Brody
October 24th, 2008, 05:34 AM
Anyone who works construction knows that there is a lot of shouting and sometimes anger going on. I work for a general contractor who only does very high end homes and end up dealing with a lot of subcontractors, some of whom get upset easily and seem to be overly sensitive. I also end up getting yelled at sometimes by these same sensitive macho dudes.
Know how when you have an argument with someone, you always think of the best responses hours after the fact? I must be getting better because I did two on two different days that I thought were pretty good and actually had some other people who were listening laughing. I thought that I would share.
Sub, yelling loudly at me(first thing in the AM, too, as I had just walked onto the site): Pete, blah , blah, etc
Me, calmly: If you have a problem with me or anything that I am doing that affects your work, you need to take it up with the Project Manager. (my boss)
Sub, still yelling: My problem is WITH you, that's why I am talking to you!
Me, again calmly: Well then, you really do have a problem because I really don't care WTF you think, I just want you to do your job.
Next day, same sub and again right after I walk onto the site.
Sub starts screaming at me(literally): Pete! F you, F this, F that, F you, ad nauseum.
Me, talking loudly enough to be heard: ......, I already know that you are an *******. You really don't need to reinforce it everytime you open your mouth. (This actually stops him in his tracks...probably was the big, three syllable words...)
That last my boss heard as he was walking up the steps to see what all the commotion was about. He said he started laughing so hard, he went back downstairs. I had 3 other subs on the job ask me to repeat what I had said because they had heard the whole deal and thought my reply was pretty good.
Anyway, having quite obviously failed the Dale Carnegie course, I thought that I would pass this on. Funny how in such a 'macho' biz as construction, you have a large group of grown 'macho' men who can whine, whimper, point fingers and make excuses equal to what any 5 or 6 year old on the planet can do.
Know how when you have an argument with someone, you always think of the best responses hours after the fact? I must be getting better because I did two on two different days that I thought were pretty good and actually had some other people who were listening laughing. I thought that I would share.
Sub, yelling loudly at me(first thing in the AM, too, as I had just walked onto the site): Pete, blah , blah, etc
Me, calmly: If you have a problem with me or anything that I am doing that affects your work, you need to take it up with the Project Manager. (my boss)
Sub, still yelling: My problem is WITH you, that's why I am talking to you!
Me, again calmly: Well then, you really do have a problem because I really don't care WTF you think, I just want you to do your job.
Next day, same sub and again right after I walk onto the site.
Sub starts screaming at me(literally): Pete! F you, F this, F that, F you, ad nauseum.
Me, talking loudly enough to be heard: ......, I already know that you are an *******. You really don't need to reinforce it everytime you open your mouth. (This actually stops him in his tracks...probably was the big, three syllable words...)
That last my boss heard as he was walking up the steps to see what all the commotion was about. He said he started laughing so hard, he went back downstairs. I had 3 other subs on the job ask me to repeat what I had said because they had heard the whole deal and thought my reply was pretty good.
Anyway, having quite obviously failed the Dale Carnegie course, I thought that I would pass this on. Funny how in such a 'macho' biz as construction, you have a large group of grown 'macho' men who can whine, whimper, point fingers and make excuses equal to what any 5 or 6 year old on the planet can do.