Halloween is nearly here, and it’s got me thinking about the most nightmarish problems a supervisor might face. Prepare to be spooked by the following three (completely true!) Halloween-worthy stories from real-life managers:
- The Werewolf. A manager at a tutoring company supervised a woman who had strong body odor and very hairy armpits, which were often on display during tutoring sessions because she regularly wore sleeveless shirts. Addressing hygiene or an inappropriate wardrobe is always uncomfortable; having to address both at once is a nightmare.
- The Ghost. In the weeks leading up to a major deadline, a manager regularly checked in on an employee responsible for a critical portion of the project. The employee assured him that everything was on schedule. On the day of the deadline, however, not only did the employee fail to produce his part of the project, but he also failed to show up at all. He left his team in a lurch that day and in the following weeks, as they scrambled to complete his assignment and fill his position. He never returned to the office, nor did he take or return any of their phone calls. It was quite the disappearing act.
- The Blood Bath. A manager at a café was surprised when a model employee returned from the restroom and informed her that she refused to clean the bathroom—a typical, if a bit unpleasant, assignment that rotated among employees. The reason for her insubordination? The bathroom was covered in blood; it was on the floor, walls, even the ceiling! Guess who ended up cleaning that horrific scene? Yup, the manager.
Do you have your own horror story? Please share it in the comments! To keep it fair, we welcome them from managers AND about managers!
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