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Communication

My boss is overly dramatic when he talks with us, and one of his tendencies is to whisper when he wants to emphasize a point. I cannot stand it when he does this. Should I say something to him?



If you simply tell your boss that you cannot stand his whispering, you may instantly find out that he is capable of speaking much louder. His speech pattern is part of who he is, and any negative comments about it can easily be perceived as a personal attack.

Although you are not a great fan of this boss whisperer, you need to put his behavior into a broader perspective. Of all the negative actions that a manager can take, whispering is rather benign. You may want to look more carefully at yourself and see if you can figure out why it bothers you so intensely.

You should also focus more on what he is saying, rather than how he is saying it. If his whispered messages indicate that he is open, accessible, and responsive, then although they fall short on style points, they make up for it with content.

If you find that you simply cannot function within earshot of this speech pattern, but you are not inclined to leave or seek a transfer, there is a less threatening approach that might work. The next time he goes into whisper mode, you should apologize and tell him that you did not hear what he said. And then ask him to repeat himself a second or even a third time. Sooner or later, he'll turn up the volume. When this occurs, it should turn down your aggravation.



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