About the tattletale at work. (Full Version)

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Knolt -> About the tattletale at work. (7/14/2008 9:32:04 PM)

brothers and sisters in the Lord, you all know about the tattletale at work right? say for instance, in a stressful moment at work you have a slight tiff with a coworker and instead of letting it go he/she goes and turns you in to the manager. Or, if someone is breaking a rather inconsequential rule and another goes and tells the mananger instead of minding his own business and paying attention to his own work. Personally, I think that kind of pettiness should stop. I don't know how people do it.



IonMoon -> RE: About the tattletale at work. (7/15/2008 9:36:10 AM)

IMO... I follow the rules and act professionally so I don't have to worry about tattletales...

I am careful to never do something that I would be uncomfortable explaining to my superiviser if I had to.

Tara P



zoebob -> RE: About the tattletale at work. (7/15/2008 10:18:04 AM)

I don't necessarily have a problem with someone like that. The rules are there for a reason. At what point do we draw the line that some rules are OK to break and others aren't.

I agree, I wouldn't do anything I wouldn't want my supervisor to find out about either.



Karaboo2 -> RE: About the tattletale at work. (7/15/2008 10:25:19 AM)

IMHO, rules have been created for a reason, no matter how "inconsequential" they may seem to you or other employees. I mean, if it was a simple mistake such as Joe accidentally hanging his coat on Bob's hook, that's one thing, as there wasn't really a rule being broken. But if someone contravenes a rule set forth by the management, then they are accountable. If one person does something and gets away with it, then how long do you really think it'll take before everyone starts pushing the limits?? And "tiffs" quite often go to management for mediation, so they won't escalate and impact the atmosphere of the entire workplace.



NoShow -> RE: About the tattletale at work. (7/15/2008 10:44:34 AM)

I'm with the others in that I don't have a problem with those scenarios. Sure I might prefer that doesn't get told, but if called on it, I'll stand up to my responsibility\accountability and admit if I was in the wrong.



APZR -> RE: About the tattletale at work. (7/15/2008 12:39:02 PM)

Believe me... bosses get tired of constant tattletales too! Such constant bizzybody, nitpicking behavior causes a riff in the organization and won't be welcomed long in my office. As long as business if running well, customers are happy, and everything is good and legal, I'll let workers use their own method and personality to accomplish the job.



Knolt -> RE: About the tattletale at work. (7/15/2008 1:05:24 PM)

As I also mentioned earlier, what about the one you might get into a tiff with at work and then instead of letting go and getting back to work he/she goes to the boss and turns you in. What do you think of that kind of tattletale?



APZR -> RE: About the tattletale at work. (7/15/2008 1:24:05 PM)

As long as it's not sexual harassment, and there's no pattern of behavior leading to constant fights, everyone has a bad day every now and then. Apologize and get back to work!



NoShow -> RE: About the tattletale at work. (7/15/2008 1:32:51 PM)

Here's the way I see it, personally; if during the tiff, I conducted myself in a manner that was unprofessional (or lacked professionalism) than I deserve to be called on it. Besides, getting called on it can be one of the best ways to learn to handle things different in the future.

On an overall basis, usually tattling isn't enjoyed in a work environment, neither by peers or superiors\supervisors\manager. More often than not, if it's ignored by both the peers (you don't feel threatened by it) and managers (not responding to it); it usually goes away. If a company\department is such that it "encourages\reinforces" tattling, than you have to choose between; a)lobbying for change, b) learning to (personally) deal with it or c) move on.

I've always had an autonomy\detachment that makes "b)" very easy for me, but I realize that's not true for most. But that just means others have to "work at it", moreso than me.



HighPlainsDrifter -> RE: About the tattletale at work. (7/15/2008 6:45:11 PM)

In my experience, the office nanny usually either encouraged to get a new job somewhere else, or gets marginalized to the point where no one pays attention to them anymore. There's hardly anyone liked less, by fellow employees or management than the office nanny.



KuKu -> RE: About the tattletale at work. (7/15/2008 6:55:00 PM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: Knolt

As I also mentioned earlier, what about the one you might get into a tiff with at work and then instead of letting go and getting back to work he/she goes to the boss and turns you in. What do you think of that kind of tattletale?


I work with one. She did this to me the last time we worked together, not once, but twice. The boss came to me later and said, "Sorry you had to work with her, she keeps this up and she is out the door..." The boss knows who works, who doesn't, and who feels the need to 'tattle' in order to make herself look better. Funny, when she is alone on shift and something goes wrong, it's someone else's fault.

She does things that she lectures or tattles for. Know what I do? I fix them and don't say a word unless it REALLY MATTERS. I have only told the boss things about her twice, and only when I was DIRECTLY asked--> Kuku, have you seen ________ talking on her cell during work? Yes, I have... but I have NEVER gone to her about things. I either deal with her directly, or I just solve the problem.

Two immaturities don't make a right, but going somewhere else to talk about this person isn't right either. I'd advise you to either deal with him/her directly, find a new job, or get used to it. Fighting fire with fire only makes it bigger...



stimulus -> RE: About the tattletale at work. (7/15/2008 10:24:09 PM)

It all depends on your job and your reputation with your employer. I honestly don't know if anyone has ever reported me to any of my bosses for breaking the rules, but I've dealt with a couple situations like that with my team members\employees. The new guy wore shoes that someone thought wasn't acceptable, and the someone reported him to my boss - as if my boss, the assistant director of an international Christian ministry, cares what shoes the guy wears. His choice of shoe was deemed acceptable, and back to work we all went.

Then, about a week later, he started to ask me a question in front of a couple coworkers, who interrupted to say that his pants were basically jeans and not allowed except on Fridays. He just looked at me, and since they weren't jeans, I said so, answered his question, and he left. Afterwards, the other employees kept griping about it, and they told me I shouldn't defend him - until I bluntly pointed out how some of their recent clothing choices weren't any nicer than his pants.

My advice is to not worry about the troublemakers and tattletales at work. If they are causing problems over petty matters, everyone will know soon enough. If your boss tolerates serious problems for a prolonger period of time, that's another issue, but that's about your boss, not the tattletale.

quote:

IMHO, rules have been created for a reason, no matter how "inconsequential" they may seem to you or other employees.

Call me crazy, but it really depends on the rule IMO. If it's a rule that governs employee conduct - what to wear, when to use sick time, using company property for personal matters, etc - then I'm with you. But I've been known to break the rules when necessary.



sunshinesoprano -> RE: About the tattletale at work. (7/18/2008 2:24:40 PM)

In theory, adults should be following the rules, and chronc problems end up showing themselves in the end without a tattletale.

If it's something serious that effects others or the business you're doing, then you might want to approach the manager, but taking care that you do it in the right way. Presentation can make all the difference. Perhaps not even pinpointing a person, but an issue in general can make the manager aware of the problem.



buckifn -> RE: About the tattletale at work. (7/21/2008 2:06:18 PM)

It's not a matter to be taken lightly if a person is engaged in fighting at work. The company could later be held liable if it was proven complaints were made and no approp. action taken to correct it.

Are you talking about physical contact or verbal words and/or both?



IonMoon -> RE: About the tattletale at work. (7/21/2008 2:55:49 PM)

I did say I ignore it, but I have worked with people in the past who were quick to cc the supervisor over the littlest mistake... and while I did find it a bit annoying, I found a solution, too.

I started making sure I pointed out MY mistakes before someone else did.

Tara P



Knolt -> RE: About the tattletale at work. (7/22/2008 8:55:42 PM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: buckifn

It's not a matter to be taken lightly if a person is engaged in fighting at work. The company could later be held liable if it was proven complaints were made and no approp. action taken to correct it.

Are you talking about physical contact or verbal words and/or both?

I'm talking about if a person just speaks brusquely to someone and/or raises his voice in the heat of a stressful situation perhaps and then the other party gets "offended" and then goes and tells the boss. I'm not trying to justify rudeness or disrespect, but let's be honest, even a person who's friendly and professional amonsgst others can can have a little bit of a momentary personality change when having a bad day and and be rude and brusque in a stressful situation at work.



Knolt -> RE: About the tattletale at work. (7/22/2008 8:57:03 PM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: rainbowtvp



I started making sure I pointed out MY mistakes before someone else did.

Tara P

How do you go about doing that?



NoShow -> RE: About the tattletale at work. (7/23/2008 10:44:36 AM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: Knolt

quote:

ORIGINAL: rainbowtvp



I started making sure I pointed out MY mistakes before someone else did.

Tara P

How do you go about doing that?


Reviewing your work and when you find a mistake (or when someone else point sit out to you), fix it, than forward the revision along with an explanation of the error in the early version.



NoShow -> RE: About the tattletale at work. (7/23/2008 10:45:57 AM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: sunshinesoprano

In theory, adults should be following the rules, and chronc problems end up showing themselves in the end without a tattletale.


Very often, reality is far from this theory.



IonMoon -> RE: About the tattletale at work. (7/25/2008 10:07:00 AM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: Knolt
quote:

ORIGINAL: rainbowtvp
I started making sure I pointed out MY mistakes before someone else did.
Tara P

How do you go about doing that?


When I notice that I have made a mistake, I go to the person it will affect most and say something like, "Oh, I just realized I forgot to stamp those measures I passed on to you. If you still have them, hand them back and I'll take care of it. If you already did it, thanks and I'm sorry!"

If appropriate I add (like above) how I will fix the mistake or how I will prevent it next time.

Like, "I am really sorry, but I noticed that those numbers I quoted you last week were incorrect. I was using the wrong data set. I set up a new system to check off which data set has been completed so it won't happen again."

In the case you mentioned, if I were to get short with someone or say soemthing inappropriate, I would go to that person as soon as I calmed down and apologize--even if I can't apologize for what I said, maybe how it was said (Sorry I raised my voice, etc.). If it seemed like the person was really offended and I knew that he/she was likely to go to the boss... I would go to her myself first and say, "I got into a bit of an argument and didn't handle it well. I just wanted to let you know and see if you had any suggestions about how we can smooth this conflict over professionally."

If something is worth mentioning to the boss, I cc her on any email or stop by her office.

And if I miss something I did wrong and someone points it out, I just simply apologize and fix it.

IME, when the complainers saw that I wasn't going to be defensive about my mistakes, that I would fix them when I can, and that I am forgiving when they make mistakes... they became less likley to tattle.

Tara P



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