We have a wonderful crew in my base store-- a gang of warm, intelligent people with great senses of humor-- except for one individual.

I'll call her Carol . Carol is bitter because she has not climbed in the company in the three years she has worked for us, She told me outright when I transfered to that store as assistant manager 2 1/2 years ago, that she wanted my job and should have had it. When I was promoted to Assistant District Manager I thought she was going to quit out of anger and frustration. No such luck.

She's very clever and very sneaky. She's never done anything that could get her fired. She is great with customers and can suck up when bosses are around. However, she is sarcastic and bitter with other employees. She's the one who will always make a snide comment such as "Walk much?" if you should trip. She makes sure she is in your way when you are trying to get to a customer. She will try to handle phone calls that are meant for higher ups. She is impatient and short with newer employees and often sighs and rolls her eyes when they ask her a question. She constantly displays passive aggressive behaviors.

No one wants to work with her except the manager. (told you she can suck up when she wants to) The whole atmosphere of the store changes when she is on.

There is not much I can do unless she does something against company policy, so I wait. I've been trying to get her to apply for higher positions in other stores in the district, but she doesn't want to travel.

In the meantime, we've all tried to take it in stride and not let her attitude get the better of us, It's not easy though, and I know exactly what you are going through.

Shield-- put up your defenses and don't let her get to you. She must be a pretty miserable person to act the way she does. And she can't be very happy. It may be hard, but look at the positives, be thankful that you don't have the life she does

Wish her the best-- Wouldn't it be wonderful if she got a new job somewhere else that she really enjoyed and paid better? Keep envisioning that.
:-)

I had one person call out sick so I was working all alone in the base store for a while . (I am getting over the flu and was only there until someone else could come in)

There was a line at the cash wrap and I was going as fast as I could. There was a customer that I had just finished giving change to and she was gathering her bags when the woman behind her held up her book and yelled "I'm ready now". I just smiled and said "Great, because you're next!"

Well, as soon as the first woman gathered her bags, the second woman rushed up to the counter, almost pushing the first woman out of the way. She looked at me and sneered "And I don't want one of those stupid cards either". I smiled again and said, "Well, how about an electronic gift certificate?"

Ooops.. that must have made her a bit perturbed because she got really nasty after that. "I just WANT THIS!"

I kept smiling and rang up her purchase, gave her the total, took her credit card and swiped it and asked for ID. She didn't like that either but I insisted. She signed the slip and threw it on the counter.

I thanked her and told her to have a "truly wondeful day!" (still with a huge smile on my face). To which she replied "Whatever!" and grabbed her bag.

At this point, I (in my silly santa hat) began to sing "Tis the season to be jolly..."

And that got everyone else in line cracking up as this charming woman stomped out...

heh heh

LOL