# How should I reply to this petty, petty complaint? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 29, 2009, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-i-reply-to-this-petty-petty-complaint/498050 "2009-05-29T17:30:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2009, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-i-reply-to-this-petty-petty-complaint/498050/81 "2009-06-01T17:45:00Z")
You might request she remove her new supervisor’s credo from the wall behind her desk. It’s one thing to be seen as always being on the cutting edge, but the new credo might have some detrimental effect on her staff that she just cannot see for herself: The waterboardings will continue until morale and productivity improves. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2009, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-i-reply-to-this-petty-petty-complaint/498050/82 "2009-06-01T21:11:05Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > You’re assuming that **Mangetout** lives on Earth. No, he eats everything, not just earth. ---
**Author:** ![Zoot\_Sutra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/51bf81/32.png) [@Zoot\_Sutra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoot_Sutra)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2009, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-i-reply-to-this-petty-petty-complaint/498050/83 "2009-06-02T17:23:39Z")
**glee** , why do I keep hearing "Coffee is for _ **closers** _ in your reply?😛 ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2009, 11:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-i-reply-to-this-petty-petty-complaint/498050/84 "2009-06-16T11:03:03Z")
> [@Shot\_From\_Guns](#): > > **glee** , I roffled. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Nzinga\_Seated](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5ac83/32.png) [@Nzinga\_Seated](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nzinga_Seated)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2009, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-i-reply-to-this-petty-petty-complaint/498050/85 "2009-06-17T00:57:09Z")
> [@WhyNot](#): > > Oh, come on, passive-aggressive can be fun, too! > > “Thank you very much for your email congratulating my team on exceeding our productivity goals. Of course I would be flattered if you chose to adopt some of my methods, and I wish you the best of luck in increasing your team’s productivity to match mine. Please feel free to email me whenever you need management tips - we’re a management TEAM, after all! :):):)” > > You MUST include multiple smilies for maximum infuriation effect. Brilliant response. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2009, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-i-reply-to-this-petty-petty-complaint/498050/86 "2009-06-17T13:16:28Z")
Don’t forget to add, “There’s no **I** in team”. ---
**Author:** ![Projammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/projammer/32/559_2.png) [@Projammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Projammer)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2009, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-i-reply-to-this-petty-petty-complaint/498050/87 "2009-06-17T18:05:29Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > Don’t forget to add, “There’s no **I** in team”. And no **U** either. ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2009, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-i-reply-to-this-petty-petty-complaint/498050/88 "2009-06-17T18:10:31Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > Don’t forget to add, “There’s no **I** in team”. > [@Projammer](#): > > And no **U** either. But there is a **ME** , not sure what tells us, but there you go. ---
**Author:** ![Maeglin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8baadc/32.png) [@Maeglin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maeglin)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2009, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-i-reply-to-this-petty-petty-complaint/498050/89 "2009-06-17T18:14:57Z")
> [@Projammer](#): > > And no **U** either. There is a **U** in dumbass, though. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2009, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-i-reply-to-this-petty-petty-complaint/498050/90 "2009-06-17T19:11:49Z")
And there’s plenty of meat in team. ---
**Author:** ![Contrapuntal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@Contrapuntal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrapuntal)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2009, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-i-reply-to-this-petty-petty-complaint/498050/91 "2009-06-17T19:25:21Z")
And you can’t spell funeral without FUN. ---
**Author:** ![Shot\_From\_Guns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ccd318/32.png) [@Shot\_From\_Guns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shot_From_Guns)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2009, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-i-reply-to-this-petty-petty-complaint/498050/92 "2009-06-17T20:09:50Z")
Nor slaughter without laughter! ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2009, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-i-reply-to-this-petty-petty-complaint/498050/93 "2009-06-17T21:38:15Z")
Suggest to your boss that since your team is doing so well you thought you could help out the firm by giving a talk next mangaement meeting about how to motivate salespeople. Mention the lunch thing at least six times, careful to look quickly away from her each time. Enjoy the squirming. * * * Take her team out for pizza. Tell them how sorry you are for making them feel badly about their manager, that you understand she feels undermined by your generosity, and you hope this gesture will restore balance. Afterwards tell her what you did and repeat the underlined part, be sure your manager is within hearing range when this happens. * * * sneak a copy of this [Motivating-Employees-for-Dummies](http://www.amazon.com/Motivating-Employees-Dummies-Max-Messmer/dp/0764553275/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1245274586&sr=1-2) onto her chair. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2009, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-i-reply-to-this-petty-petty-complaint/498050/94 "2009-06-17T21:40:30Z")
Any followup on this yet? ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2009, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-i-reply-to-this-petty-petty-complaint/498050/95 "2009-06-17T21:47:34Z")
> [@Chimera](#): > > Any followup on this yet? I assume you mean from me? The manager in question has gotten in trouble with our boss’s boss for being an idiot. Our boss has asked me – ME, personally – to help her improve her management style. ---
**Author:** ![Shot\_From\_Guns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ccd318/32.png) [@Shot\_From\_Guns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shot_From_Guns)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2009, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-i-reply-to-this-petty-petty-complaint/498050/96 "2009-06-17T21:52:07Z")
Too perfect! ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2009, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-i-reply-to-this-petty-petty-complaint/498050/97 "2009-06-17T22:00:34Z")
> [@Shot\_From\_Guns](#): > > Too perfect! I assume you’ve forgotten how very, very much I hate this woman. Admittedly she’s more than easy on the eyes, but that doesn’t matter. She could be Monica Bellucci walking around naked and it wouldn’t matter. ---
**Author:** ![Siege](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dbc845/32.png) [@Siege](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siege)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2009, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-i-reply-to-this-petty-petty-complaint/498050/98 "2009-06-17T22:11:38Z")
But think of the opportunities for fiendish, evil, magnificent revenge! I know you’ve given up being a super-villain, but this could be your chance to dip back into it. What’s even more satisfying is, no matter what you do to her, you can bask in the knowledge that it’s only a tiny fraction of what you could do. Just remember to get out of her earshot before you indulge yourself in an evil laugh. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2009, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-i-reply-to-this-petty-petty-complaint/498050/99 "2009-06-17T22:24:08Z")
> [@Siege](#): > > But think of the opportunities for fiendish, evil, magnificent revenge! I know you’ve given up being a super-villain, but this could be your chance to dip back into it. What’s even more satisfying is, no matter what you do to her, you can bask in the knowledge that it’s only a tiny fraction of what you could do. Just remember to get out of her earshot before you indulge yourself in an evil laugh. Fool of a Took! The wise villain indulges in the evil laugh only at the open-casket funeral of the last of his enemies! ---
**Author:** ![Projammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/projammer/32/559_2.png) [@Projammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Projammer)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2009, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-i-reply-to-this-petty-petty-complaint/498050/100 "2009-06-18T00:11:36Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > I assume you mean from me? > > The manager in question has gotten in trouble with our boss’s boss for being an idiot. Our boss has asked me – ME, personally – to help her improve her management style. You’ve been here quite long enough to know that details are required. The details of the idiocy that gained the boss’s boss’s attention. Her reaction to being informed that she is now under your tutelage. _Your_ reaction to being informed that she is now under your tutelage. Any other details that we would find humorous. [del]In iambic pentameter.[/del] [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-i-reply-to-this-petty-petty-complaint/498050.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-i-reply-to-this-petty-petty-complaint/498050.md?page=6)