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.....
The paradox of insular language
3 years ago

2 comments:
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.
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....
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