Korean Job Discussion Forums

lush72 · Joined: 18 Aug 2003 Location: I am Penalty Kick!

I��ll be the first to admit it, my office is a ridiculously emotionally charged office. Things here can become very competitive, and when they do, nerves get frayed. There is a real tendency of the management to ��shame�� nonproductive employees. There is also a real tendency for team members to take things out of context and get overly emotional.

Case in point, there is a guy here whose last day is on the 31 st. He has been habitually, no chronically, late for work, and the management is none too impressed with the quality of his work. The entire office basically hates this guy and everyone is holding his or her breath till he goes. The feeling is if we make the effort to come here on time and work- you should too. I don��t want to comment on the quality of his work one way or the other, but I really don��t have to- he usually avoids it or pushes it off on other team members quite effectively. This guy also has a serious problem with lying. Pathological would best describe it.

Anyway he screwed up royally last week, and, after trying to blame everyone in the office, he is now dealing with the repercussions. This screw up was 100% as a result of him cutting corners and trying to shift responsibility to people who are clearly not involved in the project at all.

So now he is sitting at his desk, looking all pissed off, with the tears welling up in his eyes. IGO!

Unfortunately this isn��t the first time I have had the uncomfortable experience of dealing with crying male coworkers. And, to tell you the truth, I am at a loss as to how to react to these guys. Obviously a big hug is out- so what then- ignore it?

I will be so glad when he is gone��

batman · Posted: Tue Mar 23, 2004 7:22 pm Post subject:

Last time one of my male co-workers broke down into tears I did give him a hug.
Figured it worked for my former kindergarten students so ...

(Should mention, the teacher in question is Canaidan, about two metres tall and weighs at least 90kg.)

Mr. Pink · Joined: 21 Oct 2003 Location: China

Call him the *beep* he is and tell him to STFU and take it like a man.

Well I know you are saying that in your mind, so being the nice, pleasant, hardworking guy you are, just ignore the guy.

I've seen a guy cry once. A Korean teacher. I was pretty shocked, but it was mostly cause our VP can throw a guilt trip at someone like no one I've ever seen. The guy was crying because he was ashamed. Right in front of everyone here in the main office. I found out what he did, it was a little stupid, but nothing I'd cry over. What did I do? Just chalked it up to another crazy experience that I probably would not experience back home.

Toby · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Location: Wedded Bliss

Koreans can turn tears on like we turn lights on.

Usually dry and without any susbtance.

Ignore him. It is not your job to carry him or anyone else through their continual mistakes.

just because · Joined: 01 Aug 2003 Location: Changwon - 4964

Kick in the ass on the way out. By the sounds of it he deserves everything he gets.

FierceInvalid · Joined: 16 Mar 2003

I don't care what day and age this is, unless someone died or you're retiring from a legendary career in a professional sport, there is no excuse for a man to cry. Ignore him.

Mr. Pink · Joined: 21 Oct 2003 Location: China

Mankind · Joined: 18 Jan 2003

Toby · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Location: Wedded Bliss

[quote="Mankind
You see a Ferrari written off.
HAND Smile

[/quote]

An Aston Martin being written off would reduce me to a quivering crying wreck.

FierceInvalid · Joined: 16 Mar 2003

Mr. Pink:

sparkx · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Location: thekimchipot.com

Like my old man always said to me as a kid, "I'll give you something to cry about."

I have zero tolerance for cry baby sh*t especially when the person brings the thunder upon themself. I'd have a really hard time keeping my composure with this dude....if I was sitting there, I probably would have dragged his ass outside and slapped the hell out of him. He's probably one of those craddled v a g i n a boys with a victim complex who has never had to experience real hardship.

Mr. Pink · Joined: 21 Oct 2003 Location: China

I'd say no car is worth tears either.

However, a home can be worth tears...seeing your house go up in flames as you narrowly escape could be a moment where you cry.

When the doctor says; "Mr. Pink we WILL be able to save your left leg", I bet I'd cry out of happiness.

Yeah there should be a code when a man can cry. In that code it should also have a clause about handshakes. Why do so many Korean men give girlish handshakes?

rapier · Joined: 16 Feb 2003

Like the OP, my workplace is also ridiculously emotionally charged. I've come to the conclusion that this description fits most Koreans.

Why? I think they don't get a socialisation process, an emotional maturity that westerners do.

The Man known as The Man · Posted: Wed Mar 24, 2004 12:53 pm Post subject:

You could always point and laugh.

some waygug-in · Joined: 25 Jan 2003

I cried at work once. (no really) I had asked if I could stay on a few extra months after the end of my contract and was expecting some kind of positive response. What I got was, we want you gone by the end of this week, no questions or discussion. Shocked

It was when I was trying to explain what happened to my girlfriend that the tears came. Crying or Very sad

I was just totally in shock, and couldn't believe what was happening.

Not that I was that upset by leaving or anything, it's just that working in Korea can be such an emotionally stifling experience. It builds and builds and then one day it just all lets loose, you can't really stop it.

As for the guy in question, sounds like he deserves what he's getting, but then again, this is Korea. I'm not sure I will ever be able to understand some of the bizzare things that people do here.
Cheers