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Will you say No if your boss ask you to reserve box lunch?
Nov 8, 2012 01:09
  • CHERRY07
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A director said to all his staff that he would treat them after a long meeting. Then he asked an intern to reserve everyone a box lunch. The intern refused and said ‘Sorry, I came here as an intern. I am not your executive assistant and I won’t reserve box lunch’.

If you were her, would you say NO?
Nov 10, 2012 01:11
#1  
  • WANHU
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Definitely she has the right to say NO, so are his other workers because reserving lunch boxes is not part of the job specification. If I were there, I would gladly do it because it's not for the director only but also for other workers. Probably I would exclude the intern for her box lunch.
Wan
Nov 10, 2012 07:37
#2  
GUEST95106 I thought interns were unpaid slaves ;)
Nov 11, 2012 01:12
#3  
Wan,

You probably don't know the ''office culture' in China. It is normal that the old staff 'enslave' the new staff. Usually, the intern has a master who helps them get familiar with their work. Don't ignore those masters. Their decision might decides whether you can pass the internship. Thus, the interns do their best to serve their 'masters'. Some are willing to buy box lunch for their masters. If they maintain good relationship with their masters, they might have better chance to stay in the office.

I appreciate that the brave intern refused the director. If all the interns dare to say no, there won't be any intern who will be bullied.
Nov 12, 2012 19:08
#4  
  • WANHU
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The two different scenarios, one to please their masters, and another to render the service to provide food for the colleagues. In actuality, departmental or office politics never bothered me because I am not a dead fish that can be salted or fried. To me there are procedures to be followed and my heart to weigh the situation. If I drive a big lorry and someone riding a motorcycle passed through a red traffic light, should I insist of my right to proceed, and knock him dead or I apply an emergency break? I may swear with bloody moron, stupid cyclist, your mother should have choked you to death rather than be a public nuisance today, and all other filthy words I can remember, but I will never hit him because he may have other loved ones at home waiting fir him, or an infant waiting for instant milk formula, etc.

Will I do it again (buying box lunch)? I will do it for my friends and colleagues and not because to please and praise another human being. My colleagues too should feel the same. If my friends and office workers later won't do it for me, then it is fair to reciprocate, isn't it? One high ranking officer used to buy lunch for me, a few times. Was he an errand boy? Definitely not. We need to start from somewhere to create a good office family and change the unhealthy "office culture".

In refusing, she could have said: I'm sorry I can't do that, you have to ask someone else, instead of I am not your executive assistant... it is impolite and uncultured.

Wan
Nov 12, 2012 21:04
#5  
  • EMERALD7
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wan...wow..its funny last name meaning play or finish according to chinese pronounciation...
driving conservative for your loved ones n the loved ones of others...however...unfortunatr things did happen when drivers happen to be in the moods plus other bullying drivers meanwhile passing around....

the topic fairly jumpy...in office..theres ears everywhere...do whatever the facilitator tell u to do enen u think its nonsense coz they r the cook that gives u the food...be humble to every one coz u never know who among them is the gate watcher that holds ur fate...haha..joking..dont take it too serious if any of u fits...
Nov 13, 2012 00:13
#6  
  • BBQQ
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In my view, the intern can refuse to buy box lunch but he should refuse the director cleverly. He can tell the director that he has very emergent job to do (better tell him directly what he is going to do and then the director will believe him).

Nov 13, 2012 00:25
#7  
Wan,

You are too kind. I will be pissed-off if someone drives like you said. I will let him go because I won't be the killer. The traffic law favors the 'weaked'. Even I know it is his fault but I won't get myself in trouble. Those who run against the red light might lose his life sooner or later.

In the scenario of buying box lunch, I will do him a favor if I am willing and have time. If I am reluctant to do it, I won't tell him directly. Finding a convinced excuse is the best way. You know why? Don't make too many enemies in your office. Some day, you might pled him to do you a favor.
Nov 22, 2012 00:11
#8  
  • WANHU
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Sometimes we can insist and demand our rights, and sometimes we can't. We need to weigh with scale of justice and humanity.
Wan
Nov 25, 2012 21:54
#9  
Quote:

Originally Posted by WANHU

Sometimes we can insist and demand our rights, and sometimes we can't. We need to weigh with scale of justice and humanity.
Wan


Sometimes we have to sacrifice ourselves a little bit in order to ensure our core interests are not infringed. Sometimes we have to compromise.
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