Thursday, May 6, 2010

Here Come the Judge

New Question. New minor dilemma. How to handle? Help! Okay. So aforementioned new officer who is very young and relates to me as if we are contemporaries: I'm not sure how to react when she cackles and proudly tells me stuff like "Yeah, so I told him to shut his a*# up and I hung up on him." She's not referring to a work-related call, it's an insurance agent, but I think she's expecting me to laugh with her and say things like "Well, you told him!" or "Right on! Good for you!" I have no idea how to respond to her. I just said "Really? That's what you said?" Yikes. People, people. I'm not her keeper and I won't get her to behave differently by acting shocked at these things, yet I'm just so uncomfortable. What's a proper response to something like this? I know she's used to other cops talking this way to each other and egging each other on. But I can't relate. I don't handle myself that way. Help me, help me. I can't positively reinforce these things....yet I don't want her to feel like I'm constantly judging her. But I kind of am. I know she's young, but it's hard to tolerate immaturity in the workplace. It would be so much easier if I were the actual supervisor of our employees and got to do the hiring. The up side is she's got a lot of energy, is willing to help lighten my load, and she takes initiative. I have no doubts this position will mature her and be a positive part of her journey.....

2 comments:

Mary said...

Yikes. Sounds like you are holding your own about it already. When something like that happens to me I usually say something like, actually... "yikes."

Or...

Silence -- maybe with an added eye roll?

Oh, wait... that's not it. That was the casting director's reaction to my audition the other day...

I'll keep thinking.

What you Don't Expect When You're Expecting said...

I always try to do my chiding (and I do a lot of it!) with humor. I don't know what that exactly means in this sitch, but maybe something akin to, "Yikes! (Thanks, Mary), Remind me to never hike your rates!" Not funny, funny, but....