Ever Have An Employee That Is Full Of ....

[Shane Deubell]

Ever have an employee or co-worker that is full of ?

Great worker, always on-time, good attitude,clean-cut.
Maybe too normal...

But everyday has some bs story of how they dated a celebrity before they were famous or could have been a pro ballplayer but hurt his knee or they designed spaceships in their previous job but it was too stressful so now they push a cimex around...

Always personal stories but i think what if something ever happens how could i possibly believe anything he says. Almost like 2 different personalities, serious about work one minute and the next creating some fairy tale. This is a grown man that is married btw not some kid, which worries me even more.

 

[Mike Draper]

not an employees, but another CC in town is the same way. Calls me up a few times a year to tell me how much $ he's making the next day I go to bid against him on a high end hotel and they say hes charging $6. a room including scotch guard. Always has a big fish story to tell. I'm not sure why some people are like that.

 

[FB7777]

How long has Pete Seltzer been working for you Shane?

Seriously, it's smart for you to be concerned, this trait can be damaging to your business via customer interaction. Peoria don't like obvious liars and this WILL cross over to this person being pathological when accused, reprimanded or questioned about their work behavior

Confront them on a white lie sometime with " sure I believe that" just to let this insecure fool know you don't actually believe his shit

Even go as far to let him know people are being polite when they don't question his obvious puffery

 

[Shane Deubell]

How long has Pete Seltzer been working for you Shane?

Seriously, it's smart for you to be concerned, this trait can be damaging to your business via customer interaction. Peoria don't like obvious liars and this WILL cross over to this person being pathological when accused, reprimanded or questioned about their work behavior

Confront them on a white lie sometime with " sure I believe that" just to let this insecure fool know you don't actually believe his shit

Even go as far to let him know people are being polite when they don't question his obvious puffery

Thats exactly what happened, a manager called asking about him. Apparently he told some wild story of some former job he had to a worker at the building.
It blew over and just told him to keep the personal stuff out of conversations with customers or employees of customers. Tried to keep it vague without embarrassing him and pointed out it was in general for everyone and not just him.

 

[Mardie]

Ever have an employee or co-worker that is full of ?

Great worker, always on-time, good attitude,clean-cut.
Maybe too normal...

But everyday has some bs story of how they dated a celebrity before they were famous or could have been a pro ballplayer but hurt his knee or they designed spaceships in their previous job but it was too stressful so now they push a cimex around...

Always personal stories but i think what if something ever happens how could i possibly believe anything he says. Almost like 2 different personalities, serious about work one minute and the next creating some fairy tale. This is a grown man that is married btw not some kid, which worries me even more.

Have you ever called his former employers Does he have a history of stalking and does he own a gun.

 

[Jim Pemberton]

Having had a cleaning company for nearly 40 years, we'd had every sort of thing like that happen, including:

Outlandish stories that create either sympathy or outright fear

Attempts at religious conversion

Nasty political debates

Attempts to sell multi level marketing opportunities

Requests for "dates" (some at the more formal level, most were "short term" proposals)

Requests that meals be prepared for them

Assessments that the house was "haunted" or "demonized" or that the customer or a family member was possessed.

Impersonations of a variety of ethnic or religious affiliations to garner tips or some of the above mentioned requests.

In retrospect, its really funny today. When we were running a cleaning company, it was infuriating.

 

[Brian H]

Like Jim, we have had our fair share of those type employees over the years. Sometimes the stories start right away and sometimes it takes a bit of time for them to start...

A few I remember off the top of my head:
A former running back for U of Oklahoma
Former Navy SEAL
A roadie and set up man for some rock band (the band name changed a few times)
Buying a $300,000 boat for $10,000
Dad owns 2000 acre ranch in Texas
Wife has some phenomenal job and he just works for fun
Lives in exclusive part of town but keeps address in employee file for tax purposes.

Once the stories start, it's time to start looking to replace them. As has been said already, the story telling transition from bragging to fellow employees to customers. Once a customer catches the person in a lie, then EVERYTHING they said and or did is suspect.

 

[hogjowl]

I have dealt with a personality like that for over 50 years.

It's not too hard to manage when you are a Ph.D. in neuropsychology with a minor in animal husbandry.

 

[Newman]

He may be Forrest Gump?

Some people may have a hard time believing the jobs I have had and the things I have done considering my current position as a Rug Sucker...

 

[Desk Jockey]

Lie to us Chris, don't just leave us hanging. Astronaut, doctor congressman what else have you done?

Seriously what is it that people don't believe I'm curious now.

 

[Derek]

"cool story bro"

 

[FB7777]

He may be Forrest Gump?

Some people may have a hard time believing the jobs I have had and the things I have done considering my current position as a Rug Sucker...

let me just preempt your response with ,

" sure I believe that"

 

[Ed Valentine]

I laughed when I read Jim Pembertons' post because it brought back memories & he hit the nail squarely on the head IMHO.

Way back in the 70's when the testosterone was flowing and the focus was on "being one of the biggest in this business", we started hiring employees for the manufacturing side and Sales Rep's to cover certain territories. Little did I know how hard it was going to be to "get someone; a warm body" to show up on time; do a great job and concentrate on doing it----the right way! Well, as one could guess, what a frigg'in hassle. No matter how much we paid them or how kind we were to them, the bottom line was that it made no difference.

Holes drilled on the wrong side (expensive parts/shells discarded); wiring done backwards; switches installed wrong; systems not pre-tested; etc...etc...etc..... all too common and frustrating. Got to a point where I went into work one cold winter morning and got rid of all our Sales Rep's & (so called) employees and realized that we had to go back to basics and do it "our way"! And that's when the business started to become a success and the reputation started to grow.

Bigger isn't always Better; and usually not! Quality, Service, Attention to detail, along with building a great reputation is much more important in my opinion.

Great topic Gentlemen.

Ed Valentine
cross-american

 

[Steve Toburen]

I have dealt with a personality like that for over 50 years.

It's not too hard to manage when you are a Ph.D. in neuropsychology with a minor in animal husbandry.

So Marty, that much higher education is what it takes to live with yourself? Wow.

Steve

PS Our industry as a whole suffers from low self-esteem even with the business owners. So it is only logical that our lowly employees would try to compensate with a bit of "puffing"...

 

[Shane Deubell]

True steve but i never understood why?
How is owning a cleaning business any different then 90% of the other small businesses out there?

No different to me anyway.

 

[John Olson]

It's the stories they aren't telling you that you need to be worried about...I have a couple of customers that tell stories and it makes me wonder why the feel the need and two do they really think we believe them?

 

[Steve Toburen]

True steve but i never understood why?
How is owning a cleaning business any different then 90% of the other small businesses out there?

No different to me anyway.

True, Shane. But then you are not "normal".

Steve

PS And aren't you glad about that!

 

[kingjoelking]

Ever have an employee or co-worker that is full of ?

Great worker, always on-time, good attitude,clean-cut.
Maybe too normal...

But everyday has some bs story of how they dated a celebrity before they were famous or could have been a pro ballplayer but hurt his knee or they designed spaceships in their previous job but it was too stressful so now they push a cimex around...

Always personal stories but i think what if something ever happens how could i possibly believe anything he says. Almost like 2 different personalities, serious about work one minute and the next creating some fairy tale. This is a grown man that is married btw not some kid, which worries me even more.

nope but I have a brother in law like that.

 

[Hoody]

nope but I have a brother in law like that.

I read ur statement as brother, in law instead of how u intended and thought well a lot of ppl in the law field are FOS lol