The president of our company speaks only to certain people.
Several times a week, she comes into our office and says hello to
two of my co-workers.
Q:
The president of our company speaks only to certain people. Several times a week, she comes into our office and says hello to two of my co-workers. She says nothing to the rest of us, even though we’re sitting right there.
Since we all do the same job, we can’t help feeling offended when she ignores us. What do you think about this?
A:
Like many executives, your president fails to realize that everything she does sends a message. Because top managers have a lot of power, their actions are always closely monitored by employees.
When the president breezes by your desk without so much as a nod, the message you get is that you’re not important. And when she speaks to your co-workers, you understandably feel that she prefers them to you. However, she might be quite surprised by these conclusions.
All top executives are highly goal-oriented. As they shift rapidly from task to task, they are often completely oblivious to the feelings of those around them. Also, many high-level managers are socially shy. They can talk all day about business, but informal conversation makes them uncomfortable.
Smart executives eventually grasp the importance of being friendly, but your president has yet to learn this lesson. Not recognizing the impact of her words, she may speak to your favored colleagues simply because she knows them better.
To encourage communication, here’s my simple suggestion: Stop waiting for the president to speak first. Whenever you see her, smile and say hello or ask a question about the business. If you start initiating conversation, I bet you’ll soon be added to the greeting list.
Q:
A new woman in our office literally stinks. She wears nice clothes, but doesn’t shower or wash her hair. She actually looks dirty.
Our boss has talked with her twice about this problem. Each time he mentioned it, she cleaned up for a while, then went back to her old habits.
Everyone is sick of smelling this disgusting odor every day. We are also worried about losing customers. How can we get this woman to clean up?
A:
This problem belongs to your boss. Having previously offered two chances for improvement, he now needs to give your grubby colleague a formal performance warning.
To encourage him to do so, you and your co-workers should clearly communicate your concerns. For example: “We know you have already talked with Barbara about her hygiene problem, but the situation is getting worse. Her lack of cleanliness not only makes this an unpleasant place to work, but may also drive away customers.”
As the manager of this new employee, your boss should help her understand that if she chooses to neglect her personal hygiene, she may also be choosing to lose her job.
