(edit title) They insulted me! What to do? Options

[dave.smith]

So I came home early from my overseas trip, and had a surprise for the guys. A nice thing I like to do is, when I get a new car, I take the guys for a drive in the countryside for 15 min or so each. So recently I have acquired a killer new car, a maserati.

As is usual I took them all out one at a time. No complaints about this were made on the actual day. All seemed fine. But recently I had an interview with a new support candidate. Now, from what I can piece together this is what happened:

The candidate was sitting in the reception area of the building, and one of my support staff and one of the programmers wad standing in the hall mouthing off. The programmer said to the support guy that I was a f###a and was just showing off, and the support guy replied that the maserati was used, not new anyway, and they both laughed.

So when the interview started (me, the candidate, and the support manager), the candidate told me everything that he heard. I found out from the building receptionist who had been in that area at the specific time. I talked to the guys involved but they were cagey about what actually went on and denied any wrong doing. I am wondering whether a formal meeting should be held with these guys. I am not really sure what to do. I am highly upset and irritated by the whole affair. Any suggestions would be welcome.

[Rick Methven]

So you start a new thread just to let us mere mortals know that you are making big bucks and now have a Maserati!

Why not let your employees have a play with it and wrap it around a tree, then you can start a thread about the insurance claim.

[PDX]

I hope this is a GranTurismo, in which case I'd like to try it the next time you're in Stockholm .

Now, as to the actual problem matter, consider this:

A Maserati owner is not to be concerned with common affairs such as the one you described.

These people would not ever even aspire to own a car like this, eat caviar, drink vintage champagne or wear a proper watch. For them, items of this sort are from another planet, a kind of absurdity. The only way for them to comprehend this is to ridicule and reduce to fit their own little, miserable worlds. Hence the comments on the car being used etc.

Tell them that you expect mutual respect in the office and will not tolerate them discussing anyone in the company or any company issues in that manner again. Case closed.

~~~PDX~~~

[johnjohn]

Honor killing?

[dave.smith]

Rick - ha ha no, I really am concerned about what could be going on when I am not around, which admittedly is a lot of the time. What else could they be getting up to?

PDX - yes it is the problem with confronting them with this is that my first instinct is to blow my lid, the wrong way of handling swedes, I have to find a calm way of doing it. Email, perhaps.

[Johno]

Some of us with attention spans longer than 5 mins remember your previous bleatings about recruiting and holding onto staff. And worries with your girl friend and her Lambo "friend", and then her friends when having a baby. Now you buy an ultimate status car and are concerned that staff are jealous/taking the piss. You need a reality check.

We can only conclude that a. you love washing your dirty linen in public (you dont know who reads this), and b.you need therapy. Posting on here is not getting you the help you need.

[PDX]

A man with a Maserati needs no therapy.

~~~PDX~~~

[Rick Methven]

The programmer said to the support guy that I was a f###a and was just showing off, and the support guy replied that the maserati was used, not new anyway, and they both laughed.

If you make enough money from the work of your employees to buy a new toy, that you flash about with, you can only expect that sort of remark. It is jealousy.

My advice would to do nothing as confronting them, or making a mountain out of a molehill, could end up in a confrontation that could end up with either you sacking the employees to save face, or them quitting as they no longer want to work for such a pompous twit. hauling them over the coals is not going to change their minds, at the best it will just make them be a little more circumspect in the way they go about saying you are an arsehole.

[Rick Methven]

I take the guys for a drive in the countryside for 15 min or so each

That is so very condescending and really rubbing in the boss/worker relationship

[Jamtjim]

A nice thing I like to do is, when I get a new car, I take the guys for a drive in the countryside for 15 min or so each.

Nice for who exactly? You or them?

I expect that Ole Davey Boy is trying to wind us up!!

[Ankinette]

How is your blue eyed baby by the way?

[klubbnika]

It's a very trivial situation. Male jealousy, competition and bitching.
Have you never experienced that before?

Nothing to do here at all. Let them talk, why do you care?

[JulieLou40]

So I came home early from my overseas trip, and had a surprise for the guys. A nice thing I like to do is, when I get a new car, I take the guys for a drive in the countryside ... (show full quote)

So I came home early from my overseas trip, and had a surprise for the guys. A nice thing I like to do is, when I get a new car, I take the guys for a drive in the countryside for 15 min or so each. So recently I have acquired a killer new car, a maserati.

As is usual I took them all out one at a time. No complaints about this were made on the actual day. All seemed fine. But recently I had an interview with a new support candidate. Now, from what I can piece together this is what happened:

The candidate was sitting in the reception area of the building, and one of my support staff and one of the programmers wad standing in the hall mouthing off. The programmer said to the support guy that I was a f###a and was just showing off, and the support guy replied that the maserati was used, not new anyway, and they both laughed.

So when the interview started (me, the candidate, and the support manager), the candidate told me everything that he heard. I found out from the building receptionist who had been in that area at the specific time. I talked to the guys involved but they were cagey about what actually went on and denied any wrong doing. I am wondering whether a formal meeting should be held with these guys. I am not really sure what to do. I am highly upset and irritated by the whole affair. Any suggestions would be welcome. ... (hide full quote)

You're sounding like a real tool. I'm not surprised your employees were rubbishing you behind your back. If indeed, this whole scenario actually happened.

[007]

they've insulted you because you flash a car at them and patronize them by offering their 15-minutes of "sit in my new car and weep"? congratulations on succeeding well enough to spoil yourself with a fun car, but what are you expecting? pats on back from your employees or that they should be calling home with the exciting news so that their families can also revel in your new toy?

as rick points out, it is certainly jealousy, so if your car is used and not new, it's one way for them to feel better about the fact that they don't have one. the sour grapes fable is not a swedish invention.

007<---willing to offer any of my friends, clients or acquaintances their 15-minutes of wearing my diamonds (some are new, some are inherited --not sure if that makes them more or less valuable). i hope they don't talk behind my back after that.

[Fishtank]

Friday Thread living it's reputation.

007 >> Diamonds for 15 mins for guys seems like out of box idea.. LOL.

Rick stop insulting OP will ya? Thanks.