I am 28 years old and currently serving in the U.S Army. In the
shop where I work, we have a lot of younger guys. They act so
childish that it’s embarrassing to call them soldiers.
Q:
I am 28 years old and currently serving in the U.S Army. In the shop where I work, we have a lot of younger guys. They act so childish that it’s embarrassing to call them soldiers. They think everything is a joke and have no clue when to back off. Being deployed away from my wife and family is tough enough without having to deal with these immature, smart-mouthed kids. I mentioned this to our sergeant, but he just brushed me off. What can I do?
A:
If your primary concern is their lack of professionalism, then you need to separate actual work problems from personal irritation. Any juvenile behavior that impedes productivity or creates a safety hazard should be brought to the attention of your sergeant.
For example: “I know these guys are young and immature, but I worry that horseplay around the equipment may cause someone to get hurt. It also distracts people from working, so I thought you might want to speak to them about it.”
On the other hand, if you are being personally targeted, the young jokesters may just be trying to provoke a reaction. Any comeback will only encourage them, so the best response is no response. If you simply smile and go about your business, they will eventually get bored and find their fun elsewhere.
If teasing turns into personal insults, however, you may want to explain where you draw that line. For example: “I know you’re only kidding around, but I want you to know that jokes about my family are not at all funny to me.” If these steps fail to help, just try to ignore your smart-aleck colleagues.
They may simply be dealing with the stress of deployment in their own way.
Q:
After working with my manager, “Julia,” for eight years, I recently received my first negative performance appraisal. Previous reviews have all been quite good, with no suggestions for improvement.
Julia plans to retire soon because she feels she has no future here. Our company was acquired two years ago, and the new management has a very different style. When I get a new boss, I’m afraid this appraisal will make a bad impression. What should I do?
A:
Your negative review is definitely a warning sign. If Julia has seemed satisfied with your performance, then she may be expressing someone else’s opinion. Given the recent leadership change, this feedback might actually be coming from higher management.
Because Julia has had difficulty adjusting to the acquisition, she may not have accurately conveyed the perspective of your new leaders. As a result, you could have met her expectations, but fallen short of theirs. To check this out, ask Julia whether any of the negative comments came from someone else.
If so, try to get some direct feedback from that person, then attach an improvement plan to your review. When your new boss arrives, you can explain the situation, review the plan, and agree on specific goals.
