Corporate hijackers are everywhere and we become victims more often than we realize. Most of the time a superior is the corporate hijacker simply because they have balls and authority to do it intentionally or unintentionally. We write an email to a group seeking for help and a few emails back and forth and someone has just controlled and stirred the conversation elsewhere, email just got hijacked. Below are some of the common corporate hijacks courtesy of your superior colleague:
1. Lunch time – you’re eating at your work area with a fellow colleague and a superior drops in yaps, & yaps until the whole lunch time have passed
2. Elevator – you are catching up with someone during an elevator ride when a colleague steps in and starts his own conversation
3. Restroom – this is a personal time and your boss goes in and asks everything about your current project, issues, etc, etc.
4. Meetings – the sharks are out and both superiors and subordinates simply want to hijack and get their face in front of everyone.
5. Team Buildings – this is commonplace like meetings. Someone just wants to get the attention of everyone else.
6. Colleague Treats/Birthday Parties – this is the most annoying. I have had the unfortunate experience of attending birthday parties invited and paid for by the celebrant when a superior suddenly turns the party into a general assembly meeting. If I were the one who paid the bill, I would consider reimbursing that as a team meeting expense.
The above list are some of the many instances that colleagues try to hijack something from a fellow colleague. Small talks in the elevator and restroom are fine as long as they are during office hours. During lunch time, and outside of working hours, I would suggest to think twice before hijacking something from a colleague.
What are your experiences with a colleague? How about with a superior?
