“He has his favorite people” the
staff member sniggered, “that he has brought here after he came
here.”
I was sitting in the staff room, when I
heard this from one of our staff members. It was a complaint that I
could not do anything about even if I wanted to, because she was
talking about my senior officer.
“Favorite people?” I asked. I had
known bosses to take along their personal secretaries when they moved
from institute to institute. This would be one such thing.
“Yes. Professors of xxxx, yyyy and zzzz.” I have put xxxx, yyyy and zzzz in place of names of three departments to protect the identity of these persons.
“So?”
“They are all women!” she sniggered
again. She was suggesting something, but not saying it openly. I
shrugged my shoulders and went about my work. I do not like people
gossiping, and making accusations about other people's characters.
Fifteen days passed. Then she was back again.
“Dr. xxxx was pulled out by the Boss
to do something for him, and the work of that theater stopped.”
“Dr. xxxx?” I asked. I was not
familiar with the name.
“You know, one of the people the Boss
transferred here when he came here.”
“Must be very good at doing that
work” I said in defence of Dr. xxxx, poor woman.
“Ha!” she said.
A month passed. Periodically there were
comments showing disrespect for the Boss and his favorite people.
Then one day things changed. The Boss was suddenly a very nice
person. Dr. xxxx was a nice, decent, friendly woman.
“While we were talking ....” she
said about Dr. xxxx.
“How did you get together?” I
asked. I thought you did not like her.”
“The Boss has placed us on the same
committee. We share a lot of viewpoints” she said. “He has made
me in charge of the working of a new department the institute will
start.”
“Hm....” I said. In the next
meeting of hospital staff members, the Boss called this critic turned
friend by her first name. She almost blushed.
Hats off to the management of this
Boss. He had charmed an enemy into a loyal friend. All he had to do
was to make her feel special (by calling her by her first name –
makes them feel younger too), give her something others did not have
(by making her officer-in-charge of something new), and give her
recognition (by placing her on a committee). I have not heard a
single word from her since then criticizing the Boss and his favorite
people, or tarnishing their characters.
