BOSS A JOKER; WORKER AT WITS' END.Byline For the use of the term in football (soccer), see Byline (soccer). The byline on a newspaper or magazine article gives the name, and often the position, of the writer of the article. : KEN LLOYD On the Job Q Our manager comes to us almost every day with a joke he found on the Internet Internet Publicly accessible computer network connecting many smaller networks from around the world. It grew out of a U.S. Defense Department program called ARPANET (Advanced Research Projects Agency Network), established in 1969 with connections between computers at the . We have all heard or read the jokes already, but we are reluctant to tell him, partly of upsetting him, and partly out of fear that he may think we are spending too much time tracking these jokes down. So we pretend to laugh. None of us are happy with this. What do you suggest we do? J.G. A You have gotten yourselves into a situation that is not a laughing matter laughing matter laugh n this is no laughing matter → das ist nicht zum Lachen . The real issue is that you fear being open and honest with your manager. If you are certain that you cannot tell him already you heard a joke he is about to tell, then you cannot tell him much of anything. If your perception of him is accurate, there is still a way to approach him. At an informal meeting or lunch, mention in a general discussion that once a joke hits the Internet, it goes around the world at the speed of light. Unless he is permanently out to lunch, he will get the message to scale back his jokes, or at least test the waters before launching the next one. At the same time, it is important for you and your associates to review the amount of time that you spend fishing for jokes on the Internet. Is it possible that your concern is based more on your behavior than on his? Humor humor, according to ancient theory, any of four bodily fluids that determined man's health and temperament. Hippocrates postulated that an imbalance among the humors (blood, phlegm, black bile, and yellow bile) resulted in pain and disease, and that good health was at work has become increasingly popular, but most employers do not get much of a chuckle chuck·le intr.v. chuck·led, chuck·ling, chuck·les 1. To laugh quietly or to oneself. 2. To cluck or chuck, as a hen. n. A quiet laugh of mild amusement or satisfaction. when their employees spend great amounts of time seeking it. Q I enjoy my job, but due to recent events I have been enjoying it less and less. I am considering searching for new employment, but because I have a hearing impairment hearing impairment n. A reduction or defect in the ability to perceive sound. that is increasing in severity, I have reservations about this. I know about the Americans with Disabilities Act Americans with Disabilities Act, U.S. civil-rights law, enacted 1990, that forbids discrimination of various sorts against persons with physical or mental handicaps. , but if hearing correctly is an essential part of the job, I should not get it. Should I leave a job with good benefits just because I am not adjusting to current events, or should I wait them out because of limited job possibilities? N.C. A Before thinking about changing jobs, the first order of business is to check out the changes that are occurring on your present job. You enjoy your job and view the changes as recent events. At this point, you need to see if they are permanent events. During this period, look carefully at the changes and try to identify whatever may be causing your resistance. Is it the changes themselves, or is it possible that they are surrounded sur·round tr.v. sur·round·ed, sur·round·ing, sur·rounds 1. To extend on all sides of simultaneously; encircle. 2. To enclose or confine on all sides so as to bar escape or outside communication. n. by too many unknowns? If you are uncertain, you should wait them out, not because of possible limitations in your field, but because you owe it to yourself to be certain that the present work situation is not going to work much longer. In terms of changing jobs, your comment about your hearing actually sounds like you are being too tough on yourself. Countless companies today are smart enough to understand the legal and practical need to make reasonable accommodations reasonable accommodations A standard of providing for a worker's or customer's needs, as mandated by the ADA, which requires that a business make appropriate changes in the environment to accommodate those with mental or physical disabilities as long as such for people with disabilities. Just remember that excellent companies have excellent policies and practices in this area. Q I passed the office of one of the employees who reports to me and noticed that she was speaking to my manager. I stuck my head in and asked my manager if everything is OK, and he abruptly a·brupt adj. 1. Unexpectedly sudden: an abrupt change in the weather. 2. Surprisingly curt; brusque: an abrupt answer made in anger. 3. told me that this is none of my business. How does this sound to you? T.J. A It sounds like your manager was short-changed when interpersonal skills "Interpersonal skills" refers to mental and communicative algorithms applied during social communications and interactions in order to reach certain effects or results. The term "interpersonal skills" is used often in business contexts to refer to the measure of a person's ability were being distributed. There may be a perfectly legitimate reason for your employee to chat in confidence with your manager, but there is no legitimate reason in the world for your manager to treat you like a villainous intruder An attacker that gains, or tries to gain, unauthorized access to a system. See attacker, intrusion and IDS. . As part of the trend toward flatter organizations, perhaps your company actively encourages employees at all levels to communicate with each other, and your employee was simply taking advantage of this. However, in light of your manager's reaction, you are probably concerned that this employee may have been talking about you. Since you are going to be wondering about what may be happening here, you should meet with your manager to discuss the situation. Tell him that you were only interested in trying to help in whatever situation may have prompted your employee to meet with him, and you are troubled by his reaction. The next step is to be quiet and listen carefully to what he says. His reaction should give you an idea as to whether this matter is or is not your business. |
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