also been asked if I was a "real person or a robot". Hmph.

lauralazer · November 2010

Ah, man, come work at my office. Everyone makes sarcastic remarks. I had a client on the phone yesterday as me if we were located in a building. My coworkers responses when shared, "No, we're in a tent." "We're in a teepee." "We work in the middle of a field. Stop when you see the smoke signals."

chuygrl77 · November 2010

I just called my boss to my office to tell her that her way of venting is disturbing to the others in the office and now she's not talking to me. Woops!

[Deleted User] · November 2010

OK. I am fairly certain I have the winner of idiot "customers." I work in a pediatric hospital, and I actually had a mother request we dim the lights in the OR so they wouldn't hurt her child's eyes. I had to keep a straight face while explaining to this Rhodes scholar that the doctor would be operating on her son's eye, a very small area, and needed to be able to see what he was doing. He couldn't do this by candlelight.

You just have to remember the average IQ is 100, and that's not very bright and some of these people provide good party conversation.

chuygrl77 · November 2010

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_just-got-called-bosss-office?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:9Discussion:5ae066a3-f92d-4f35-83e0-be08bba94c56Post:47a425e1-4086-4128-850b-66561eb1a6ab">Re: I just got called to the boss's "office"</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: I just got called to the boss's "office" : *snort* You're ridiculous. Please, oh great one, tell me about how perfect you are at your job.
Posted by kikibaby[/QUOTE]

your reply to this is great!

beatlesgirl25 · November 2010

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_just-got-called-bosss-office?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:5ae066a3-f92d-4f35-83e0-be08bba94c56Post:54da8250-b4b0-42cb-b09e-7f1f80f36a0d">Re: I just got called to the boss's "office"</a>:
[QUOTE]OK. I am fairly certain I have the winner of idiot "customers." I work in a pediatric hospital, and I actually had a mother request we dim the lights in the OR so they wouldn't hurt her child's eyes. I had to keep a straight face while explaining to this Rhodes scholar that the doctor would be operating on her son's eye, a very small area, and needed to be able to see what he was doing. He couldn't do this by candlelight.<strong> </strong>You just have to remember the average IQ is 100, and that's not very bright and some of these people provide good party conversation.
Posted by Alexmom2[/QUOTE]

Wow, you sound like the type of person who should totally be working with people. Especially scared mothers of scared, sick children.

Soon2BMrsClay · November 2010

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