From Deseret News archives:
Is there a 'workplace princess' at your firm?
Not many writers love seeing their work edited. But this particular reporter was ridiculous. She had written an extremely long feature story for a newspaper wire service, and she repeatedly demanded that her editors not cut a single word.
Not only that, but she wanted them to require any newspaper that picked up the story to run it in its entirety, even though that would have taken a commitment of a full newspaper page. Few papers will give that kind of space to a wire story.
As I recall, it took the editors days to talk her into writing an abridged version to send out over the wire. She finally agreed, but she grumbled about it for weeks afterward.
And this was not an isolated incident for this particular reporter.
I was reminded of her recently when I received yet another press release with the results of a somewhat silly, but telling, survey on American work life.
According to the survey, almost half of American workers said there was a "workplace princess" at their job site. And 16 percent said that workplace princess was a man.
"As part of a larger study, we asked workers a few light-hearted questions just for fun, and one of those questions was whether or not there was a 'workplace princess,' whether man or woman, where they worked," Canter said in the release. "We defined this as a co-worker who had a special sense of entitlement or privilege. We were stunned to find that 48 percent of American workplaces have a 'workplace princess' right on the premises."
The study found that 48 percent of these princesses expected special favors from their employers, 47 percent expressed the belief that they were being treated "unfairly" and 35 percent made other people do work for them.
This is, of course, a frivolous study. But Canter said in the release that the narcissistic undertone it shows is worrying. Not only do such princesses drive other people crazy, she said, but they also tend to ruin or derail their own careers without ever knowing why.
She goes on to offer some warning signs that you may be a workplace princess. Ask yourself:
Do you start most of your sentences with "I want" or "I need"?
Recent comments
We have a princess at our workplace. . .she never says "we" about...
Annoyedconstantly | Sept. 14, 2007 at 7:09 a.m.
My problem with the office "princess" is that she brings me down....
Lori | Sept. 14, 2007 at 6:20 a.m.
Try working with a "princess" on a volunteer committee -- it is...
Mae | Sept. 1, 2007 at 9:53 a.m.
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