The Born Loser by Art and Chip Sansom for May 17, 2024

Technical Terror Gets The Tantruming Toddler Treatment

I was leading a meeting in which we were making some technical decisions about our product design. One guy on the team, the technical expert, was very much the prima donna. He really did have unique skills and information that were incredibly valuable to the program, but he was a complete arrogant jerk. Someone in the meeting said something [Expert] disagreed with, and he started yelling, cursing, pounding his fists, and stomping his feet. Everyone was staring at him like he was insane.

I waited silently until he wound down.

Me: Calmly “You know, [Expert], when my two-year-old yells, stomps his feet, and pounds his fists, I give him a snack and send him to his room until he calms down. I’m going to suggest now that we end this meeting, get some coffee and cookies from the break room, and go back to our offices, and I’ll reschedule this when we’re all ready to resume. Okay?”

There was a moment of stunned silence as everyone realized that I’d just called our technical expert a temperamental toddler. Then, [Expert] turned so red I thought he was going to explode at me, but three other people stood up and said, “Yes, that’s a great idea,” and physically interposed themselves between [Expert] and me while others basically escorted him out.

He never spoke to me again after that, but not long thereafter, we hired another expert in the same field and he was soon made redundant.

NOT my story.

Just because someone says the word “Good” doesn’t mean it will be good.

The last time I heard those words from a boss, I was escorted out.

Not to fear, Brutus is irreplaceable…

This does not bode well.

Looks like Brutus may either get “wrote up” or possibly fired.. I’d be shaking in my shoes if I wereto hear that from a boss.. I can only wish him the best of luck at this point.

A “good” talking to? Does that mean I’m getting a raise?

When a good talking to turns bad.

“Are you talkin’ to ME?”

Let’s talk about your immediate future in this office.

Time to whip the whipping boy

On Friday of all days ?

A good talking-to always sounds bad. Plus, it’s Friday.

‘a good talking-to’ translates to ‘does not meet expectations’…

Brutus probably didn’t make too big a mistake, but it doesn’t take a big one to set Veeblefester off.

You know, Brutus really has a lot of nerve. When your boss says come into my office for a talk, you get up and go into his office. You don’t expect him to clarify the purpose of the talk. Well, not if you want to keep your job, that is. I knew what Bossman was about when he used the word “now.”

He’s used to getting a good talk to, the old battle axe is there to keep his ears and head buzzing.

Golly chief. Is this about the water cooler time again?

Whenever the boss says “We need to have a talk”, it means the boss does ALL the talking, and it’s not going to be good.

does that mean he has to listen to what you have to say? maybe he should also forget on how to read the words on the clouds that comic characters have above them when they all speak… :J

Oh, dear, Brutus! What did you do?

Brutus seems smaller today. Maybe to make himself less conspicuous as he knew what was coming his way.

Uh oh. Not the best way to start off a Friday. However, just go in and get it over with.Butt chewings happen to all of us at one time or another. Best thing you can say is, “Thank you Sir. May l have another”.Good luck my friend……

Uh oh. Looks like this is not going to be a good Friday for our hero. And given the obvious tone of voice that the boss used in the first frame, I’m surprised that Brutus was able to come up with the innocent sounding response in the second! It has definitely been a trying week for Brutus. Cheer up, pal! The week is almost over and you can go home to the loving arms of your beloved wife. Of course your mother-in-law will probably be there…

I am amazed the big boss even walked down the hall to Thornapple’s office.

Let’s start by saying you don’t follow orders well, he said IN HIS OFFICE!

Does this guy ever say anything nice? He reminds me of an old general foreman we had to program

Does Brutus’s desk take up his whole office? Knowing the boss wouldn’t give him a big desk I bet Brutus’s “office” is actually a broom closet.

It’s unfortunately that ‘a good talking to’ is usually not good!

“Having a talk” and “having a good talking to” are not the same thing at all. Brutus isn’t going to like this.