Monday, March 17, 2008

Poor People Like Avoiding Their Boss

Poor people are not necessarily bad workers, in many cases they are good workers--the best in the sense that they consistently show up, work, and never ask for a raise. However poor people do like avoiding their boss, because they are aware that no obvious benefit can come from interfacing with the boss. They realize that meeting with the boss usually means more work for the same amount of money (although the company may just be fulfilling it’s ideological responsibility to challenge it’s employees).

As a boss, the most effective way to counteract such prejudices is to apply certain interpersonal communication strategies to conversing with employees.

First--Smile. Always smile. If you smile, your employees will smile. There is nothing more effective than an office populated by smiling employees. Employees should be at their wall-locked cubicles smiling and whistling as if they were headed to the mines with Doc and Dopey. They can learn a lesson from that band of dwarfs! Sure, Bashful developed bronchitis, Sleepy was struck down with a case of silicosis, and the brothers lost Happy to TB (at his funeral, the remaining dwarfs where unable to handle his casket due to a long festering case of rheumatism), but that didn’t change their overall demeanor. Smiling promotes harmony.

Establish a common bond. Surely poor people must like some of the movies or shows you like, and are secretly yearning to hear your opinion of these treasured shows. Be topical when choosing an episode to discuss-- Did you hate the twist at the end of 24 last night? Make sure to tell the entire office about it. Whether they watch or not, whether they saw the episode or not, make sure to spread it around.

It also important to harp on the things you didn’t like the MOST. Tell everyone what shows you think suck and which movies are most undeserving of an Oscar. If they disagree, they will surely speak up and engage you in playful banter about the merits of the movie or show! This could be a nice bonding activity for you to share. However, it is important that you always win the argument; shut down the discussion if you are losing ground… you do not want your employees to lose respect for you.

Lastly, engage in common experiences. Try to hold events in honor of the company and allow the employees to join in. Celebrate anniversaries and milestones of company. While at the event, it is fully acceptable to initiate a conversation about the rising awesomeness of the company and the celebration. Later, you will have a deep bond with each attendee that you can conveniently harken back to with little more than a nod of the head and a shared, “That was awesome.”

Sensitivity Trainer
Mindless Media
A Genericorp Company

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