Putting up with a suck up at work

TELLIT01

ETTDDan wrote: »

Hi all

Anyone got any advice for dealing with a suck up / brown noser at work? This guy I work with really depletes my patience to the point it's non existant. I've worked at my job longer and harder than he has and he suddenly gets promoted because the boss at the time who I'm sure hated me, loved his 'yes man' attitude.

Brown nosed yes man to you can be seen as supportive with a can do attitude to management. Just this first paragraph indicates that you have major problems with a number of people there so your best bet is to get out.

Nicki

I hate people like the OP. They are so difficult to manage, suck the life and fun out of workplace, and by being jobsworths and refusing to go the extra mile put their colleagues out. And then they complain when others are promoted above them, or if they are let go.

Shock horror, I like my colleagues if I like them and it doesn't matter if they are senior to me, junior to me or at the same level. I'll laugh and joke with all of them and go to lunch with whoever. If someone asks me to do something at work and it's within my capabilities I'll do it, whether it's in my job description or not. I'll suggest new ideas but not !!!!! if they aren't implemented and I will take anyone who reports in to me to task if that needs to be done. I also get promoted more quickly than some of my other colleagues but I enjoy my work and I'm not going to start doing it in a curmudgeonly way or "wait my turn" for opportunities to save the feelings of someone like OP. My nose is not in the least brown and I'm a happier and more fulfilled person than he is by the sound of his OP

Perhaps someone could give ME ideas on how to cope with deadweights at work to go alongside the suggestions for OP on how to cope with people who actually like their jobs and do them well that would be great.

lulu650

ETTDDan wrote: »

.....They knew that people make mistakes and thats just how it is. No biggie. No disciplinaries............
He must of loved it when he dragged me into the office today to have a 'formal discussion' with me........

What was the problem OP?

motorguy

ETTDDan wrote: »

I'm a person who believes in hard work and good pay.

And therein lies the problem - you need to work smart. And that involves being efficient, getting on with your colleagues, adding value to the organisation and being a team player.

Hard work doesnt carry you very far these days, and it certainly isnt the only attribute important for career progress.

Wayne_O_Mac

Nicki wrote: »

I hate people like the OP. They are so difficult to manage, suck the life and fun out of workplace, and by being jobsworths and refusing to go the extra mile put their colleagues out. And then they complain when others are promoted above them, or if they are let go. .

If their employer isn't paying them extra, I don't see why they should be expected to go the extra mile.

Stigy

Wayne_O_Mac wrote: »

If their employer isn't paying them extra, I don't see why they should be expected to go the extra mile.

Because that's what makes a good, conscientious employee. Nobody is saying one should break their neck to go above and beyond, however if you want progression in the workplace, who's likely to get the promotion?

missbiggles1

Wayne_O_Mac wrote: »

If their employer isn't paying them extra, I don't see why they should be expected to go the extra mile.

If they're being paid extra to do something then they aren't going the extra mile - juist doing their job.

daytona0

ETTDDan wrote: »

My definition of brown nosing and !!!! kissing is the deliberate intention of impressing the boss by becoming way too pally with whoever the boss is. Kind of like a teacher's pet. Always saying yes to everything or no to everything for the sake of the argument.

I don't like saying yes and no for the sake of it, and my bosses have always had some level of respect for me when I say "hang on, this isn't right" or offer up more ideas.

There is actually a thin line between brown-nosing or being a yes man and actually being assertive/confident, especially when your bosses are on board with your ideas!!

Don't automatically assume that someone is a brown-noser because the boss thinks that the sun shines out of their rear end; maybe they are just good?!

Doing anything to appease the boss's best interest without actually doing any work whatsoever.

Usually one of two possibilities:

1. He works exceptionally hard and you just don't see half of it.

2. He doesn't work hard but he plays the game so that his bosses have the impression that he is working hard.

Either way, he is just playing the game.

Snitching on co workers; for example say if 'Laura' is on the till serving a customer, she makes a small mistake whilst taking a customer's details for a delivery. Maybe she spelled the surname wrong or set up the delivery the wrong way by making it next day by 9am, rather than 8am, the brown noser will go and tell the actual boss and come up with a way to challenge that accident or behaviour. Just so he or she can make themselves appear better than 'Laura'.

Umm no, that's the job of a team leader. To lead the team!! He can either lead them into good practice or into the abyss of useless practice.

Whilst you may not see those mistakes as important, it may have a knock on effect with future or current business!

- So you spelled a customer's name wrong? How will the customer feel if they find out?! "stupid company can't even spell my name right!"

- What happens if the delivery takes place at 08:50 and the customer has left for work at 08:00, expecting delivery to be before 08:00? Will they be happy?

The more you speak about this guy, the more he actually sounds pretty good at his job

What makes me think this is that this particular guy, is nothing compared to the other sales team leaders I've worked with at the same company before. Every other sales team leader I've worked with, I've been fine with, regardless of their hours or how much money they make an hour. It's because they weren't brown nosing. They were just regular guys like me. They wanted to get into work, do the job and go home. They knew that people make mistakes and thats just how it is. No biggie. No disciplinaries.

Maybe things have just been a bit lax and someone half decent has come in to ruffle your feathers? That's the impression I get!

Now when I come back to this particular guy, where do I start? He constantly talks about sales figures. He always posts goofy photos of himself to the group whatsapp page. On my day off, I'll be bombarded with sales sales sales from him. He even posts about them on his days off. Whenever we have visits from main people from head office, he'll floor walk with them and discuss why sales are down, pretend to laugh at their jokes, agree with everything they've said, his personality will change whenever a customer is being served. Like normally if the main people from head office aren't there, he'll serve the customers professionally, which isn't a flaw at all, greet them with a smile and say thanks for shopping with us... again, no flaw at all, however when main people are there, he'll try and offer every single till add on and extension of the sale to the customer (to no avail) until his face could turn blue (figuratively speaking).

Sounds alright to me! The guy really seems to know the stats and the products! Sounds like a bit of a winner to be fair.

Plus, you'd be a fool not to push all of the extra addons in front of head office. That's just common sense!

Plus, he sounds like he has a half decent personality! Bit of a joker, a chinwagger and a professional! Can't fault someone on their personality....

When it comes to tasks, he'll tell us to not stand around doing nothing, so we can go clean up and tidy the shop up, whilst he stands at the front or sits in the office over a coffee for an hour (no joke) with the boss to just have a nice old chat and laugh.

The joys of being the boss Dog eat dog world mate.

Besides, assuming that he lives sales figures then don't assume that he is simply standing there for an hour talking about sports!

He loves telling people off. He must of loved it when he dragged me into the office today to have a 'formal discussion' with me. His smirky little smile that sends a turn in my stomach along with his 'well I make more money than you so.. haha' comment from today also. He actually did say that, which I was surprised at. Because fair enough, maybe he does, but it wasn't called for. I'd never say that to someone below me. Maybe I just don't like the guy. Maybe it's just me. Maybe I'm old fashioned or stubborn. But then again, maybe it is him.

Why did he drag you in for a formal discussion?!?!

Don't get me wrong, all the other people I work with, I get along with just fine and can have a laugh with. This guy though. Just makes me want to quit.

Go find another job then! But you get all sorts of people in work and if you can't handle this situation then don't expect it to be any better elsewhere!

[Deleted User]

ETTDDan wrote: »

Just makes me want to quit.

So why don't you then? You might well be in a toxic environment for your personaility, it's Sales so cut thoat and I don't really see where hard work ever comes into it. Hard work is much a manual job.

To address your points
1. Sometimes the boss's pal has to be the nasty one, equally I know one such team leader strong mate who worked Xmas for his mate so lots of the team could ultimately have time off (Lord that sort of selfless thing deserves a medal, never mind any benefits of mate ship)
2. Why did all the nicey nice team leaders from before leave?? Was it because they were not coming down strong enough on the workers?
3. Head office visit you describe sounds normal - perhaps in private your seniors were going through the ringer from above? They have to keep themselves and you motivated and as sales can be monotonous so they have to try and inject some fun. (If you have watched The Call Centre you'll really understand)
4. Perhaps this Team Leader is tasked with telling you stuff you rather not be wanting to hear but it's their job - not to sure why he doesn't understand he would be in charge of you if his sales outbeat you as that is typically how it pans out in sales environments for progression.

A Team Leader can be your direct report/manager.

Lastly can I say from very personal experience bitterness kills that's why I recommend steeping back as only sometimes you start to feel better and accepting when you no longer have pent up issues. It's also true you only know how valued you are at some places when you leave. x

Kayalana99

Pet peeve and back off topic, this whole pay army the same as footballers is such an absurb suggestion. Not saying they don't deserve it putting lives on the line but are you willing to give an extra 10 even 15% of your wage to pay them? Footballers earn the pay because they bring in money, army is funded by us the tax payer, so unless you're willing to cough up more money...annoys me so much people say this but ask them to take money out thier pocket and I bet most the population would say no.

ANYWAY, I only wanted to add one main point. You work really hard. You are nice to customers, doing your job great. Perfect.

Why would they promote you to supervisor for doing your job well? Running a team of people is not the same job as stacking shelves and talking with customers ( you may not be a shelf stacker but tit/tat)

When I read your rant about this guy, he sounds like he is becoming manager material, things like being focused on sales, trying to improve sales etc....that's a mangers job. Why would they promote you who is a good hard worker, over someone that actually is showing managerment potential?

Don't like the sound of the guy, but sounds like he knows what he is doing + and it sure sounds like the manager knows what he is doing pushing him up the ranks.

Sometimes you have to see the bigger picture, being a hard worker who has been at the company longer but shown no interest in the bigger picture, or a new guy who's hit the ground running, interested in sales, looking after custoemrs, fits in well with the managers...honestly who would you hire? The person who is best for the job gets the job. That's it. The world doesnt work on fairness.