Picture Perfect

One of the more mysterious things about the charms of the president of our company was related to me by our former HR director, Susan. A few years ago now, an employee came over to Susan in HR to voice their concern over another employee in their department, and this other employees ”actions”.

Susan took the employee into the HR conference room where she felt safe to explain her concern to Susan:
“She has a picture on her desk.”
“A picture?” Susan asked.
“Yes, a picture.”
“I see, is there something wrong with this picture? Perhaps an underdressed model or something?” Susan inquired.
“No, nothing like that, it’s a picture of her and Les (the president) at the Christmas party.”
“I see, a photograph of her, and Les, at the Christmas party, and this is on her desk?” Susan reiterated, to make sure she had a full grasp of the complaint.
“Yes, and what I want to know if what are you going to do about it?”
A little taken aback, Susan continued, “Do? I’m not quite sure what the problem is. It’s a photograph taken at the office Christmas party. It doesn’t sound like it’s offensive or violates any HR guideline. Is there another issue here, has something else happened?”
“But it’s facing out!”
“Out?” Susan asked.”Yes! OUT!” The employee announced, becoming more enraged the further she got into her complaint, “She doesn’t have the picture facing her, she has placed the picture so it’s facing outwards, so everyone can see she had her picture taken with the President of the company at the Christmas party. She’s just showing off and I don’t like it!”
“Would you like me to see if Les can take a picture with you?” Susan offered.
“No! I just want her to face her picture in. I don’t want to see her showing off how ‘buddy buddy’ she is with the President - I don’t want to have to see that everyday when I come to work.”
I don’t recall how Susan diffused this situation, though I do remember seeing the photograph, and now that Susan mentioned it, it was still facing out….