No plastic daisies for me!

A few years ago I had a boss that was a total idiot. Picture actually working for Michael Scott. In reality, it's not funny. No amount of Jim Halpert cuteness could ever make that situation better. He liked to bitch slap me down. Yes, I am talking figuratively, folks. My former boss gave me a great piece of advice: Stick up for yourself because you can't assume anyone else is going to do it for you. I did. I high tailed it out of there and made sure our HR department knew what a stupid idiot he really was before I left.

That was the last time anyone needed to tell me that. Last week, I was basically told I was a hot head. Someone had spoken to me in a manner that was not even befitting for an animal. The tone and statements were entirely belittling and disrespectful and I was not going to tolerate that. When I mentioned how absolutely ticked off I was that he yelled at me like that, it was pointed out that I yelled back. Well, of course I did! It's wasn't "yelling." I'm much more like Dixie Carter in Designing Women when I tell someone to go to hell. But, what was my option? If I didn't fight back and send a clear message that his treatment of me was unacceptable, then I was allowing it and even encouraging it. So, yes, I went toe to toe and held my own. As a matter of fact, when I got done saying my piece there was a good long silence on the other end of the phone. I think I stunned him.

But, I'll tell you this, I saw this guy today and he was down right friendly. Didn't say a thing about what we had talked about. Nothing. We went back to the jovial kind of relationship we had before. I am pretty certain I had earned a bit of his respect in taking him to task. And, I don't think he's going to talk to me like that again. So, I think I did well. I'm proud of myself even if other people saw me as being hot headed for doing it. I would have loved someone to say, "Right on" but that didn't happen. I think I'm okay with it. I'm also okay with the label of hot headed. It's so much better than doormat.

Comments

[Auntie Mame]

It's gets better as you get older - when you truly don't give a shit anymore! I recently had to stop myself from saying to one of my employers "Do you not understand English?" 'cause I remembered, that indeed he didn't! In the past I have calmly stated an impossible solution to an impossible request - and the silence was deafening when it sunk in - a good laugh on my part as I calmly walked out of the room. Nowadays I just say "Fire Me" - knowing full well they won't because they need me more than I need them - lovely position to be in - getting old and not giving a good sized god damn anymore (and being really good at what you do helps too)! When I was young I too was a "hot-head" - but when you're right, you're right and that's all there is to it!