Today’s entry is about mean people at work. Have you ever worked with a person who is mean to you at work? Someone who has a “superiority complex”?

One of the neat things that I am beginning to experience is contact from readers who are asking me to address certain issues that they are facing. I am happy to do that! Please just email me when you have something you would like me to discuss.

However, it is important for me to put in this disclaimer every once in a while. I am not an expert who knows all. I happily share with everybody my opinion based on my experiences.

Back to the topic – mean people suck. They get us down and cause us to have issues associated with work that effect other parts of our lives. I can think of two such people in my career and do not think of those times fondly. Here is a quote from the message:

“I shouldn't take it too personally, she's really a bitch to everyone, no joke. I feel bad for her. It's a defense mechanism that she's built up for so many years. She talks to everyone like they know nothing, so much of it is in her inflection.”

This person has it right – a key is to compartmentalize and not take it personally, but this is hard to do. Is there a solution? Not an easy one – the response can depend on where you are in the chain?

If this person is above you, it is most difficult. You can approach the person to try and work out a situation, but making change is difficult.

If this person is a peer, you can use subtle and not so subtle confrontations.

However, the real opportunity for change is when you are the supervisor and this will happen to all of us. Here is where we get to become leaders. We need to act – proactively to modify her/his behavior. To not act, is cowardice and you are destined to have failures as a leader – you have a responsibility to all of your people to maintain a positive work environment. Is it easy? No – but absolutely necessary.

TBL: Mean people suck to work with, but the silver lining is that we ultimately become better people and professionals from learning “how not to act” and by dealing with the situation.

This is the charming Hotel Charming where we are staying...and it has free wireless!

CAPT Barry had us over for pre-dinner wine and cheese and fruit.
Dinner was around the corner at the pizzeria.