How To Handle Office Fights.

We all know better than to fight in the office, right? wrong

I witnessed an incident at the Nyayo Stadium roundabout today that amused me. It involved three traffic cops doing something that they really should not be doing. No, they were not taking bribes. They were actually – well – they looked like they were fighting.. There were two male officers and one female. The female wore a white shirt and a navy skirt, with a luminous yellow traffic jacket. One of the males wore the standard blue police uniform, while the second wore a brown khaki set, which I suppose means he was a senior officer.

So it surprised me when the woman started yelling at him and throwing arms in the air. Granted the man was yelling too, but I certainly would not talk to my boss that way – not if I wanted him to remain my boss. The third officer was pretending not to notice, and went on directing traffic, even as the ‘brown’ officer implored him to interfere.

I was sitting in a matatu at the time, so I have no idea what they were arguing about, but the senior officer kept pointing one way while yelling, and the woman was yelling right back, pointing the other way. I guess they disagreed on traffic directions, pun intended.

In the end, the lady went into a corner, pouting and trying to commit murder with her eyes. The senior officer planted himself in the middle of the road to stop the cars moving, and started talking on his cell phone. The third officer just went about his business like nothing was happening, though I could swear there was a smirk on his face.

Looking at the scene, I filled in the gaps for myself. The female officer, who was much slimmer than both men, had a sour look on her face. She probably felt she was being victimized for her gender. The senior officer, possibly did consider the woman’s gender. I don’t think he was belittling her womanhood, but it’s quite possible that when she made whatever mistake incurred his wrath, he was thinking ‘Typical! Just like a woman.’ The third officer was smart enough to keep mum.

When you get into an argument at work, it’s important to note a few things. One, people come with their own sets of issues, stereotypes, prejudices … and mood swings. Your boss may think you are inappropriate for your job because of your tribe, race, style, weight, or hairdo. Think of the NBA. If Shaquille O’neal messed up a slam dunk, we would assume he was just unlucky. But if Mugsy Bogues had missed a shot, we would blame it on his height. At 5 foot 3, he was the shortest player in NBA history.

So, three lessons: one, when you’re at work, keep in mind the judgements that others make, and try not to prove them right. Two, if your colleagues get into a fight, don’t take sides. Stand outside the war zone and work like nothing is happening. And three, never, ever, ever fight in front of the clients.

Remember to take it outside – or in the case of traffic officers at a roundabout, take it inside.

By Crystal Ading.