My killjoy boss wants me to tone it down to fit in.

Dear Aunty B,

I have at various time of my career been described as a larger than life type of bloke. I like to use the odd colourful phrase, a dash of irony, the occasional joke or two – and I am not afraid to use the much maligned whoopy cushion because to me, work should be fun.

I have just been promoted and I was told that one of the reasons I almost didn’t get the job was a tendency to take a joke too far.

I was then told my success will partly depend on my ability to change my personality! I replied that one of the reasons I was successful with staff was my personality and the meeting ended badly. My wife wants me to go back and tell my killjoy boss that I will tone it down. But I feel like that would change who I am.

Am I right?

Not changing,
Brunswick

Dear Not changing,

Fine. Don’t change. Maybe you and Barnaby Joyce can join up and play silly, funny, jokey blokes together. You know, it’s like Barnaby telling us yesterday that he uses productivity commission reports when he runs out of toilet paper. See? His comment just undermines the whole big show. And it’s the show that we have to watch if only to confirm our belief that our taxpayer’s dollars are going down the toilet.

Look, you have asked the wrong person about silly buggers in the office. I am too busy toiling my way through another day to make sure my staff can pay their mortgages and that Barnaby keeps getting paid a salary. You would not put me in a good mood. In fact it’s a miracle your boss hasn’t run into the kitchen, grabbed a long knife and stabbed your whoopy cushion through its big blubbery rubber heart.

Am I a killjoy boss? You betcha. I tell you what makes me feel joy? A senior member of the team who acts like a leader, who is thinking of the future, who is leading by example and not thinking about the next silly prank.

I also think you are missing the point. They are not asking you to change your personality. Merely, to behave more appropriately in the office.

If I were you I would go and see a shrink. You need to leave some behaviour that has worked for you in the past, behind. And take the whoopy cushion. It will save you hours of explanation.

Good luck!
Your Aunty B

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