My Question of the Day: One of your coworkers is ordering out for lunch. He/she goes around the entire office asking others if they’d like to get in on the order, but he/she noticeably skips one particular coworker whom no one, including you, likes. Do you ask the coworker taking orders to include the left-out coworker?
(this question was submitted by @tclarkusa; thanks!)
My 2 Cents: Back when I actually had television, I remember flipping through channels and coming across a T.D. Jakes broadcast. I didn’t watch him regularly, and I think that was probably my second or third time happening across one of his broadcasts, but he said something in that short time I was watching that’s stuck with me until this day. He was talking about workplaces, and he said, and I’m paraphrasing, “Don’t go to professional places looking for personal relationships.” That just rang in my spirit, because it summed up my attitude towards work and the people with whom I work. I’m friendly with all, but I can’t say I’m friends with anyone. I come to work to work, not to develop friendships. If I develop a friendship, that’s great. If I don’t, I’m here to do my work and get my paycheck, and all is still right with the world.
I’m saying all that to say, in professional places be professional. If you’re going to ask everyone in the office if they want to go in on a lunch order, ask everyone, even the person you think you don’t like. I mean, we really don’t know most of the people with whom we work other than what we see of them at the job. You never know. The person you dislike as a coworker could possibly be a person who you’d, under different circumstances or in a different situation, become friends with because you all happen to have much in common.
There’s never any excuse to be rude and petty. If you can’t include everyone, then don’t include anyone. Just order your lunch and let everyone else fend for themselves.
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Take a few moments to check out the tweets from Twitter on this subject:
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PROTECTED TWEETER I would say include everybody or don’t ask anyone!why go thru the trouble of leaving out one person?very silly!
treschic67 2 exclude some one is very rude. I’d take it upon myself to ask him/her what they’d like & I’d scold the order taker
Sparty1216 Take the order and give it to the co-worker making the run!
JoshDamage I wud include the co-worker in the order.
PROTECTED TWEETER Yes u still include the “not liked” co-worker. No need to be rude ! Could Be You One Day
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The commentary doesn’t have to end!
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My Question of the Day: Debbie was too busy to break for lunch. She didn’t ask anyone to get lunch for her, but her coworker, Janice, brought Debbie some food back from the local restaurant when she went out. Debbie thought the gesture was so thoughtful, and she thanked Janice over and over for thinking of her. A few days later, Debbie received an email from Janice that said, “I was wondering when you plan to pay me back for the lunch I bought for you the other day. Thanks.” How should Debbie respond to the email?
