Be careful what you say in the elevator…
…well, be careful what you say ANYWHERE, really, but I’ll get back to that.
This morning, I was riding the elevator with a man and a woman that I don’t know, when one started talking to the other about a building project that my team worked on. The woman asked the man, “Did your team work on that project?”
“Oh, no, no, no,” he defended himself. “I wasn’t involved, but it is my understanding that A LOT of effort went into the decision making.”
“Well, it sure doesn’t look like it!” she responded. The she went on a bit about her ideas for the design.
I had one of those internal dialogues like “should I say something?” The thing is, the project had SO MANY people involved that my team really struggled with it. We were trying to please many different people (all with different opinions!) at once. BUT, all of that doesn’t matter; I still think we did a good job.
So when the guy got off the elevator (after she ranted a bit more), I said, “MY team worked on that project…” kind of inviting her feedback, not that it mattered. The decision was made.
“Oh! Sorry! I just think…” blah blah blah. She went on again about how she liked things the way they were. I just kind of laughed to myself.
You have to be careful what you’re saying. You never know who you’re around!
Earlier this week, I was walking back from a job-site meeting with two coworkers, and I asked who would be managing the project after us. When one of them responded with the person’s name, I said, “Oh, great! It seems like he has a really good understanding of the project.”
Well, after I said that, they went on a bit about one of his coworkers they don’t like as much. And… guess who walked up behind us right after that? The guy who would be managing the project after us. Nice.
I think these conversations are best behind closed doors, and even then, I wonder…
Themocracy
I bet she felt like a moron! I’m glad you called her out on it, she deserved it and maybe she’ll learn! I’m afraid I learned my lesson the hard way and now I only bitch about those things to my husband and I know he’s not telling anyone =)
i agree, i’m glad you called her out on it too!!! then got to listen to her backtrack! i’ve had to learn this lesson the hard way too… now i just try to vent to a few “select” people.. lol..
=^..^=
Opinions are like…you know what…everyone has one! 😉
It used to be really funny to me when I first started working downtown and no one knew I was in the HR department. I would hear all kinds of things in the elevator. Mostly people just bitched about their bosses, so it wasn’t like anything I actually needed to report.
I tend to live by the policy that anyone could be the next person to hire you, so best to treat people as such and conduct yourself in public accordingly.
Big brother is all around! You never know who is listening…
Yes, those conversations are best behind closed doors or at least in areas not located near work.
Glad you spoke up, because now maybe next time, that woman will think about what she’s saying around others.
That reminds me of the time I was at the state fair. And we were walking through the parking lot and was scared to death by a barking dog. In the back of a truck (it happened to have a cab cover thingy on it). And in my hysteria of just about peeing in my pants, I jokingly started barking back at the dog, which only made it get more mad. At which point, the owner, who was on the other side of the truck, yelled, “That’s not helping the situation, now, is it?!” My friend and I freaked, broke out into laughter and ran.
As you said, you never know who is listening to your conversation. =)
Yeah. You have to be really careful. You just never know.
Yikes! Those people better be careful. Karmas a bitch.
Definitely have to be careful. I have inserted foot into mouth too many times!
So true. It’s best to only say what you would to a person’s face in public.
god, i am SO BAD about this. although i’m pretty much a foot-putter-in-mouther even straight to people’s faces, so learning i’m saying things where other people might overhear isn’t usually any WORSE.
Tell me you at least smiled a little as she bobbled through her justification.
omg, I would die! You handled yourself so well as usual! I’m more of a “reactor” and blow – I gotta work on that 😉 At my work we now have camera bubbles in all the elevators – creepy really.
Amy @ Passages to the Past – I hope I didn’t make her feel too bad, becuase everyone is entitiled to their opinion. I just didn’t like that she was saying we put no effort into it. It was actually quite the ordeal!
CourtneyInControl – My office takes up 3 or 4 floors of my building, so I never know who is around or who they are! Hee hee. I try to just keep it to myself ALL THE TIME 😉
diane – That is a good policy to live by. Even if the people you are talking smack to are not affected by what you are saying, it still makes you look like an a$$ if that is all you ever do!
Susan – Ha! Especially where I am 😉
martymankins – I hope so 😉
SoMi’s Nilsa – LOL! Did that stop you from barking at dogs in the future? 😛
Jess – Agreed.
Amy – And I am definitely one to believe in karma. Big time 😉
Jamie – I am getting better at it, but I’ve had my moments!
sizzle – If only people would live that way…
Alice – Ha! I tend to say the wrong thing TO people as well. Or maybe just the inappropriate thing?
kapgar – I did 😀
JavaQueen – Ew! I hate cameras in the elevator. Is that a safety thing?