While working out with my new trainer at the gym, we started talking about the GarbageFactor™.  He shared with me a story about a client (I’ll call her Sara) who was working really hard to lose weight.  Sara had made a serious commitment to her weight loss and was watching everything that she ate to be sure that it was healthy.

At work one day, Sara joined her co-workers for a luncheon that her boss had planned for her team.  The menu that Sara’s manager chose left her with no healthy options for eating.  Committed to her goal, yet also wanting to be a part of the festivities, Sara ate a few bites and spent the rest of her time socializing with her co-workers.

When they returned to work, Sara’s boss called her into his office.  He immediately ripped into her accusing her of “not being a team player” because she “refused to eat at lunch today.”

I can think of lots of things that would be legitimate complaints about someone not being a team player.  This isn’t one of them.  This manager needs to go back to training to learn about what teamwork is and isn’t.  He also needs to learn how to deliver feedback.  You don’t rip into people.

This is garbage and no one needs garbage at work.

Just wait for this economy to turnaround.  Everyone with toxic levels of garbage being dumped on them at work now will be doing the dumping later.  They’ll be dumping high levels of turnover.  How do you like that garbage?

By the way, Sara got even in the end.  She lost the weight and the job.  No more garbage for Sara!