There are many times when people’s behaviour suddenly shifts from nasty to nice or vice versa in the office. There is something about a boardroom table, which sets people off, even in a normal team meeting, or brainstorming session. Suddenly, ideas are reinforced by fists banging down on the table from a great height and people standing up and walking around the room to impose some sense of seniority over the others, the seated.
Another great example of this is the office lunch. You know the embarrassing trip to a chain eatery (I think there must be a rule that office workers MUST go to Pizza Express for an overpriced nonsense of a Pizza. What the hell is a doughball anyway, and who would normally eat one?) Upon arrival there is a frantic scrabble for places as the execs huddle together for dear life, so that they avoid sitting next to someone senior, or that they don’t like. Whilst this behaviour is totally childish, this executive has come out from many a lunch with more work to do. Directors simply don’t know how to talk to juniors on a personal level, and before you know it, you’ve agreed to a new project or deadline.
My final example of behavioural changes are when two old fruits club together. I’m talking about the Media Oldies. Even if someone else is in the room, they will bang on for years about ‘seat of your pants’ campaigns in the 80s where the idea was conceived 30 seconds before the pitch. Or even when you could reach 95% of the population with one ad in the middle of Coronation Street. It doesn’t matter if you are there or not. These Media dinosaurs will be discussing the ‘good ol’ days’ until the cows come home. The might not be wiser or smarter than you, but they sure are older, and won’t let you forget.
Another great example of this is the office lunch. You know the embarrassing trip to a chain eatery (I think there must be a rule that office workers MUST go to Pizza Express for an overpriced nonsense of a Pizza. What the hell is a doughball anyway, and who would normally eat one?) Upon arrival there is a frantic scrabble for places as the execs huddle together for dear life, so that they avoid sitting next to someone senior, or that they don’t like. Whilst this behaviour is totally childish, this executive has come out from many a lunch with more work to do. Directors simply don’t know how to talk to juniors on a personal level, and before you know it, you’ve agreed to a new project or deadline.
My final example of behavioural changes are when two old fruits club together. I’m talking about the Media Oldies. Even if someone else is in the room, they will bang on for years about ‘seat of your pants’ campaigns in the 80s where the idea was conceived 30 seconds before the pitch. Or even when you could reach 95% of the population with one ad in the middle of Coronation Street. It doesn’t matter if you are there or not. These Media dinosaurs will be discussing the ‘good ol’ days’ until the cows come home. The might not be wiser or smarter than you, but they sure are older, and won’t let you forget.