Q) I’m an accruals reversals specialist at a major manufacturer and I think my colleagues are walking all over me, to put it mildly. They set their coffee cups on my desk, leaving rings. They leave Little Debbie snack wrappers lying around, expecting me to clean them up. More than one of them has called me either “the weakest link in the chain” or “someone the world would be better off without.” I know I need to do something so that I become perceived as “tough.” I have thus decided that what I need is a tough-sounding nickname. After considering a number of options – “Spike,” “Killer,” “Ace,” and so on – I’ve settled on “Butch.” Now how do I get these people to start calling me it?
A) In most cases, nicknames evolve over time and allude to something specific about the person – “Stretch,” for instance, or “Smiley.” It’s rare that a person assigns him or herself a nickname, but it can be accomplished if proper procedures are followed. In this case, it’s best to issue a brief, to-the-point memo – something like this:
Effective on (date), (given name) requests to be referred to in all written and oral correspondence as “Butch.” This policy will be in effect until further notice. Thank you for your consideration in this matter
Really, that should take care of it.
Your Mentor, Dr. Miles Miller, holds a PhD in managerial logistics from Fordham University, where he has served on the faculty since 1978, specializing in pre-conceptual nuances.
Send your questions to Mentor@cubiclef.com.
