My boss is a gym rat and a health nut. The problem is that he’s critical of those whom he feels don’t eat healthfully or appear to get enough exercise, if you know what I mean. It makes everyone feel uncomfortable and self-conscious. How do you handle a situation like that?
Don’t you love the health-food evangelists — who have the same diets as cows and squirrels — looking down upon those who eat white-chocolate-covered pretzels and Cinnabon? It’s one thing to try to encourage your staff to lead a healthier lifestyle — which you can do by offering better food at office functions or by giving people an incentive to participate in company wellness programs. But it sounds like your boss is from the Mayor Mike School of Management. You have three choices — get fit, because it’s good for you, tell your boss politely how you feel about his pushing the granola — or find another job.
Why can’t people keep secrets in the workplace? I’m often disappointed by others who tell me things “in confidence” that others tell them in confidence. If they are breaking that other person’s confidence, then how can I trust them?
Most people can’t help themselves and often don’t mean any malice — the human species is wired for communication and loves gossip. The juicier it is, the harder it is to contain — it’s like taking a child to Toys R Us and asking them not to want to buy something. If you don’t want anyone to know something, the only sure-fire way is not to tell anyone. When someone at work tells you something in confidence about unlawful conduct at work, you have an obligation to report it and actually may be held accountable for not reporting it if it’s discovered that you were aware. Also, it’s naïve to think two people who are longtime buddies and confidants will not share things with each other that others tell them in confidence — so be careful in whom you confide. And remember, only Twitter rivals the speed with which a juicy piece of gossip can spread by good old-fashioned word of mouth.