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Subject:Re: Problem Co-worker From:doc -at- edwordsmith -dot- com To:techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com Date:Fri, 27 Apr 2007 14:10:52 -0700
On Thursday 26 April 2007 16:24, abby initio wrote:
> Hi,
>
> I'm a longtime member of the list but, since I'm occasionally a contractor,
> I'd rather not use my professional address.
>
> That said, I'm having trouble with a co-worker who is a low-grade bully.
> She easily accuses others of changing her files (we have no version
> control). She doesn't speak to you quietly, but shouts from her cube, "So
> and so, did you change my file?" or "Are you in the foofile?" or just a
> general accusation to the whole team.
My first thought is that someone really is mucking with her files. This is
serious business that could bear a little investigation. I don't think your
manager should be spared the group's feedback about this difficult co-worker,
nor should management subject anyone to the risk of tampering (especially
when SVN is free).
I like the idea of humoring this difficult soul, but of course you would run
the risk of triggering more bad times if she takes it the wrong way. Peter's
suggestion about leaving her new toys could be just the thing to break her
distemper.
Anyway, I empathsize. After many years of contracting, my experience is that
it is the rarest of workplaces that doesn't have a loudest inconsiderate
person in it, and that person may be hard of hearing, or emotionally needy,
or simply born with attention-getting skills. I think the odds are that the
manager will find that you, as the rational one with the expectations for a
good environment, have the potential to adapt to the hardship. I hope you
like headphones. Hope this helps, and good luck.
Ned Bedinger
doc -at- edwordsmith -dot- com
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