Survey reveals bosses susceptible to workplace mishaps
Embarrassing slips of the tongue, lapses of memory and downright goofy behaviour in the workplace haunt many managers.
In a recent survey, sitting in dunk tanks, performing in office skits and falling prey to clothing calamities were among survey respondents' most embarrassing moments at work.
The survey was developed by staffing service OfficeTeam and includes responses from 150 senior executives at Fortune 1000 companies.
Executives were asked, "What was your most embarrassing moment at work?" Here are some of their responses:
•"I inadvertently sent a personal e-mail to an entire distribution list."
•"Another manager and I had a conflict in front of the president of the company."
•"A personal voice mail from my spouse went to someone else instead."
•"I pretended to throw water on a colleague only to discover my cup wasn't empty. Luckily, she had a good sense of humour."
"No professional is immune to the occasional work mishap," said Diane Domeyer, executive director of OfficeTeam. "Acknowledging an awkward situation, apologizing to the appropriate colleague, if necessary, and not dwelling on it are good ways to bounce back from even the most uncomfortable scenario."
Think performances are limited to the stage or screen? Consider the following:
•"For Employee Appreciation Week, executives perform a skit and I played Cher."
•"I sat in a dunk tank and was in my swimming trunks in front of employees."
•"My colleagues pressured me to sing my school song the day I started."
•"The marketing team did karaoke. We sang 'Bohemian Rhapsody.'"
Hopefully, these executives rebounded from these memory lapses:
•"Calling the CEO by the wrong name"
•"Leaving the boss behind and going to a meeting without him"
•"Showing up for work on a Sunday thinking it was Monday"
Ever wonder what it would be like working with the Three Stooges? Here are a few possible scenarios:
•"I stumbled and fell on my face when I tripped over the carpet."
•"In a meeting, I spilled coffee all over myself."
•"While speaking at a business event, I fell off the stage."
Controlling their emotions and staying focused at work challenged these respondents:
•"I hugged the senior manager on my first day of work."
•"While interviewing a job candidate, I fell asleep."
•"I passed out in the front lobby after I cut my finger."
And these wardrobe malfunctions are sure to raise some eyebrows at the office:
•"Making a presentation with my zipper open"
•"Coming into work with two different shoes on"
•"Leaving the gym one morning only to discover I had left my business clothes at home"
"Everyone has embarrassing incidents at work — it shows we're all human," said Domeyer. "The best way to handle awkward moments is to gracefully move on, and, if possible, try to find the humour in the situation."
In a recent survey, sitting in dunk tanks, performing in office skits and falling prey to clothing calamities were among survey respondents' most embarrassing moments at work.
The survey was developed by staffing service OfficeTeam and includes responses from 150 senior executives at Fortune 1000 companies.
Executives were asked, "What was your most embarrassing moment at work?" Here are some of their responses:
•"I inadvertently sent a personal e-mail to an entire distribution list."
•"Another manager and I had a conflict in front of the president of the company."
•"A personal voice mail from my spouse went to someone else instead."
•"I pretended to throw water on a colleague only to discover my cup wasn't empty. Luckily, she had a good sense of humour."
"No professional is immune to the occasional work mishap," said Diane Domeyer, executive director of OfficeTeam. "Acknowledging an awkward situation, apologizing to the appropriate colleague, if necessary, and not dwelling on it are good ways to bounce back from even the most uncomfortable scenario."
Think performances are limited to the stage or screen? Consider the following:
•"For Employee Appreciation Week, executives perform a skit and I played Cher."
•"I sat in a dunk tank and was in my swimming trunks in front of employees."
•"My colleagues pressured me to sing my school song the day I started."
•"The marketing team did karaoke. We sang 'Bohemian Rhapsody.'"
Hopefully, these executives rebounded from these memory lapses:
•"Calling the CEO by the wrong name"
•"Leaving the boss behind and going to a meeting without him"
•"Showing up for work on a Sunday thinking it was Monday"
Ever wonder what it would be like working with the Three Stooges? Here are a few possible scenarios:
•"I stumbled and fell on my face when I tripped over the carpet."
•"In a meeting, I spilled coffee all over myself."
•"While speaking at a business event, I fell off the stage."
Controlling their emotions and staying focused at work challenged these respondents:
•"I hugged the senior manager on my first day of work."
•"While interviewing a job candidate, I fell asleep."
•"I passed out in the front lobby after I cut my finger."
And these wardrobe malfunctions are sure to raise some eyebrows at the office:
•"Making a presentation with my zipper open"
•"Coming into work with two different shoes on"
•"Leaving the gym one morning only to discover I had left my business clothes at home"
"Everyone has embarrassing incidents at work — it shows we're all human," said Domeyer. "The best way to handle awkward moments is to gracefully move on, and, if possible, try to find the humour in the situation."
