Q. How do you handle it
when you do hear something
that’s not right?
It depends on the circumstances. If I overheard it,
sometimes, I’ll go to their
supervisor and check with
their supervisor before I ever
approach them, because
there could be some circumstances I’m not privy to —
things that may be going on
in that person’s life or something in that situation where
I don’t have all the pieces of
the puzzle.
So, I always go to the
supervisor first to try to find
out, ‘Hey, what’s going on?
Did you know that I overheard this? What do you
think is behind it?’
If it’s clearly things that are
this person’s responsibility,
then we would call them out
on it immediately. If there’s
some other frustrations from
our company, something that
we’ve imposed that could be
making the person frustrated, then we’ll try to address
that issue first, and then confront the person with some
possible solutions to that
frustration.
Q. Do people ever think you
are spying on them when you
are walking around?
Nope, never, and it’s
because they know me. They
trust me, they know that I’m
honest and truthful and
upfront with them, and I listen to them.
I have an open-door policy.
They can come in and talk to
me about anything, any time,
and, nope, I don’t think they
ever feel like I’m spying on
them.
Q. How do you establish an
open-door policy?
When they do come, of
course my door is open.
Whenever it’s open, I’m
approachable. So, if I’m not
going to be in the mood
where I can be passionate or
compassionate, then I shut
my door. But if my door is
open, then they can come in,
and I have to make sure I am
inviting to them. I have to
make sure their perception
of me at that time is one
that’s open to listening.
So, when they do start talking, I have to listen, and I
can’t come back with countering everything that they
say, or, ‘That’s not true,’ or,
‘Maybe you better go back
and look again.’ You can’t
really answer like that.
You have to be very open
and listen and agree and say,
‘OK, thank you for bringing
that to me, and let me look
into it, and I’ll get something
back to you.’
HOW TO REACH: Refurbished Office Furniture Inc., (877) 763-4400 or www.rofinc.net
