Worried about the New Princess

She came in, took over the desk of a colleague who is out recovering from a heart attack, moved his stuff over to a high shelf in the office and put all her stuff on his desk. Now, he does have a nice desk, nicer than the one she is assigned to. She was told that his desk wasn't her desk to have as nicely as we could manage. He's also worked there for 27 years. Her reply, a callous "Well, he's not here now."

So this guy is going to have another heart attack when he comes in and sees that someone else took over his desk, someone who has been there for just one week. Is she a Big 'B' or is it just me ? Do we just take her stuff off, put it on her desk and put his stuff back ?

POST A COMMENTSouthernProgrammer(01/12/2007)
Even though she is a "princess", this is nothing more than bullying and intimidation. If you do not move your co-workers things back the "Princess" will think you are all sheep and she will be able to "rule you" move her stuff back and to make a point of it, pack it in boxes and leave it on the desk she is assigned to. Do it the night before your co-worker returns. Also pack a baby rattle.

lola(01/12/2007)
Southernprogrammer, I want to work with you. Your comments are always right on the money. You should be the head of a big corporation.

SouthernProgrammer(01/12/2007)
Aw, thanks Lola...

labtech(01/14/2007)
We have come up with a plan. We will buy a display that says 'welcome back Joe !' and place it prominently on his desk, after we move her stuff to her assigned desk. I have also found out that she didn't quit her last job - she was fired for not playing well with the other children. She used to be in charge, too, and now she is most definitely not, though she thinks she is, after less than 8 days on the job. I have no idea why this company persists in hiring these kind of people, unless it is some kind of long range plan to avoid ever paying a pension out, if they keep having to fire them.

the confessor(01/15/2007)
Be sure to exclude and isolate her as much as possible. Bullies recognize these tactics and will quickly leave. Most of these jerks can dish it out but definitely cannot take it...

SouthernProgrammer(01/15/2007)
>
She used to be in charge, too, and now she is most definitely not, though she thinks she is, after less than 8 days on the job.
>
She doesn't think she is in charge (yet), she is testing the waters to see if everyone will back down and THEN she will "be in charge". You have a great plan in action but be SURE to pack her things in boxes. It will humiliate her to have to unpack her own stuff.

cnubelevit(01/18/2007)
Welcome to my world. I remember when I was just a boy (back before electricity ;) my dear ol' dad says to me "Once you let a bully mess with you once, they'll always do it". Take all of her stuff, put it in a box, post mark it to her address (better yet to Ethiopia) and see how she feels about that.

HaveADamnNiceDay(01/21/2007)
Believe it, cnubelevit!!! Your dad was RIGHT. Don't let them mess with you once! If the keep doing it after you've put your foot down, they're just stupid! I work with someone like that.....

labtech(02/12/2007)
OK, my friends....

The new Princess got moved to her proper desk during the weekend, and her little nose is all out of joint. She whines to her husband on her cell phone in Russian about how we all hate her, and how this place is run like a barnyard, but you know what, who cares. A large welcome back banner is in place over our returned coworker's desk, all his stuff is back, and he never knew she was there. Still waiting for her to try to tell me what to do at my job - I'll get a good laugh out of that !

C - -(02/12/2007)
--Thanks for the update.

sheila(02/13/2007)
FANTASTIC!!!

bigblue(02/14/2007)
I'm glad that you did what you did. Your co-worker is lucky to have you. I could not tell if you liked him personally, but you respect him because you noted the length of his employment there--27 years. And you obviously have respect for others. I think I would like to work where you do and I am definitely not a Prima Donna. I like how you all pulled-together on behalf of him /dislike of her entitlement attitude. Good job. Let's hope she knows where the exit sign is.

SouthernProgrammer(02/15/2007)
>
The new Princess got moved to her proper desk during the weekend, and her little nose is all out of joint. She whines to her husband on her cell phone in Russian about how we all hate her, and how this place is run like a barnyard, but you know what, who cares
>
So she didn't fight back eh? That shows that she is a bully and we have all learned they come in all shapes and sizes! Whining to her husband! That's funny! Honey, come here and beat them up!

labtech(02/17/2007)
Well, the Princess is starting to fuss over other things now. She doesn't want to wear her uniform, her hard hat, or her steel-toed shoes, all required on the job. Now she claims that she doesn't want to work on holidays. Unfortunately, the nature of the work is 365 days a year, and holidays off isn't an option at our level, and we are paid overtime for them. Her locker is nearly empty, so she can cut and run at the first opportunity (or 26 weeks, whichever comes first, I think). Now, I could let her twist in the wind next week, as one of the spreadsheets she needs to used is seriously messed up right now....or I could spend an hour or so of my time repairing it. Yeah, I know, I did think 'twist' was a better choice for a moment, but I'm too nice a person. Let's see if it pays off.

bigblue(02/17/2007)
I would help regarding the spreadsheet--you never know--it may change her attitude if she can put together how your help helped her. And then your conscience is clear. Maybe she will see that teamwork is important there--I'm thinking that because of the dressing requirements that teamwork has to be fundamental-- at least to some degree --for safety. Maybe she will see that she is working with nice people (even though she may not want to work there) and quit taking it out on all of you.
A little phrase that I made up that has helped with people like this that usually surprises them but shuts them up and once or twice has curbed their complaining is :"Go dump your sh*t on someone else's lawn."

SouthernProgrammer(02/18/2007)
To be honest, I would do what I could to get her to leave. By refusing to wear authorized clothing she is trying to seperate herself and get special treatment. If you get her to help with a spreadsheet she will wave that as a banner showing how special she is. This woman will be toxic to your work place and is showing why she can't play in the sandbox with anyone else.

labtech(02/18/2007)
SP, I think you're right, since she got fired from her last job for 'not playing well with others', so I'm thinking it's more of the same in store for us. And with our work constantly changing and challenging our resources (read this as equipment malfunctioning and files being corrupted), cooperation is the only way to survive. Besides, she's been eyeing up my desk, as I have the second-best chair (picked from my rich neighbour's trash, btw). The temptation to haul her out to the parking lot for some 'correction' is growing, though the look on the boss's face when she announces she doesn't want to work on holidays will be priceless.

I already ratted her out to a supervisor for her safety violations, since she blew me off when I told her that she might want to consider wearing her boots, hardhat and uniform, since she is still on probationary employment...but I know the best way to get her caught is to make a casual comment in the hearing of the office receptionist, who will in turn let it slip to the big cheese.

And we did fix the spreadsheet. That's professional, it has nothing to do with how annoyed we are at her.

bigblue(02/19/2007)
What happened when you fixed the spreadsheet? Did you fix it with her, for her--did she realize/recognize your aid? If it was a situation where she should've and didn't--then with a clear conscience get her out of there.

SouthernProgrammer(02/19/2007)
Labtech:

If she is stupid enough to make a move on your desk...and you come in and see her sitting at it. Just go and report to the boss that you are trying to work with this person but she is deliberately causing problems in the work area. If no resolution, then wait and pack her stuff up and set it in a box...in the parking lot.

old Nurse(02/19/2007)
I love some of the solutions you guys come up with. Your even sneakier tham me. Bet you would be fun to work with.ROFL keep up the good work !

labtech(02/19/2007)
BB, we fixed the spreadsheet before she came on shift, as we had to use it ourselves. She didn't even know about it, beyond hearing that it had been a problem on the weekend, and since then repaired.

Oh, SP, if she sits down on my chair I'm going to laugh and say, "I don't mind sharing !" and then sit on her lap, and I'm no featherweight. The boss, well, we could all be on fire, elephants could be stampeding through the lab and the Martians landing outside, don't think about trying to bother him, just so long as he gets his paperwork in on time. So we have to deal with these little problems on our own.

ON, we are a fairly happy, mildly dysfunctional family at work, and our recovered coworker is now Uno Champion. This Princess will either learn to fit in, or find herself out the door, just like the last one. I just hope I'm there to see her trying to weasel out of working weekends and holidays, should be a real hoot.

animus(02/20/2007)
Make sure "princess" does not change the work schedule in her favor after it is posted. It really takes all kinds and all kind of 'prince'.

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