Aggravating Employees

My boys will sometimes complain to me about their work troubles.

I haven’t done that in a couple of decades.

If I’m asked about work I often use the line my buddy Tom coined:

“If they weren’t paying me I wouldn’t go.”

Yet it’s different for those starting their careers. They get worried when they get a questioning email, or a weird look.

“This one guy texts me all day long. He’s always asking me what I’m doing, and hitting me with his goofy ideas about safety.”

“Yeah, people like to talk to make themselves feel important,” I said.

“Drives me crazy. He calls me at night.”

“Don’t answer it,” I said. “You have to set the boundaries.”

“He’s always trying to kiss up to the owners.”

“Yeah, that’s what they do. Forget about him.”

Yet my boy couldn’t and since I’m in the same field as him and also work with his employer, I had him introduce me to the pest.

He was nervous about it.

“It’ll be all right,” I said.

The three of us met on one of the sites and I brought up a couple of his goofy ideas and very nicely shot them down. 

The guy took it well, and I could sense my boy was relaxing a bit…

The guy started telling me a story.

“I gotta’ go,” I said. “You’re boring me.”

He took it as a joke, and laughed heartily, but as we walked away my son was horrified.

“Why’d you do that?”

“Knock him down a peg,” I said, “And he thought I was joking.”

“I can’t believe you told him he was boring you.”

“Yeah, it’s a good line. That’s how you handle the kiss-ass guys.”

He’ll learn.

Takes time.