I’m not a people person. At one of my reviews at Ye Olde Company I was reproved for not going about the office and saying “Hi” to others. Well, and not saying “Bye.” Oh, and not saying, “How was your weekend?”
Well. One of the hazards of working for a small company, right? TeddyJ wouldn’t be like that. I could be a cold cog in the wheels of corporate America, put my head down, do my job, y’all just assume my weekend was fine, okay?
As it turns out, why, no, it seems I have to care. This past week I had to attend Customer/Co-worker Service class, which was devoted to making me a warm and caring person. One classmate even said that working at TeddyJ was so great because people said hello and goodbye to each other. Hello and Goodbye! My old nemesis!
So, I gutted out the class. I did shine during the role-playing exercise where one young lady played the office manager and I played the customer with a complaint. I didn’t let up on her until she covered her face and ran away. That was fun.
After each chapter we were encouraged to write down some reflections in our workbooks. Here are mine:
Chapter One: I need to work on being warm.
Chapter Two:I AM a snob.
Chapter Three: MAKE chit-chat!
Chapter Four: Don’t use the tone.
Chapter Five:
Let people comfort you.
Chapter Six: I am screwed.
22 responses to “In Which I Am So Screwed”
I had to laugh at this one. Me too. I actually had a coworker take me aside one day, and explain to me that when someone says “How are you?”, they don’t REALLY want to know! To which I (quite seriously)responded, “Then why do they ask?”I still don’t get it.
My old coworkers used to look at me like I was going to hit them when I talked to them. I love being an Introvert.
Chit-chat is overrated. I hate making small talk when I really not feeling it.
Move to Paris. People don’t walk down the street grinning like idiots. Conversation is naturally limited unless you’re a fluent Francophone. There is a strict script for every encounter. Here is buying a bunch of flowers:Florist: Good morning, Madame.Customer: Good morning.Florist: May I help you with some flowers?Customer: Yes, please, I would like that bunch of yellow tulips.Florist. Very good, madame. (Retrieves desired bouquet.) If they are a gift, I will wrap them for you.Customer: Oh, thank you, you’re very kind. They are only for myself.Florist: Still, I will wrap them in this nice paper. That will be five Euros, please.Customer and Florist exchange bouquet for money.Florist: Thank you, madame. Good-bye.Customer: Thank you, madame/monsieur. Good-bye.See? How hard is that?Then again, maybe you should just pretend you’re from Moldova.
I am a nurse so I have to be nice. I have to smile and make chat chat whether I feel like it or not, or whether I like those involved or not.I am not allowed to have a bad day.Do you know if I leave a room and the patient says that I hurt her feelings (by something as mundane as being lost in thought or not chatting enough) I am guilty of abuse?I am not allowed to be human.
There are days no one even knows I am in the office. I like it like that.
I’m all sweetness and joy on the phone, and then say “f*c% you” at the receiver when I hang it up.
You ARE screwed.Did they really put that on your review?As you know, I’ve nearly perfected the art of kissing a client’s ass while gritting my teeth over what they’re asking for. Yet another reason to leave.
~Silk – I always answer honestly, but no one has ever been rude enough to comment like that!Solomon – I was so flattered when someone told me I was intimidating. Ha! Own your power.Kathy – Yes! Especially when I have work waiting.Becs – No!(Point to flowers and grunt.)Man hands me flowers.I pay. I leave. Done! Zayrina – You are a saint. I’d be the nurse who goes on a mercy killing spree.Sherri – Same here. And if you are in the opffice with me, don’t sneeze, because I don’t participate in the God Bless You conversation.Kristin – I hear you (metaphorically). I’ve flipped off the speaker phone many a time.Caroline – Yep. Jana J was the complainer. When Nancy was my boss she complained that not everyone appreciates my sense of humor. Both comments went into my file.
If you ever find the Valhalla that is the Job Where Nobody Makes Small Talk, please let me know, and TAKE ME WITH YOU. I’m assuming my coworkers mean well, but OH MY GOD, GET THE FCK OUT OF MY OFFICE!!!!
You should come work for my company. 8 women and not a one of them will say hello to another. I happen to be a “Hello, how was your weekend” kind of girl. Not that I listen to the answer, but I’m always quick to ask.
I’m exactly the kind of co-worker you would want to avoid. Since my office is separated from everyone else’s, I crave “news” and “chit-chat” whenever anyone passes by my desk. I’m so lonely up here at the front desk all by my lonesome. Won’t you please come talk to me? hahaha. You’d hate me!
Oh, my… I think we must have been twins separated at birth.
I actually got disciplined for not saying hi to our office secretary when she passes in the hall. Well, that and for telling her to get out of my office after I asked if she could maybe be nice once in a while instead of hateful and she replied with, “I never ask anyone to be nice to me so I don’t expect to have to be nice in return.” So I quit saying hi to her and apparently that was creating a hostile work environment. Trust me, I can think of better ways to create a hostile work environment for the little bunny!
I think an occasional “God bless you” after someone sneezes would go a long way to help you improve your work relationships.
Styro – F’ing AMEN sister!Candy – Candy, Styro, trade jobs.KC – But that can’t be. I love you! Sue – There are a lot of us out there. We are a Silent Majority! The Silent Treatment Majority, maybe.Amy in StL – Oh, my God. She would be dead if I were you. She would know what hostile means.Friend #3 AKA Moses (they speculate Moses was high) – Sigh. it began today. I coughed, got a bless you, thought, no, that was a cough, then I gave up and said “Thanks.” Yeah, thanks for acknowledging my cough.
You have a weird cough, woman; it takes getting used to. Sooner or later, people figure it out. :-PDon’t worry. When I get there, you can vent all your customer service training frustration on me.
Mo – Mom cough/sneezes the same way. AND yesterday we were watching tv and someone quoted “the Apostle Paul.” She questioned it.
Wow, Styro, you totally need to come work for my company. The commute may be a bitch for you though.
This is why I love you.The other day I proclaimed that I was never, ever answering my work phone again. “Then you have to TALK to people,” I said. It made sense to me.
Maybe you were just in a good mood when I met you, but I thought you were perfectly pleasant. On a separate note, I usually say “Hi, how are you?” but keep walking because I really don’t care about the answer.
Candy – Work it out, sisters.Suebob – Makes sense to me to. I often screen my calls and answer them in one unpleasant burst.Marriage 101 – No! I was awful. I walked away thinking all these people are going to think I’m materialistic and tasteless and a greedy pig since I ate two cupcakes and appetizers I didn’t pay for.