CAREER COACH
GO TO GREG
March Madness is driving me insane. Half of the staff is streaming the games and checking their brackets during work. And some of the pools aren’t just small stakes — there’s a lot of money being wagered, which is illegal. Am I complicit as a boss for letting this go on? Should I shut it down?
Let me guess. You had Arizona winning it all, didn’t you? Do you want to know what madness really is? Trying to shut down these college-hoops crazies. Even presidents get into the action. And, unless you’ve got some shady office guy out of central casting taking action and throwing cash around, I’d roll with it. Obviously, if work is truly suffering, you need to remind the staff of their priorities and hold them accountable. Otherwise, go with it — maybe even host a lunchtime pizza party in the conference room with a TV. As for me, I always pick Gonzaga because I like the name.
I’m a new police officer and if my fellow officers knew I was writing to you they’d never let me hear the end of it. But the behavior and language can get raunchy in squad cars and precincts and I find it uncomfortable. The captain laughs at me when I complain. He says this isn’t an office and the rules are not the same. Is it true that workplaces have different rules?
Wow—at the risk of not catching a break the next time I speed up at a yellow light (oh c’mon, like you’ve never done that?) let me say this: It is true that within reason, the standards of acceptable behavior can vary by the workplace. Think about a professional sport team’s locker room where the language is as salty as the Dead Sea and people are walking around naked. If you tried that in your office, you’d be on the local news. If you are being targeted, however, that’s a problem. Being abused or harassed is unacceptable in any environment. Everyone has a different sensibility and a right to it. Maybe you can transfer to a different station house. Maybe you’re being unrealistic and need to adjust. Maybe the station house and behavior needs to change. You’ve got a union, so speak to your rep about the details and see what they have to say. And thank you for your service and keeping us safe.