Handling Keyboard Cowboys?

So having just read through the thread on "The Office Chew-out" another office place confrontation comes to mind: The Keyboard Cowboy vs. You.

These are the people who sit in their cubicle/office/conference room and terrorize coworkers through email/office chat about such minute things that they aren't even worth discussing face-to-face. These people have no real purpose for calling you out or bitching at you and even if they did, they don't have the balls to say it to your face so they default to electronic communication portals.

How do you guys handle your Office Cowboys?

I have often responded to peers and direct managers by walking over to them or calling them and asking them what the fuck they are talking about. But as the other thread pointed out, confrontation may be a little counterproductive. Obviously, if it is someone vastly superior to me I will not be confrontational and just ignore the message and keep working or take a break and change the Pandora station while occasionally responding "understood" or "ok" but I hardly believe this is the best response either.

Is there really an appropriate way to deal with these spineless know-it-alls?

16 Comments
 

I would like to tell you something but I heard that words can be powerful and hurtful. If I can't say something nice, I will not say it

No one would remember the Good Samaritan if he'd only had good intentions; he had money as well.
 
RagnarDanneskjoldThat's some ancient clip-art haha
Is your avatar a chimp blasting a rail of lohan?
My name is Nicky, but you can call me Dre.
 

99% of these communiques are CYA bullshit and most of the time I just delete the message. If it's a superior, you kind of have to be careful until you figure out how to work around them (ie, make friends with their boss). If it's an equal or subordinate, go straight for the jugular:

  • cc their boss on responses
  • ask why they need so much more guidance than anyone else
  • tell them directly that they need to be more proactive with solutions
  • enlist your friends and BOMB them with bullshit as well

Honestly, this is how they control their situaiton and these are the worst people on earth. The nitpicking, especially if you're busy, will turn your life into a living hell. Take any and all means to crush their will to live, because it's just going to get worse.

Get busy living
 

Ironic much that this kid complains about keyboard cowboys via a keyboard?

Follow the shit your fellow monkeys say @shitWSOsays Life is hard, it's even harder when you're stupid - John Wayne
 
heisterIronic much that this kid complains about keyboard cowboys via a keyboard?

No it's not ironic since he has no other way of doing it on WO. Unless if he record a video and whine verbally.

No one would remember the Good Samaritan if he'd only had good intentions; he had money as well.
 

i dont know if its because my firm is smaller, but i am usually more "upset" by verbal reamjobs than a stern email. I could give a fuck about emails, but when my MD -who I respect a ton- has a word with me, that counts more than a 100 emails from risk management director or the treasury VP or any of these other senior dudes who give me shit....

 

When in my post did I complain? I actually find it quite amusing because these self-appointed geniuses are willing to nag you about an inconsistent point you made during a proposal or presentation. Even if that line helped to further the clients understanding of our overall recommendation/strategy.

I was honestly looking for more humorous responses that I could pull on these dickweeds the next time their insignificant name pops up in my browser.

 

Just simply delete shit if it is non pertinent and from someone at your same level or lower. Would you get upset if a 12 year old talked shit to you? No. Same thing with this ass clown shit. Delete it and move on. Passive aggressive pussies are exactly that, pussies. Ignore them and move on.

 

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