Ever notice that when someone is speaking to you in a slightly tense conversation, the use of your name has the effect of putting you slightly on the defensive? (“Well, Susan, as I said before…”) While it’s a personable thing to do when things are casual, it can come off as an aggressive means of […]
Question: “I am an administrative assistant at a very large company and my cubicle is right outside the door of one of the directors. He happens to loudly use a particular common curse word whenever he’s frustrated. I cringe every time I sense it coming. In most cases I try to scurry away from my desk so I don’t have to hear it, but sometimes I do get caught off guard. Do you have any suggestions for how I can deal with this, or approach the problem directly?” – Anonymous & Frustrated
Q: “Our company has a dress code, but you’d never know it from looking at our employees. Many of them come to work wearing old clothes that are sloppy and baggy. Prospective customers often visit this office for product demonstrations, so I have said many times that everyone must dress in a professional manner. The offenders reply that if I expect them to look better, I need to give them more money. How do I deal with this attitude?” Irritated Manager
Employed by Central Community College in Hastings, Neb., since 1979, Pat Sinnard is an 84-year-old administrative assistant who has no plans to retire anytime soon.
It’s hard to say where the “so” opener started, but it most certainly is insanely contagious. Here are other weak sentence starters to be mindful of when you speak.