The computer support person in this clip from "The Office" (UK) clearly hates someone. A few questions for discussion:
- Whom does he hate? And, why?
- Should this behavior be confronted or ignored? If confronted, how, and by whom?
- How will this sort of behavior affect this employee's job performance metrics (e.g., support tickets closed, problems resolved, etc.)?
- What effect might you expect his behavior to have on that of his IT co-workers?
- What do these kinds of chronic work habits say about the values of the organization that tolerates them?
When it comes to passive-aggressive organizational behavior, acceptance is merely avoidance, and it's a bad option for everyone. Don't tolerate the intolerable, in yourself, or in those who serve.
By no means am I saying the support person is right, but the "customer" isn't either.
ReplyDelete1) Right up front, his disdain for the profession is provided, followed by a behind-the-back symbol of violence.
2) Immediately assumes he has ownership of the computer. This once is big. Customers must understand that their computer is not THEIR computer, and that the company, at it's pleasure can change it, modify it, spy on it. People in the warehouse do not assume they can paint the forklift, why should accounts et all assume they can install/modify/subvert the systems on the company computer?
of course this is from a comedy, and both sides drawn with a funny slant, but IT is a two way street.
Tuesday, 29 September, 2009
Thanks for your comment, Craig. You've raised good points.
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