Dear Roze:

I just can’t stand people who bash those of us in management and then turn around and decide that they want to be one of us.  We have a guy in our office who has never had a problem blasting supervisors and now I hear that he’s taking the test he has to take in order to be able to compete for a position in management.  What nerve!  He really needs to be put in his place.  Any suggestions?

-What a hypocrite!

Dear What a hypocrite!:

Although it is human to want to stoop to his level, I suggest that you be mature and professional – set an example.  Such conduct on your part will demonstrate why you were selected for a management position within your organization.  Have a calm one-on-one with this employee.  Let him know of the inappropriateness and impact of his unprofessional behavior.  Explain that if he wants to join the ranks of management and have the respect from other managers and employees, his behavior and attitude need to change. 

Dear Roze:

I work with a guy who is quite a bit older than me.  He has always been so supportive of my work and has even come right out and told me that I’m the smartest and hardest worker in our unit.  We have also shared with each other our opinions of the other people we work with, and we pretty much agree on everyone.  But he recently did something that floored me.  We had an event for many of our clients and while he was talking to them he introduced one of our problem colleagues as “our next unit chief,” and yet this guy is someone we have both agreed is incompetent and far from being a leader.  It absolutely shocked me that he would say such a thing in a public arena, especially since he is always pushing me to consider being the next person in charge.  I can’t believe he would do something like this.  He has to know better than that, or maybe I’m giving him more credit than I should.

-Only speak the truth

Dear Only speak the truth:

Given the nature of your relationship with this person, you should be able to have a frank, non-confrontational discussion with him.  Have a heart-to-heart and let him know how you believe his comments came across to colleagues and your organization’s clients.  Hopefully, he will not only understand but also respect your opinion.

Dear Roze:

I work at a law enforcement agency in an administrative management position.  One of our guys in uniform started wearing an ungodly amount of cologne.  When he entered the office I share with a few other people, we all gasped.  His smell literally made me sick to my stomach.  I think I would have thrown up if he had stayed too long.  One of the guys had a very blunt talk with him.  He basically told him that he stunk and that he had to go home and wash off all that cologne.  But when the guy returned, I couldn’t tell a bit of difference.  I don’t know if he cleaned up like he was supposed to, or if he was mad and decided to be stubborn and not do a thing.  Regardless, it sure didn’t smell like he did a thing.  I’m told that he was made to go home again and told not to return until he was completely fragrance-free.  I feel bad for him, but I can’t deny that I was the biggest complainer about his odor.  Part of me wonders if I should have been the one to say something to him.  Being a woman, I probably could have been a bit more diplomatic.  I just can’t believe that he didn’t have a clue as to how bad he smells.  It really did seem like he poured an entire bottle of his smell-good stuff on himself.  What would you suggest with such a situation?

-Can’t take the smell

Dear Can’t take the smell:

There is no easy way to tell a person that you have a problem with the way he smells.  The individual who has the closest relationship with this man should be the one who has a respectful talk with him.  And on a side note, there is a good chance that the cologne has gotten into his uniform(s), so it should be recommended that he dry clean it/them.

* It is evident by the content of this week’s column that it is not only important what we communicate but how we communicate to those we interact with in the workplace.