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1966

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NOW

Wednesday April 2, 2003

TOXIC EMPLOYEE

One of the people I supervise is a toxic employee. A "toxic employee" likes to spread discontent and incite ill will among the other workers.  This person spends an inordinate amount of time tracking what other workers are doing, downplaying their successes while amplifying their failures. The dynamics of his personality are complex but he is basically trying to divert attention from the fact that he doesn't accomplish much himself. He does know how to pull my strings and over the past year I've worked really hard at not letting him manipulate me.

Another person I supervise is "passive aggressive". He doesn't like the toxic employee and delights in getting under his skin by giving him the silent treatment. Our shop gets pretty tense when these two are in the room.

Apparently this type of behavior is common in the workplace. I've talked to a lot of the other employees and discovered that basically, nobody  likes anybody else.  I'm over simplifying of course but for the most part, these employees have few good things to say about their co-workers.

I'm sure that the human resources department will have all sorts of ideas on how to improve moral and I'm thinking of suggesting one of those touchy-feely, "Team Building" seminars. It's gotta be in Hawaii though or I'm not going.

___________________

THEN

Dec 31 / Jan 1 - 1967 Sunday

It’s almost two o’clock now so actually it’s Sunday. I spent New Years eve at Bill’s tonight and what was supposed to be a wild party turned out to be a quiet get together. Bill said on the phone this evening that he was going to get stone drunk and that Pat and I were invited to join in on the fun. Anyway Pat and I trudged over to Bills house and had a few drinks but just as I suspected, Bill chickened out. By that time it was eleven so we came over to my house and saw the New Year in with a lot of screaming and yelling. What probably seems to be a pretty crumby way to spend the New Years Eve  is actually quite good for me. It’s better than sitting around and feeling sorry for my self like many past years.

As for the past year I can’t make any statements as to whether it was good or bad because I never had any personal goals set out to achieve. It’ll be the same this year because I’m still not independent enough to set out to achieve anything. Granted I’m going to try to improve myself during the next year but beyond that there’s nothing else to plan for.