I confess, despite having no medical credentials whatsoever, that it sounds like pretty classic High Functioning Autism to me. Though such folks are typically very intelligent, they have no ability to comprehend personal space, cannot read facial expressions, and are generally social cripples. Not their fault, but nigh-impossible to deal with regardless.
I knew a guy like this in college. I loved being around him if there was a 3rd person present for a buffer, any 3rd person. We could talk for hours on the phone. Alone with him in person, I wanted him to go away within 10 minutes of any meeting. He could not respect personal space, his facial expressions were exaggerated to the point I found it embarrassing, he laughed too loud, talked too loud, and insisted on calling me cutesie pet names of the sort generally reserved for childhood friends and lovers.
He was never, to my knowledge, diagnosed. But it was the only explanation I ever heard that explained the guy.
Because people who use speakerphone for no discernable reason annoy the shit out of me too, I think this is a breat idea. Better yet, have a male friend of yours who doesn’t work there make the call (from a payphone a good distance away from your house, of course). Can you imagine the following booming through the office:
"Al, this is Bob. I couldn’t reach you at home, but I just wanted to let you know that I’m almost done with the hormone treatments. I can’t wait to have you kissing my nice, full breasts as you ram me up th. . .click (I imagine Al wouldn’t let it go much further than that.)
What exactly is “High Funtioning Autism”? Isn’t learning social grace the same as learning anything else? If these peopel can learn to tie their shoes, why can’t they learn how looud is too loud, etc.?
It is possible for many people with autism, Asperger’s syndrome, and similar problems to improve their social skills, but this usually requires special training and therapy. They can’t just pick it up from the people around them. Since many high functioning people are never diagnosed, they never receive help.
I think this guy used to be my boss at DHL when I was a very young woman on my first "real’ job. He sounds identical, right down to the “beetle-like” appearance.
These people, and others like them, usually are either Boss Favorites or, alternately, work in the kind of place where just showing up gets you promoted.
Thank you. I’ve lurked for a long time (ever since Scylla’s ‘Horror of Blimps’ post, actually) but this is the first time I’ve waded in.
I’d like to add, as a followup to my entirely unprofessional “diagnosis” of High Functioning Autism, that while children today are very likely to be caught and gotten into therapy (which may explain the sharp rise in autism cases - not that there are more, just that they are being diagnosed), 25 or 35 or 40 years ago these sorts of early interventions were rare and reserved for severe cases.
“Al” is probably in his late 20’s or 30’s, though the OP doesn’t say, and it seems unlikely to me that his issues (if indeed they are organic in nature) were addressed at all, much less adequately.
Why do I know any of this? Because I have a ‘special needs child’. Not autistic, but nevertheless destined to spend many more years in various therapies (she’s almost 4). It’s amazing what you can pick up from reading the Special Parent magazines in the therapist waiting rooms, and from talking to other parents there, and therapists, and doctors.
If “Al” isn’t HFA/aspergers, there may still be some other organic thing going on. Not his fault, but still, geez, who wants to have to deal with it? Probably not even him.
Something organic. A clawing black fungus with rudimentary intelligence, breeding in the dank recesses of his nasal cavities and eating its way into his brain?
RickJay, while I sympathize with your situation, I’m going to jump on the autism/Asperger’s Syndrome, too. Please read the quote from this site:
I hope you will feel some better in knowing that the man is most likely not deliberately being an asshole - it sounds like he has some specific neurological problems that cause his behavior.
How long has Al been in his job? At one time he may have been extremely competent, but as the job grew and more social interaction was required Al couldn’t cope and is reduced to the state you see now. This may be one explanation for why he hasn’t been transferred/fired - the ‘boss’ realizes that Al has some sort of problem and that learning a new job may be very difficult for him, but doesn’t want to fire him for fear Al will end up living on the street.
Of course, so far none of us who have posted about this possibility seem to have the qualifications to back up our guesses; it would be nice if Qadgop or one of the other professionals would drop by and give an opinion.
In any case, I’m going to go out on a limb and make a suggestion about your Thursday meeting with your boss - ask him if he realizes that Al is behaving in a very eccentric manner and might benefit from a medical/psychological check-up. From what I understand, IF Al is AS/autistic, an experienced clinician could help him a great deal with modifying his behavior and improving his everyday functioning.
Might look better to the boss, too, that you’ve presented him with some genuine concerns about Al rather than the usual (by now, I’m sure) demanding tirade.
Some things to consider, anyway. At the least, maybe taking this possibility into consideration will make working with Al a little more tolerable for you.
I would like to add, re: the fellow I knew in college who I suspected of AS, that he believed he could hear other people thinking. He called this ‘downloading’ and was quite distressed by it. Given that we were on a college campus, and autistic individuals occasionally have hyperacute hearing, he might have been hearing the conversations of passersby outside the building, or in the hallways, and just not realised where the ‘thoughts’ were coming from. Talk about living in a different world.
I have to agree that a tirade to the boss probably wouldn’t be as productive as it would be satisfying. Rant/vent here, but try to find a good solution for your office. Everybody knows there’s a problem - probably even Al knows it, and is incapable of doing anything about it. I think Coosa’s idea of gently suggesting perhaps the abberant behaviour be checked out professionally for Al’s (and everybody else’s) sake, is a very good one.
I disagree. At this rate, you are witnessing the embryonic stages of the latest management fad, “The Al Way”. Even now, he is writing a book on the very best way of doing things, a book that will be distributed to managers everywhere. Kill him, before he sends the global economy into a black hole.
The autism/Asperger’s comments may be correct. Al is - I don’t know how to describe it, but we’ve all had to work with someone like this once or twice - someone who just does not seem to GET other people. He’s not totally devoid of manners or anything like that, and he’s not delusional or hearing voices, but he’s… off.
coosa, Al has been doing this job for, I believe, six years. The fact that he has not been moved doesn’t really prove anything one way or another; Al lacks the professional qualifications unique to our industry that he would need to move higher (which I possess in spades, thank Christ) and he hasn’t been moved laterally because, to be frank, nobody else would take him. Our boss doesn’t love him, but he (our boss) is a non-confrontational sort who was willing to ignore everyone’s hatred of Al. Of course, it IS possible our boss has tried to modify his behaviour in the past but just gave up; I wouldn’t know, since I am relatively new to this department. The problem with Al’s incompetence hasn’t become a crisis until recently; due to a sudden demand spike, it’s now a big time issue.
And yeah, he’s more pathetic than evil.
But let me stress; I am NOT going to “rant” to my boss. I’m going to explain the problems with my new position (and there are others besides Al) and avoid personal attacks as much as possible, while presenting some new options. Our boss knows Al’s problems.
