Jul 13, 2006

Amateur Psychology in the Workplace

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My favorite radio boss was Fred. Tall, silver-haired, and possessor of many tales of broadcast mayhem, Fred was also an amateur office psychologist. Now, we've all had occasion to comment that a co-worker or especially boss was off their collective rocker, but Fred, despite his lack of formal training in psychoanalysis could come out with the most amazing diagnoses of the many bizarre types that worked for us.

One of our sales reps was constantly hooking up with her clients, all while maintaining two or more boyfriends. Many were the troubles. Many cried "Bimbo!", but Fred accurately surmised that her father had ignored her as a child, and she was making up for the lack of male attention. Quite by accident, her mother confirmed this while on a visit to the station. After that, we made sure that most of her clients were male and single. Her sales went through the roof.

Another salesman was constantly in conflict with others. We considered letting him go, but Fred noted that he was always talking about not being made quarterback of his football team in high school. Solution: he was made "Supervisor of Special Sales Projects". Nevermind that he never had any staff, the title and weekly reports on "special projects" kept him busy and trouble-free. Well, while he stayed on his medication.

Fred would often ask employees odd questions about their backgrounds or note recurring themes in their conversation. To my amusement, he confided that one lady had repressed desires to be a stripper. Everyone else seemed surprised when she quit to run an on-line sex shoppe with her husband.

As funny as Fred's amateur analysis was, it betrays a basic truth: the workplace is where many go to express their inner selves. How many times has someone said, "they seemed so nice, and then I went to work with them." If your boss reveals that his father never trusted him, he probably doesn't trust you. A co-worker's mother died when he was young? He may gravitate towards older females in the workplace, cutting them much more slack then they deserve when things go awry.

I always try to listen to that little inner voice when I encounter these situations, and kick myself when I don't. So, barring real psychological issues that deserve professional attention, grab a couch and get to work on surviving the psychodrama of your workplace. Thanks, Fred.