Why is The Office so painfully funny? Like most great comedy, it’s funny because it’s TRUE. Anyone who has spent even a few years in the business world will know a Michael, a Kevin, a Pam, and—heaven help us—a Dwight.
Here are a few other characters from Central Casting who might be playing roles in your workplace:
The Omarosa
Don’t let the name fool you. Omarosa can be male or female, but one thing is for sure – they’re lean, they’re mean, and they will walk over your dead body to get ahead. Are they a Type-A overachiever or a backstabber? It’s sometimes hard to know the difference.
The Peacemaker
“Can’t we all just get along?” This person avoids conflict – not always a good thing – and will often try to placate, subjugate, or mediate an issue before it reaches management’s ears or results in fisticuffs. While the peacemaker may have the best of intentions, they often hinder conflict resolution. In their effort to “smooth things over,” too much goes unresolved.
The Informer
The informer is the one who begins every sentence with the words, “You didn’t hear this from me, but…” He or she is a gossip, a whistleblower, or a just plain snitch. Remember, there is no such thing as “idle” gossip. The informer has an agenda. Information is power that they wield like a weapon of mass destruction.
The Bully
Not a fan of positive change, the bully tries to use intimidation to keep it from happening. Sometimes the bully uses brawn and bluster, but often times the bully uses psychological warfare to destroy their opponent. In this case, information is everything so you’ll often find the bully and the informer have an alliance.
The Task Master
The task master often forgets that employees are humans, not androids. They believe that their “get it done at all costs” attitude reflects a strong work ethic, but it just as often reflects a lack of conscience, lack of understanding, and perhaps a lack of a personal life.
The Donald
“You’re Fired!” is not just a catch phrase, it’s a mantra. Qualifying for the boss/manager from hell award, The Donald is often a bully who rises up the ranks and is looking not so much for employees as for human sacrifices.
The Energy Vampire
They may not want to bite your neck, but they definitely want to suck the life-blood out of you. Being surrounded by whiners, complainers, and excuse-makers just brings you (and the company) down. Vampires believe that misery loves company, so stock up on garlic mousepads!
The Eeyore
The sky is always falling, the glass is always half empty, and there is a constant forecast of rain on the parade. The Eeyore is often the old dog who can’t see the wisdom of learning new tricks—and takes it personally.
The Teflon
Among Teflon’s favorite words are don’t, didn’t, can’t, haven’t, isn’t, shouldn’t, wouldn’t. It’s not their department, not their job – and heaven forbid – NEVER their fault. Accountability is not a word in their vocabulary.
The Minimalist
The minimalist paints a pretty picture of appearing accountable and in control, but in reality he/she specializes in doing just enough to get by and never enough to get anything done. They primary concern is covering their butt—something they usually have juuuust enough paint for.
Recognizing that these characters actually exist in their millions and that there are strategies for living and dealing with each of them can help you survive your time in the cast of your own personal reality show.