not always welcome in the workplace. Some people are
suspicious about this person’s intentions. Bill’s wife was
upset when their little girl received a get-well card from
Maria. “Why does this woman know about our daughter?” she asked her husband.
“We’re just friendly,” he responded.
“Don’t be naïve, Bill. She could be a troublemaker,”
observed his wife.
Managers can’t concern themselves about what some
people choose to think. Still, workplace behavior that’s
extreme can set the stage for unpleasant repercussions.
c. The social butterfly might know too much. When
a person tells someone else more than she or he should,
that person often regrets it. For example, “I’m exhausted.
My husband was out drinking with his pals until the wee
hours last night. I couldn’t sleep because I was so worried. And then I had to go out, pick them all up, and drive
them to their homes. Men!” This confessor might later be
embarrassed about revealing sensitive information and do
something nasty to discredit the social butterfly who is all
too eager to lend an ear. The person who manages these
two will get stuck dealing with the dissention that results.
Even though the Social Butterfly isn’t directly responsible
for this state of affairs, the intimate climate he or she creates acts like a magnet for such occurrences.
Recommendations
1. Put the social butterfly to work where this
ability is an unqualified asset.Social butterflies are
not always identified when they’re interviewed for a position. It’s obvious that Maria’s talents, for example, are
wasted in a job that is best done by a person who can
work for long periods with records and statistics without
THESOCIALBUTTERFLY