Hostile Office Mate

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How to Handle a Hostile Office Mate
(YouTube / askK2.com, 2013)
page 1/3
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ILAAKL7Qg4E
Hi, I’m Kathi Elster.
And I’m Katherine Crowley.
And welcome to the AskK2 video blog.
Where we answer your questions about workplace relationships. And today’s question is about a hostile office
mate.
I have an office mate who is very hostile toward me. She won’t say what’s wrong! I went to our supervisor,
who is a very sweet person and doesn’t like confrontation. She didn’t do anything. This is a very unpleasant
situation; what can I do?
I’m sorry to hear this. Your situation sounds very unpleasant. Um, you know, you have two options.
One, you can try being very nice to this person. Try asking her out to lunch and then ask what you might have
done wrong to warrant her behaviour. You can apologize and say, “Let’s give our relationship another try.”
Or two, you can just ignore her. Stop taking her hostility personally and just act neutral and professional.
Or a combination of both; repair the relationship and if that does not work, then just ignore her.
My guess is that you have a situation of covert jealousy on your hands. When it comes to women relating to
women at work, it’s not uncommon to experience this kind of indirect aggression. If you’re dealing with
someone who has a chip on her shoulder, it may be difficult to find her softer side.
I try saying something like, “I’m not sure what I’ve done to offend you, but finding a way to work together is
important to me. Is there some way that we can make a fresh start? Hopefully she’ll let you in.
Those are our ideas, but how would you handle it?
Post a comment and let us know.
Yes, and join us next week for another round of AskK2.
And don’t forget to send in your questions.
Bye-bye!
Bye!
Vocabulary
01. how to handle
02. office mate
03. what’s wrong
04. a sweet person
05. sounds very unpleasant
06. to ask someone out for lunch
07. what you might have done wrong
08. to warrant her behavior
09. to apologize
10. let’s give our relationship another try
comment s’y prendre avec
collègue de travail
ce qui ne va pas
une personne gentille
semble très désagréable
inviter quelqu’un à déjeuner
ce que vous avez peut-être fait de mal
pour justifier son comportement
s’excuser
essayer à nouveau (‘donnons à notre
relation une autre chance’)
page 2/3
11. my guess is that
12. covert jealousy
13. if that does not work
14. when it comes to …
15. to deal with someone
16. to have chip on one’s shoulder
17. softer side
18. to offend someone
19. make a fresh start
20. to let someone in
à mon avis (‘je devine que’)
jalousie cachée
si cela ne marche pas
lorsqu’il s’agit de …
avoir affaire à quelqu’un
(expr.) en vouloir à tout le monde
côté plus tendre, plus aimable
offenser, blesser quelqu’un
reprendre à zéro
offrir son amitié
How to Handle a Hostile Office Mate
(YouTube / askK2.com, 2013)
Exercise: fill in the blanks with the correct words
Hi, I’m Kathi Elster.
And I’m Katherine Crowley.
And welcome to the AskK2 video blog.
Where we answer your questions about workplace relationships. And today’s question is about a hostile
________________.
collègue
I have an office mate who is very hostile toward me. She won’t say ____________________! I went to our
ce qui ne va pas
supervisor, who is a very ___________ person and doesn’t like confrontation. She didn’t do anything.
gentille
This is a very unpleasant situation; what can I do?
I’m sorry to hear this. Your situation ____________very unpleasant. Um, you know, you have two options.
semble
One, you can try being very nice to this person. Try ___________________________ and then ask what you
de l’inviter à déjeuner
________________________ ________________ her behaviour. You can ________________and say,
avez peut-être fait de mal
pour justifier
vous excuser
“Let’s ________ our relationship _____________________.”
donnons
une autre chance (= essayons à nouveau)
Or two, you can just ignore her. Stop taking her hostility personally and just act neutral and professional.
Or a combination of both; repair the relationship and if _________________________, then just ignore her.
cela ne marche pas
______________ is that you have a situation of covert jealousy on your hands. ___________________ women
A mon avis (je devine que)
Lorsqu’il s’agit de
relating to women at work, it’s not uncommon to experience this kind of indirect aggression.
If you _______________________ who _______________________, it may be difficult to find her softer side.
avez affaire à quelqu’un
qui en veut à tout le monde
page 3/3
I try saying something like, “I’m not sure what I’ve done to _________ you, but finding a way to work together
offenser, blesser
is important to me. Is there some way that we can ____________________________ ?
reprendre à zéro
Hopefully she’ll let you in.
Those are our ideas, but how _________________________________?
vous y prendriez-vous
Post a comment and let us know.