View Full Version : Can you "brown nose" without being a "brown nose"?
454697819
09-11-11, 12:34 PM
My direct line manager is my director, who has been very good to me this year, and I wanted to get him a bottle of something nice for Christmas, as a way of thanks is this acceptable or shall I be branded a brown nose forever more.....
Owenski
09-11-11, 12:38 PM
your nose would be the brownest,
a pint at the office do is more than enough.
And I'd acompany it with "the others would hang me if they knew I'd bought you a pint but I just wanted to say thanks for your help this year"
He'll really apprechiate it, but co-workers will always think you're a brown nose even for saying thanks. Sad truth
your nose would be the brownest,
a pint at the office do is more than enough.
And I'd acompany it with "the others would hang me if they knew I'd bought you a pint but I just wanted to say thanks for your help this year"
He'll really apprechiate it, but co-workers will always think you're a brown nose even for saying thanks. Sad truth
This :D
secret santa... followed by a private admission it was from you.
what the others dont know wont hurt them
Brown nose
Biker Biggles
09-11-11, 01:07 PM
Never buy your boss anything.If you want to say thanks for any help given do it verbally face to face and leave it at that.If you cant do it face to face a seasonal card with a few lines(written ones not white ones)to say thanks is ok.
Wideboy
09-11-11, 01:16 PM
Or give him a quikie. That way neither of you will want anyone to know
secret santa... followed by a private admission it was from you.
what the others dont know wont hurt them
Brown nose
Doesn't that only work if everyone does secret santa?
Drew Carey
09-11-11, 01:21 PM
Personally, just buy him the bottle, hand it over in a 1-2-1 and just say - "Cheers for all your help this year, been really appreciated what you have done so thought would give you a bottle to enjoy over Xmas".
Thanks doesn't have to go one way and I think it is good that you are happy to do this.
Owenski
09-11-11, 01:36 PM
Personally, just buy him the bottle, hand it over in a 1-2-1 and just say - "Cheers for all your help this year, been really appreciated what you have done so thought would give you a bottle to enjoy over Xmas".
Thanks doesn't have to go one way and I think it is good that you are happy to do this.
Thats all good in a gravy world but it only takes one person to see the bottle and ask "where'd that come from?"
Boss then boastfully drops OP in it and once again you've got a brown nose.
The boss is there to make sure you get the company the money they need, if he's doing you any favours its either because he wants to jump your bones or because its in his interest.
Either way buying him a gift is going to unleash the cat.
dizzyblonde
09-11-11, 01:45 PM
Just say thanks for all the help in a christmas card. No gifts. Thing is you can note a 'thanks' in this way, and can be totally brown nose free. There will be no funny bottles on desks to be talked about, but a card with a simple message won't be seen as anything out of the ordinary.
gruntygiggles
09-11-11, 02:11 PM
A genuine face to face thank you will be more than sufficient. Buying a gift for one person in the workplace, from one person is a big no no IMO.
A team deciding to thank their boss and buying a gift is fine. A boss deciding to by equal gifts for all of his/her team is fine. But one person to another where there is no personal friendship and the gift is work based is a bad idea. In fact, in some companies it is written in their Code of Ethics that it is unacceptable.
Just take a moment to get your bosses undivided attention and tell him how grateful you are for the help and support he has given you this year.
Over and above that, the best way you can ever thank a boss is to do your job to the very best of your abilties.
SoulKiss
09-11-11, 03:05 PM
Thats all good in a gravy world but it only takes one person to see the bottle and ask "where'd that come from?"
Boss then boastfully drops OP in it and once again you've got a brown nose.
The boss is there to make sure you get the company the money they need, if he's doing you any favours its either because he wants to jump your bones or because its in his interest.
Either way buying him a gift is going to unleash the cat.
Yep - he's probably already had his "thank you" off the back of your work.
If he has found a formula that achives that while making you feel so good then he's a good boss to have.
But no, no gifts should go upwards
Seggons
09-11-11, 06:02 PM
Do people really worry this much about what others think of them!? I really couldn't give two monkeys what any of my workmates think about me.
Drew Carey
09-11-11, 06:28 PM
Do people really worry this much about what others think of them!? I really couldn't give two monkeys what any of my workmates think about me.
Hence why for me, if it was the kind of working relationship where you could so I would have no issues in giving a gift, if I felt warranted.
I wouldnt be giving it because of someone being my boss, would only do so if they had helped me and my career as a freind / mentor.
BigBaddad
09-11-11, 06:33 PM
Get him a bottle of Lambrini.
gruntygiggles
09-11-11, 07:19 PM
Do people really worry this much about what others think of them!? I really couldn't give two monkeys what any of my workmates think about me.
For me it wouldn't have anything to do with what workmates thought of me. Like you, I like things to be nice, but generally don't make social friends out of work colleagues. My reason for not thinking it is a good idea is more because you can never truly know what motivates others, nor they you.
You could end up with any number of situations where your boss may feel obliged to give you a good project...or even not give it to you solely because they don't want you to think they can be bought like that.
In short...buying gifts for your boss can mean that they will always think about the implications of the decisions they make regarding you because of the fact that they accepted a gift from you.
Small company, probably won't matter....large corporation...it can make the proverbial hit the fan.
Dave20046
09-11-11, 07:57 PM
My direct line manager is my director, who has been very good to me this year, and I wanted to get him a bottle of something nice for Christmas, as a way of thanks is this acceptable or shall I be branded a brown nose forever more.....
Yes ,a few years ago I got my line manager a bottle of red for well under a quid when I was in France. He was happy, and everyone else was at the prospect of him losing his sight.
Win Win.
BanannaMan
10-11-11, 02:31 AM
A team deciding to thank their boss and buying a gift is fine. A boss deciding to by equal gifts for all of his/her team is fine. But one person to another where there is no personal friendship and the gift is work based is a bad idea.
+1
wot she said
Personal gift to the boss is not propper.
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