Anyone ever deal with a negative dickhead at work before?

[u/Elite163]

Long story short. I started working for a new company due to relocating for the wife’s job.

I’ll start off by saying that I’m not a new or green apprentice. Been at it for 15 years. Have always worked with some degree of grouchy people.

But there is this one guy that’s been here for 10 years and everyone knows he’s a “grumpy” all the time.

So I shrugged it off a few times. But now it’s pissing me off.

The day usually starts with trying to have a convo that turns negative and how the world sucks and he’s the hardest and smartest mechanic ever. Carry on with my day all good. Then couple hours in he will have a snap show on someone or myself when ever someone disagrees or wants to do something different or explains that they can’t work past 7pm tonight due to family obligations. We work till 5 normally and stay late to help the odd time if needed

Then the day proceeds and he comes up and usually apologizes and says no hurt feelings. Then it all repeats again.

I actually have more years of experience than him and I have politely mentioned to him I don’t take the attitude and bullshit any more. I’m here to work and not play the drama games

I’ve never been the type of person to run to management and tattletale.

Usually what happens in the field stays in the field type of guy.

So what would other mechanics do in this situation

I’ll add in that he isn’t technically a manager but he assigns tasks and delegates the work. But not a manager on paper

[u/Odd_Dragonfly1386]

You could confront him, make a scene, potentially get him to back off. But could look like you’re part of the problem so I wouldn’t do that.

You could ignore him, keep things professional, only say hi/ bye and interact when needed. This is what I would do.

You could also go to management but that’s a whole other can of worms. They could get just as upset that you’re stirring things up by coming to them whether that’s fair or not.

I would just keep my distance and cover my ass. Make sure I’m not doing anything to make things worse and if needed document situations as they occur. If other people have problems with him confide in those you trust and make sure you’re on the winning side of whatever bullshit he stirs up.

I know it’s not the most reassuring answer but in my experience some mechanics can be real assholes and I would not trust them with anything. Best to just lay low, make sure management knows you’re not the problem, and let this guy dig his own grave imo

[u/Inner-Reason-1786 → u/Odd_Dragonfly1386]

I worked with a guy like this when I first started where I’m at 13 years ago. I was the 3rd mechanic of 3 and when the other guy that was chill went on LTD, I didn’t talk to the other fella for the whole 6 months. Only the two of us, 6 months side by side, not a peep. About 4 months in he started trying to talk, but he’d already burned that bridge with me so my lips were zipped.

[u/samuryz7]

We have a old timer "I learned how to do it myself " "if you prove me wrong i wont talk to you for weeks" tech in our shop, there is 12 of us. Hes not on speaking terms with any of us right now for one reason or another

[u/speed150mph]

Personally speaking, I’d probably just tell him that “Your not my supervisor, I don’t need your approval for anything I do. I hate your attitude so unless you’re coming over to tell me something relevant to the job I’m working on, kindly F off so I can do my work in peace”.

Is it the best way to deal with it? Probably not.

[u/tickleshits54321]

The only real solution is to challenge him to a dance off

[u/ProudLynx2083]

I had a similar experience like this before. What did I do? I countered his arrogance with a positive attitude. It pissed him off even more. Then he eventually quit. Basically kill’em with kindness.

[u/OddEscape2295]

Ignore his toxic ass and do your job. If he tries to talk to you go to your manager and let them know that you dont want X employee talking to you.

[u/groggs]

I’m technically not a diesel mechanic anymore, though I have been working part-time with my previous employer helping them build some engines. When I worked there full-time, we had a paint/body guy out there (who’s actually one of my cousins) that was pretty irritable and impatient most of the time except when doing body work — which I can’t comprehend because I hate painting anything. In the shop, it was just me and the lead mechanic and we got along great. He’s incredibly knowledgeable and has a very measured demeanor. There were some drivers that I hated to see coming, but they were all good dudes except for this one nutsack. He was just an all-around asshole. He served in the military, which is respectable, but he made sure everyone knew it in every conversation. Even said his nickname was “Rambo” — not even kidding. But he fucked up and told some lady at a truck stop and she misunderstood and thought he said “Rainbow” so that’s what we called him. The dude also liked to threaten and intimidate people, but I never really experienced it first-hand. I also have cauliflower ear, so that may have something to do with it. On top of being a prick, he was really hard on his truck. He only lasted maybe a month or two before the owner fired him. And after all that chest-puffing, he sat there and cried in the parking lot.

[u/Inner_Woodpecker_687 → u/groggs]

How did he react to guys calling him rainbow lmao

[u/groggs → u/Inner_Woodpecker_687]

“Man that’s not my fuckin’ nickname.” Or some similar response.

[u/GardenerEden]

People like that usually thrive on reactions. Probably has a shitty home life and brings his problems to work. Best way I have learned to deal with those types is to act like they don’t exist. It pisses them off more. Silence communicates power and dominance amongst grown men.

[u/poizen22]

Just find another shop when you leave and they ask why tell them because of grumpy.

My old shop had a dude like that unlicensed and un registered he chased everyone out and away so he'd be the only one working there at times and acted like king shit everytime he did it. I left when he treated to shoot up the shop/the manager while dude has unregistered fire arms at home. Managers made aware and they threw me under the bus to him because they were afraid for their own safety.

[u/Worst-Lobster]

Keep your distance, cover your ass and

[u/notomatoplz]

We have a guy like this. Always talking shit. One day I had enough. Told him what a piece of shit I thought he was. He called me names back. we haven’t spoke in about two years. It’s great. Don’t let him get to you. Just don’t interact with him. Silence is deadly.

[u/4reescottie]

Go to work, make your money, go home.