CUBE LIFE! Office Etiquette

Johnny Carwash · Post by **Johnny Carwash** » Wed Jun 15, 2016 3:29 pm

I just used the phrase "sorry if I wasn't clear" because I couldn't think of better wording, and now I feel bad because that's basically the most passive-aggressive business thing to say.

Post by **brian** » Wed Jun 15, 2016 3:32 pm

Johnny Carwash wrote:I just used the phrase "sorry if I wasn't clear" because I couldn't think of better wording, and now I feel bad because that's basically the most passive-aggressive business thing to say.

It depends if you actually were clear or not. Sometimes you can legitimately muddle what you're trying to say. Sometimes you say it perfectly but the person on the receiving end is an idiot.

Giff · Post by **Giff** » Thu Jun 16, 2016 9:54 am

I think it's a perfectly acceptable phrase. I use that instead of "look at the fucking e-mail you are responding to you dumbshit" all the time.

degenerasian · Post by **degenerasian** » Fri Jun 17, 2016 12:47 pm

Listening and observing is a skill more people need. There is this girl at work, one of the smartest Accountants in the company (or so she and her manager says) but she can't listen to a thing anyone says.

Me talking to another person: "So we're filing the paperwork to immigration, I hope my wife will be here before Christmas but it's up to Canada so fingers crossed"
Her: "When's your wife coming?"

Co-worker: "So my boy turns two on Sunday which is father's day this year. It's going to be a big party at my dad's"
Her: "That sounds so fun. How old is your son?"

Soccer game on tv in the lunchroom
TV Announcer: "And Germany kickoff wearing the white jerseys attacking the Polish goal to your left"
Her: "Who's playing?"
Me: "Germany and Poland"
Her: "Who's in Red?"
Me: "Poland"
Her: "What's the score?"
Me: "Can't you see the fucking screen? It's a 50 inch tv!"

The Sybian · Post by **The Sybian** » Fri Jun 17, 2016 2:08 pm

degenerasian wrote:Listening and observing is a skill more people need. There is this girl at work, one of the smartest Accountants in the company (or so she and her manager says) but she can't listen to a thing anyone says.

Me talking to another person: "So we're filing the paperwork to immigration, I hope my wife will be here before Christmas but it's up to Canada so fingers crossed"
Her: "When's your wife coming?"

Co-worker: "So my boy turns two on Sunday which is father's day this year. It's going to be a big party at my dad's"
Her: "That sounds so fun. How old is your son?"

Soccer game on tv in the lunchroom
TV Announcer: "And Germany kickoff wearing the white jerseys attacking the Polish goal to your left"
Her: "Who's playing?"
Me: "Germany and Poland"
Her: "Who's in Red?"
Me: "Poland"
Her: "What's the score?"
Me: "Can't you see the fucking screen? It's a 50 inch tv!"

I like to imagine she is doing this on purpose to entertain herself.

rass · Post by **rass** » Fri Jun 17, 2016 2:13 pm

rass · Post by **rass** » Fri Jun 17, 2016 2:14 pm

fucking youtube

P.D.X. · Post by **P.D.X.** » Fri Jun 17, 2016 3:02 pm

The Sybian wrote:
degenerasian wrote:Listening and observing is a skill more people need. There is this girl at work, one of the smartest Accountants in the company (or so she and her manager says) but she can't listen to a thing anyone says.

Me talking to another person: "So we're filing the paperwork to immigration, I hope my wife will be here before Christmas but it's up to Canada so fingers crossed"
Her: "When's your wife coming?"

Co-worker: "So my boy turns two on Sunday which is father's day this year. It's going to be a big party at my dad's"
Her: "That sounds so fun. How old is your son?"

Soccer game on tv in the lunchroom
TV Announcer: "And Germany kickoff wearing the white jerseys attacking the Polish goal to your left"
Her: "Who's playing?"
Me: "Germany and Poland"
Her: "Who's in Red?"
Me: "Poland"
Her: "What's the score?"
Me: "Can't you see the fucking screen? It's a 50 inch tv!"
I like to imagine she is doing this on purpose to entertain herself.

Alternatively, Degen still can't tell when a girl is trying to flirt.

degenerasian · Post by **degenerasian** » Fri Jun 17, 2016 3:10 pm

ha!

Today's discussion was Game of Thrones. She doesn't like it because it's not believable. The story seems too crude and disgusting to be real.
About 4 of us guys agreed, it's not believable, real life in ancient times was much worse than this portrayal on tv. She's flabbergasted and argues that there should be charming princes etc...

Confession: I've only seen the first two seasons of Game of Thrones this year, really trying to catch up.

P.D.X. · Post by **P.D.X.** » Fri Jun 17, 2016 3:26 pm

I like her.

mister d · Post by **mister d** » Fri Jun 17, 2016 3:28 pm

You like who?

DSafetyGuy · Post by **DSafetyGuy** » Fri Jun 17, 2016 3:37 pm

Is it bad form to get the grill out and make dinner while on a conference call?

Post by **brian** » Fri Jun 17, 2016 3:45 pm

DSafetyGuy wrote:Is it bad form to get the grill out and make dinner while on a conference call?

Not when you work from home. Even masturbation is OK if you have the mute button on.

degenerasian · Post by **degenerasian** » Wed Jul 06, 2016 12:04 pm

Can I kill people with pets? I like pets but the strain at work is getting unbearable.

It''s worse then people with kids.

In my department, people with pets show up to work so tired and so stressed out. Dogs barking at night causing people to no be able to sleep and showing up for work dead tired and unproductive. Taking time off to go to the vet. Taking time off to go home cause dogs are tearing up the house. Then when they're hear wasting time at the water cooler telling everyone about their pets. I hear stories or people obtaining more cats and dogs and training them is stressing them out more!

I ran some numbers and production is really down and the rest are having to pick up the slack to keep up.

duff · Post by **duff** » Wed Jul 06, 2016 12:17 pm

You just want those co-workers to bring in a potluck

Post by **Sabo** » Wed Jul 06, 2016 12:30 pm

degenerasian wrote:Can I kill people with pets? I like pets but the strain at work is getting unbearable.

It''s worse then people with kids.

In my department, people with pets show up to work so tired and so stressed out. Dogs barking at night causing people to no be able to sleep and showing up for work dead tired and unproductive. Taking time off to go to the vet. Taking time off to go home cause dogs are tearing up the house. Then when they're hear wasting time at the water cooler telling everyone about their pets. I hear stories or people obtaining more cats and dogs and training them is stressing them out more!

I ran some numbers and production is really down and the rest are having to pick up the slack to keep up.

Would it be better if people brought their pets with them to work?

Johnny Carwash · Post by **Johnny Carwash** » Wed Jul 20, 2016 10:34 am

Maybe it's just me, but it seems like there's an epidemic of people beginning non-affirmative responses with "Yeah."

Me: Is Project ABC done yet?
Them: Yeaaaaaahhhhhh...[5 minutes of bullshitting]...so, no, it's not done yet.

Also, just as a general statement-starter. Every prompt to speak is answered with "Yeaaaaaahhhhhh..." It's like we're being stealthily invaded by a bunch of Bill Lumbergh clones.

rass · Post by **rass** » Fri Aug 12, 2016 11:15 am

I had to walk out on a viewing of the USWNT game in the kitchen. One of my co-workers was weighing in on the age of one of the Chinese female gymnasts. Based on the size of her mouth, he insists she was no older than 12. I was either going to choke on laughter or vomit.

The Sybian · Post by **The Sybian** » Fri Aug 12, 2016 11:59 am

rass wrote:I had to walk out on a viewing of the USWNT game in the kitchen. One of my co-workers was weighing in on the age of one of the Chinese female gymnasts. Based on the size of her mouth, he insists she was no older than 12. I was either going to choke on laughter or vomit.

You work in a forensic dentistry lab, right?

tennbengal · Post by **tennbengal** » Fri Aug 12, 2016 12:26 pm

rass wrote:I had to walk out on a viewing of the USWNT game in the kitchen. One of my co-workers was weighing in on the age of one of the Chinese female gymnasts. Based on the size of her mouth, he insists she was no older than 12. I was either going to choke on laughter or vomit.

Look at you , ignoring the wisdom of someone who likely went undercover with Adam LaRoche in Thailand.

rass · Post by **rass** » Fri Sep 16, 2016 11:51 am

Just an observation, perhaps better suited for the "random things that make rass field old" thread that I never started (or maybe FB), but Planes, Trains and Automobiles is on in the kitchen and all five employees sitting in there watching it during lunch were born after the movie was released.

Post by **Shirley** » Tue Oct 04, 2016 11:13 pm

I just had a meeting that started at 11:30 pm. I scheduled it for then to try to better fit the schedule of the team in Hyderabad. Actually, two of the three on the invite had already accepted the meeting when I scheduled it for tomorrow morning, even though that's early evening for them. They're used to that. The third person asked for it to be rescheduled for their morning instead.

OK, fine. I changed and agree to a meeting that would run past midnight for me so that we could get things rolling here.

She never showed to the meeting.

So instead, I had to type up all of the things I wanted to discuss and emailed it to them instead. Hopefully they'll find time to meet together - without me - and come up with responses.

I don't have high hopes here. This project was moving along nicely before, with a different person in charge in India. We had to pause for a few months, and in the meantime, this woman took over (the other guy actually moved to Redmond). I'm not impressed so far.

Giff · Post by **Giff** » Wed Oct 05, 2016 8:10 am

There is nothing more infuriating to me than people missing meetings. I had an awesome lunch planned a few weeks ago and had to cancel plans after someone scheduled a 2-hour meeting starting at noon. I about threw my phone through my office window when the guy who was supposed to be presenting let the rest of us know at 12:30 that they needed to reschedule.

Giff · Post by **Giff** » Tue Oct 18, 2016 11:34 am

Just interviewed a girl who looked like she was going to the club immediately after. It's like she was rolling the dice and hoping she had all male interviewers. What sucks is a) she's hot and b) she'd actually be a good fit if the two girls who interviewed her with me hadn't have been immediately put off. Oh well.

L-Jam3 · Post by **L-Jam3** » Tue Oct 18, 2016 11:38 am

Rules, Giff.

Post by **brian** » Tue Oct 18, 2016 11:42 am

Makes me laugh because I was just thinking about that a couple weeks ago when I was in STL. I usually don't get to see the interviewees and even when I'm there it's rare to interview anyone because we're busy with other stuff but since it was a "normal" week, the marketing team was interviewing for an entry-level job and there was one girl who looked like a hooker and two guys who work jeans with button-down shirts.

Makes me not exactly feel as much sympathy for millennials who complain about not being able to find jobs.

degenerasian · Post by **degenerasian** » Tue Oct 18, 2016 12:08 pm

They are really entitled. Our receptionist always has good stories about how more recently interviewees have become more and more rude to her.

L-Jam3 · Post by **L-Jam3** » Tue Oct 18, 2016 12:18 pm

At the risk of sounding like a bad comedian, what's the fucking deal with Millennials? There are two really easy rules to learn on an interview. One, dress as if you're going to the fucking Oval Office to meet the president, i.e. no jeans, facial tattoos, or those fucking things in their earlobes. Two, don't be a shithead to the receptionist because she's the one that can keep you in the waiting room all afternoon. How the fuck have they never learned that? I think I knew that in high school. Maybe middle school.

Giff · Post by **Giff** » Tue Oct 18, 2016 12:34 pm

I wish I could've snapped a pic. Think a little chunkier Selena.

degenerasian · Post by **degenerasian** » Tue Oct 18, 2016 1:09 pm

L-Jam3 wrote:At the risk of sounding like a bad comedian, what's the fucking deal with Millennials? There are two really easy rules to learn on an interview. One, dress as if you're going to the fucking Oval Office to meet the president, i.e. no jeans, facial tattoos, or those fucking things in their earlobes. Two, don't be a shithead to the receptionist because she's the one that can keep you in the waiting room all afternoon. How the fuck have they never learned that? I think I knew that in high school. Maybe middle school.

because everything's been given to them up to this point. The finance group down the hall just hired and fired two millennials. I had coffee with the manager and she said:

1) they won't take instruction, they always have to know why. They have to know everything.
2) It's fucking accounts payable and receivables, why are you arguing?

Millennials have always had information at their fingertips instantly and they always have to know everything all the time. In the work place often you're just told to do something. They can't accept this.

Post by **Shirley** » Tue Oct 18, 2016 1:36 pm

Herbert Kornfeld would not have put up with that shit.

The Sybian · Post by **The Sybian** » Tue Oct 18, 2016 2:12 pm

degenerasian wrote:
L-Jam3 wrote:At the risk of sounding like a bad comedian, what's the fucking deal with Millennials? There are two really easy rules to learn on an interview. One, dress as if you're going to the fucking Oval Office to meet the president, i.e. no jeans, facial tattoos, or those fucking things in their earlobes. Two, don't be a shithead to the receptionist because she's the one that can keep you in the waiting room all afternoon. How the fuck have they never learned that? I think I knew that in high school. Maybe middle school.

because everything's been given to them up to this point. The finance group down the hall just hired and fired two millennials. I had coffee with the manager and she said:

1) they won't take instruction, they always have to know why. They have to know everything.
2) It's fucking accounts payable and receivables, why are you arguing?

Millennials have always had information at their fingertips instantly and they always have to know everything all the time. In the work place often you're just told to do something. They can't accept this.

From what I see, many have an issue with following policies and procedures, thinking they know better. They don't want mentorship, because they think they know how to do everything, and they are so focused on getting a lot of things done immediately, rather than doing their assigned task correctly. They also require immediate and constant praise.

degenerasian · Post by **degenerasian** » Tue Oct 18, 2016 2:32 pm

My office has banned Halloween. My floor has won the Halloween decoration contest 2 years in a row (after losing for what seems like forever) but there will not be a contest this year. Some people are offended. So we got word today, no Halloween decorations of any kind allowed. People are really bummed out.

GoodKarma · Post by **GoodKarma** » Tue Oct 18, 2016 9:58 pm

L-Jam3 wrote:At the risk of sounding like a bad comedian, what's the fucking deal with Millennials? There are two really easy rules to learn on an interview. One, dress as if you're going to the fucking Oval Office to meet the president, i.e. no jeans, facial tattoos, or those fucking things in their earlobes. Two, don't be a shithead to the receptionist because she's the one that can keep you in the waiting room all afternoon. How the fuck have they never learned that? I think I knew that in high school. Maybe middle school.

Let me offer a different perspective on this. I think they don't dress formally because they are told you have to do something that makes them different or stand out among the other candidates. The same can be said for the perceived bad attitudes or know-it-all-ness...they are taught to be confident. I was given these pieces of advice 20 years ago...I don't think much has changed.

I refuse to buy into generational thinking. The older generation has bitched about the younger generation doing (insert behavior here) since the beginning of time. Here is the reality: the younger generation, like liberalism, always wins out. Why? Because the older generation will die first.

Post by **Shirley** » Tue Oct 18, 2016 11:02 pm

I'm with GoodKarma on this. I really don't think the current youngs are any worse than any previous generations. Younger generations are always perceived as less considerate than their elders. I think each generation is a bit different - with some weaknesses and strengths compared to the ones before, but they aren't inherently worse.

sancarlos · Post by **sancarlos** » Tue Oct 18, 2016 11:10 pm

Get those kids offa my lawn!

Johnnie · Post by **Johnnie** » Tue Oct 18, 2016 11:13 pm

My squadron commander decreed a change in the fitness policy amongst my flight. Out of 34 people, 3 are failing. (91% passing) It is still above the base average of 85%, but out of 3 flights in the squadron, only ours has failures.

So my flight chief (a retired Master Sergeant with a pot belly) who "takes fitness seriously" (eyeroll) kicked the task to two 2nd lieutenants (who are both on a profile prohibiting them from running) to develop a system of accountability and direction to help Make Our Flight Great Again.

You can guess what happened. They bungled (in everyone who's affected by this change's opinion) the task. Their plan separates the workouts for people who have scored 90 and above on their PT tests (19 people) from the remaining individuals but gave no discernable incentive to stay at that level, decided to throw the development of workout programming to PT Leaders who get indirectly screwed over because they have to tailor two sets of programming, and want to see everyone do mock PT tests every month. And they didn't address the issue of personnel with profiles who are restricted from doing certain components of the fitness test.

Here's the problem: the Air Force regulations stipulate that if you get a 90 or better on your PT test, you're good for the year. If you get between 75-89.9, you're good for 6 months, and below a 75 is failing. The 90s and above in our unit know that it's the official test that matters. There's no reason to go all out on a mock pt test because it doesn't count. With so many people passing right now, 3 people dragging down everyone creates frustration. So...everyone's really annoyed.

Some of the PT Leaders had a powwow today and we're going to counter with some changes. Mainly, one set of workout programming not based on scores, but running times and mock PT tests 2 months before your official test to set a good barometer. The lieutenants at least took an analytical approach, but for their plan to work, we need many more PT Leaders and everyone to pretend that passing your official test isn't good enough.

Giff · Post by **Giff** » Wed Oct 19, 2016 10:22 am

degenerasian wrote:
L-Jam3 wrote:At the risk of sounding like a bad comedian, what's the fucking deal with Millennials? There are two really easy rules to learn on an interview. One, dress as if you're going to the fucking Oval Office to meet the president, i.e. no jeans, facial tattoos, or those fucking things in their earlobes. Two, don't be a shithead to the receptionist because she's the one that can keep you in the waiting room all afternoon. How the fuck have they never learned that? I think I knew that in high school. Maybe middle school.

because everything's been given to them up to this point. The finance group down the hall just hired and fired two millennials. I had coffee with the manager and she said:

1) they won't take instruction, they always have to know why. They have to know everything.
2) It's fucking accounts payable and receivables, why are you arguing?

Millennials have always had information at their fingertips instantly and they always have to know everything all the time. In the work place often you're just told to do something. They can't accept this.

I don't understand why wanting to know "why" is a bad thing. New sets of eyes on things can end up with beneficial changes. I want my employees to know why they're doing something instead of being mindless drones.

mister d · Post by **mister d** » Wed Oct 19, 2016 10:39 am

Yeah, that reads as a managerial issue with people "not just doing what they're told". Sure, there are times when the answer sucks and its simply because important person above you wants it that way and now, but the question itself is hardly bad. And I'm sure there's probably a generational gap there. I would hate working with 23 year old me right now but I'd get that 23 year old me and current me have almost nothing in common aside from employer.

(Side tangent: I've tried really hard to get my oldest to ask "why" versus accepting whatever is asked or told of her, but man is that a pain in the ass when I want the answer to be "because I said so".)

(Side side tangent: This is, undoubtedly, because I was raised catholic and so much of that upbringing is simply accepting whats said.)

degenerasian · Post by **degenerasian** » Wed Oct 19, 2016 10:51 am

sure but i think you have to pick your battles and work can't be delayed

You've all done this.. say you go on a business trip to Vegas and hand in your expanse claim to Accounts Payable. Do you want your claim delayed because some kid is arguing about internal Finance Department procedures you don't give a shit about and won't process it? You just want your money back.

Do the immediate work now, record things you think you can question and/or improve. Bring them up at the next staff meeting.