“Problem Employees” – Oh You Mean “Jerks”?

 

Truth be told is I’m not always politically correct. I realize some of you who know me are shocked by that admission. So, save altered gender pronouns and “birthing people” in lieu of “mothers” for the woke crowd. It doesn’t play here. Never has, never will.

And that extends to defining problem co-workers as well. Especially those that have saddled with the PC labels “challenging” or “demanding.” We’ve all been subject to them at one time or another, and no doubt we’ve all come to a similar conclusion – they are jerks plain and simple. No deep drill down or expert psychoanalysis required.

Jerks come in all shapes and sizes and of course, genders. In my career, I’ve reported to them (far too many I’m sorry to say) and some have reported to me. I could fill several yellow legal pads with vignettes detailing my experiences with fellow co-worker jerks, but that’s fodder for a future column. Or more accurately columns.

But for those keeping score at home, I’ll regale you with two. When I wore a younger man’s clothes, I worked at a restaurant where the general manager’s leadership traits best mimicked Tony Soprano - ruling by intimidation. Over one day, he slammed a young busboy against the wall for dropping a glass, sent a waitress home in tears and tossed a freshly prepared meal against the wall because it was improperly garnished.

Years later, a co-worker at a publishing house, somehow accessed my files and threatened to go to HR because there was correspondence from several political groups and that was not work-related. Instead of going to HR I told him if he ever did that again, his first boxing lesson would be on the house. For the record he never did.

Last week I moderated a virtual panel on M&A for one of the state accounting conferences and I asked the managing partner of one of the largest CPA firms in the country who completes roughly 8-10 mergers a year what his biggest challenges are when facilitating an acquisition.

He said point blank, that with any merger “there’s always someone there (usually a partner or shareholder) who shouldn’t be.” And therefore, he said that person will always throw up a speedbump when it comes to a post-merger integration plan.

When I inquired if that was more likely to occur in the old-fashioned book of business model as opposed to the increasingly popular one-firm client format he shook his head.

“There are jerks everywhere and they will always be with us.”

A statement that experience has taught me cannot be refuted.

PC or not.