The Wacko Blog

Jennifer M. Says:

I just heard your interview with Maria Bailey on MomTalk Radio. What an excellent concept for a book! I look forward to picking it up and reading it soon.

I work part time for a company in order to be able to balance family, and keep my foot in the door until I’m ready to work full time in the future. A Wacko at work doesn’t have the experience I have and yet, she continues to move her way up in the company. Unfortunately, my boss wants me to act as her mentor to help her do her job. Not only is she unprofessional for having little temper tantrums, she works her way up by taking credit for others work, including mine. She is a difficult, defensive and immature person to work with. At the rate she’s moving up, she very well be my senior soon!
Should I be her mentor or should I tell my boss I don’t want to work with her because she’s too difficult to work with?

Christina Says:

You are in a touchy place. On one hand you want to please your boss, and on the other hand you don’t want to work with a Wacko. You know what direction she is moving in, and that is a good place to be as opposed to being in the dark. I would suggest that if you choose to work with her, document everything and forward all information to your boss. You want her to know what you have done to help her and, what your solutions to the problems are. This way your Boss knows what is going on. If Wacko tries to tell her information that isn’t true, she’ll look like the Wacko she is. Don’t let Wacko know you are emailing your boss about how you are helping her either. Silence is power. Keep you conversations with Wacko short and sweet. And last but not least, don’t give her any confidential information because… everything you say can and will be used against you!

Have you ever gone out with another couple and they order the most expensive wine and food knowing you are not as financially sound as they are, and expect you to split the bill in the end? Or, better yet, how about when you split the check and the other couple leaves a five dollar tip and you leave a ten? What about the people who say, “I’ll tell you what, you get this one and I’ll get the next.” Yours came to $75.00 and the next came to $45.00 at some burger joint. I like this one; they get their wallet out, and with a look of shock they say, “I forgot my cash and credit card!!!! Can I pay you back the next time I see you?” What happens when you see them next? Nothing. Shiver me timbers over this next scenario.

Imagine having a meal with a penny pincher who is a multi-millionaire. As God as my witness, I’ve experienced this one as well. Imagine being astonished on the inside and acting like this is normal on the outside as they grab the bill from your hand! “Let’s see, I had the veal for $17.00 and you had the lobster salad for $18.00. My wine was $7.50 a glass and yours $5.95. So…you owe… blah blah blah.” How do you deal with this nonsense?