How do I make the moaners love Mondays?

Dear Aunty B,

I love my staff who are really engaged and we have a very low turnover. But a new marketing manager has joined us and ever since she started, people have begun moaning. All week she comments: “Friday is coming!” and she does this sort of countdown like ‘three days to Friday’ in this really perky voice that makes me want to take her to the toilets and strangle her…slowly.

Monday morning is the worst because she walks in, stops in the middle of our open plan office and says: “Monday morning” in this itsy bitsy girlie voice and then she lets her shoulders go into this artificial slump and she hangs her lip down like a pouty model – which she is so not.

And then everyone imitates her and the day starts off on this real downer. What do I do about moaning Monday? It’s got so bad that she has made me hate Monday morning as I wait for her to come in and do her little act. I haven’t said anything to her because she’s really motivated and driven and the staff like her. But we are predominantly a sales organisation and it’s a bad way to start the week.

Over It,
Melbourne

Dear Over It,

Is that your worst problem? I know I sound like your mother but you could have solved that! Take her aside and tell her that while you admire her motivation and positive attitude, her body posture and Monday talk is a downer and so is the weekly countdown. It is too easy to pass on a bad mood or negative feelings in a sales organisation and you want her to stop.

Then tell her you are giving her a new job. She is now in charge of the Adrenalin Run to kick start Monday, which means coming in, high fiving everyone and then doing the coffee shop run. I am sure that she is not even aware she is being such a moaner and will respond very well. In fact, my bet is you will get the opposite: The high fiving, over the top, hands out stretched, “Hello everyone, it’s Monday morning and aren’t we happy to be here!” when everyone is pretending to be awake.

Good luck,
Your Aunty B

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