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I've been working for a Korean man who owns the body shop I manage for about 3 months now.
We've had some rough moments, as I find him to be very critical and harsh at times. This seems natural to him, I think, but it really flies in the face of my personality (big picture, "don't sweat the small stuff" attitude) and worldview.
I don't know if maybe his harshness is because English isn't his first language and his word choices come off wrong, or I'm missing some major feature of interaction with a Korean or what?
I've lived in Japan and have always admired the work ethic of Asians I have known. In fact, up until this job, I really liked Koreans in general, due to my experiences with them as store owners in my neighborhood.
It could just be that my boss in particular is neurotic or expects a lot or has other stress in his life that is causing some of this, but here are two examples of problems we've had that really rubbed me the wrong way.
#1 My family was ravaged by the stomach flu over the course of a weekend (unnanounce projectile vomiting on the part of the child and wife). I thought I was ok, but at work on a Monday I started to feel really naseous and went home halfway through the day. I ended up puking my guts out and took the next day off. When I returned to work, he took me aside and questioned my manhood, saying I should have "toughed it out". I told him I thought that was a really inflexible attitude and preferred to be violently ill at home. I ended up having to "pay back the time I took" by working two Saturdays I would have other wise had off!
#2 I have observed both the boss and his partner (his 70 yo father in law) engaged in screaming matches with Korean customers. The other day, the father in law was so incensed with a younger Korean that I actually thought it would come to blows. I asked my boss if this was common in the bartering process, or if I should be alarmed or what? He said he thought my implication was "racist" and I responded that I was only concerned and that implications are often in the eye of the beholder.
Normally, if you were to question my manhood or call me a racist on the street, I'd kick your ass. Obviously, I can't do that in this situation.
Is this normal?
Is their a way short of boot licking to avoid future conflict?
Are there behavioral tactics I can employ?
It's prettty much making my life miserable at work...he is extremely nit-picky and anal, about the most trivial things (how I staple paper, the distance of the phone receiver to my mouth, how many scoops of coffee in the machine, etc, etc, etc.) It gets really old after a while and seems to be always the negative, never any "atta boys" or thanks whatsoever.
Your input is greatly appreciated.
We've had some rough moments, as I find him to be very critical and harsh at times. This seems natural to him, I think, but it really flies in the face of my personality (big picture, "don't sweat the small stuff" attitude) and worldview.
I don't know if maybe his harshness is because English isn't his first language and his word choices come off wrong, or I'm missing some major feature of interaction with a Korean or what?
I've lived in Japan and have always admired the work ethic of Asians I have known. In fact, up until this job, I really liked Koreans in general, due to my experiences with them as store owners in my neighborhood.
It could just be that my boss in particular is neurotic or expects a lot or has other stress in his life that is causing some of this, but here are two examples of problems we've had that really rubbed me the wrong way.
#1 My family was ravaged by the stomach flu over the course of a weekend (unnanounce projectile vomiting on the part of the child and wife). I thought I was ok, but at work on a Monday I started to feel really naseous and went home halfway through the day. I ended up puking my guts out and took the next day off. When I returned to work, he took me aside and questioned my manhood, saying I should have "toughed it out". I told him I thought that was a really inflexible attitude and preferred to be violently ill at home. I ended up having to "pay back the time I took" by working two Saturdays I would have other wise had off!
#2 I have observed both the boss and his partner (his 70 yo father in law) engaged in screaming matches with Korean customers. The other day, the father in law was so incensed with a younger Korean that I actually thought it would come to blows. I asked my boss if this was common in the bartering process, or if I should be alarmed or what? He said he thought my implication was "racist" and I responded that I was only concerned and that implications are often in the eye of the beholder.
Normally, if you were to question my manhood or call me a racist on the street, I'd kick your ass. Obviously, I can't do that in this situation.
Is this normal?
Is their a way short of boot licking to avoid future conflict?
Are there behavioral tactics I can employ?
It's prettty much making my life miserable at work...he is extremely nit-picky and anal, about the most trivial things (how I staple paper, the distance of the phone receiver to my mouth, how many scoops of coffee in the machine, etc, etc, etc.) It gets really old after a while and seems to be always the negative, never any "atta boys" or thanks whatsoever.
Your input is greatly appreciated.
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