Unproffesional co-worker (pilot)... WWYD?

kiloalpha

Well-Known Member
So I have a coworker, which luckily is not on this board, who is very unprofessional when it come down to it. He like to tell people how to do their job (highlighting parts in the ops manual and giving it to a fellow co-worker,) yelling at co-pilots or making them do stuff like holding his coffee (he was mad at an SIC for touching the wheel, so he turned off the heater, un-synced the props and opened the window to prove a point who's boss,) flipping off the competition (well, this is sorta okay, but not really,) he was asked to fill in for a sick pilot and when the DO tried to ask, he locked the snooze room, turned off his cell phone and ignored him, and he believes that he is pretty much better than everyone else.

He has recently moved up to our home base, but is living in the hanger and is taking his time getting a place since he's not paying rent. Now, he has sorta befriended me, but everyone else thinks he's a total ass and SICs totally refuse to fly with him, and for some reason they give him the longest route.

So, WWYD? He's getting on everyones nerves and I'm not sure people can take much more of his bs. BTW, what I metioned above just barely scratches the surface on the dumb/unprofessional stuff he does.
 
ask him/her what is their perception of how they think they are viewed by their co-workers. if way off base you may want to give him the 'real' perception....
 
skip all the niceties and just piss in his coffee. if you wanna really be a dick, piss in it while he's drinking it. THAT'LL show him whose boss!
 
ask him/her what is their perception of how they think they are viewed by their co-workers. if way off base you may want to give him the 'real' perception....

:yeahthat:

Talk to him privately and just ask him. If he still doesn't want to listen, let him know he is getting a "reputation" and it is not good. If that doesn't work, then...


blanket party
 
He wants to be a dick? Fine bring a magazine and tell him "it's your airplane....let me know when you want my help. I get paid the same either way." Also a little Visine in the coffee.....cause ya know he needs it.
 
Luckily I do not have to put up with him, I just hear it from the other pilots that interact with him. He'll be over in CPS for a 30 min layover, so I'll talk to him then, but he really has somewhat of an attitude problem when he doesn't agree with you, so it could turn really bad which I'm hoping it doesn't. As far as the reputation, every SIC I've talked with won't fly with him, period. I may ask the DO to schedule me on the long route so at least some SIC will fly and I'll be able to get a break.
 
Luckily I do not have to put up with him, I just hear it from the other pilots that interact with him. He'll be over in CPS for a 30 min layover, so I'll talk to him then, but he really has somewhat of an attitude problem when he doesn't agree with you, so it could turn really bad which I'm hoping it doesn't. As far as the reputation, every SIC I've talked with won't fly with him, period. I may ask the DO to schedule me on the long route so at least some SIC will fly and I'll be able to get a break.

Sounds like a good plan. If he takes a attitude towards you for talking with him, graciously back away, get in your airplane, and continue your job. Be the bigger person and be the professional. When you get back to KC, have a professional sit down chat with your DO. He will then either handle it, or take the issue to someone who will.

Remember, the biggest thing when talking with him is for you to be the ultimate professional pilot. Let him be the jerk with the attitude.
 
Have a chat with him first, if he gets all self-rightous, talk to the chief pilot. People that behave like this guy need a reality check. There a plenty of people out there that need jobs right now, if he's an embarrassment to the company and a CRM danger to his flight crew, he needs to be fixed or find a new job. Don't allow this kind of behavior to continue. I'm sure your chief pilot has a couple 1000 resumes on his desk. If not, I'm sure there could be just from people who are on this site.

A guy that did this stuff at the company I'm at would be out on his butt in no time.
 
Just a question - why are you taking the burden on this? If he's not bugging you personally, why are you taking one for the team?

I only ask because I've been in this type of position a few times and by nature I'm a "fixer", so I take on the lead roll in extinguishing the situation. A couple of times it's backfired and I end up knee deep in crap while the guys who were complaining the loudest cower behind the nearest rock, lurking silently. Perhaps they should fight their own battles?

Just something to think about.
 
Have a chat with him first, if he gets all self-rightous, talk to the chief pilot. People that behave like this guy need a reality check. There a plenty of people out there that need jobs right now, if he's an embarrassment to the company and a CRM danger to his flight crew, he needs to be fixed or find a new job. Don't allow this kind of behavior to continue. I'm sure your chief pilot has a couple 1000 resumes on his desk. If not, I'm sure there could be just from people who are on this site.

A guy that did this stuff at the company I'm at would be out on his butt in no time.

I agree. A guy like this can be detrimental to a company from the inside. When it brings down the morale of all the SICs, that's going to hurt the company, not to mention safety. Of course it's your job to be as professional as possible, but if this guy is being such an a$$ it becomes distracting, I think it then becomes a safety issue for every flight.

Initially I liked the Visine idea, but that's probably not a great idea. Check out what snopes.com has to say about it - that stuff can be deadly. Who knew?
 
Have a chat with him first, if he gets all self-rightous, talk to the chief pilot. People that behave like this guy need a reality check. There a plenty of people out there that need jobs right now, if he's an embarrassment to the company and a CRM danger to his flight crew, he needs to be fixed or find a new job. Don't allow this kind of behavior to continue. I'm sure your chief pilot has a couple 1000 resumes on his desk. If not, I'm sure there could be just from people who are on this site.

A guy that did this stuff at the company I'm at would be out on his butt in no time.
CA is all about saving money, I'm sure they would rather have a pilot that is an ass and does his job rather than spend the money to train another pilot. At least thats the owner/CP's position on things. I'll have a chat with the DO sometime soon, it's hard to catch him!
 
Just a question - why are you taking the burden on this? If he's not bugging you personally, why are you taking one for the team?

I only ask because I've been in this type of position a few times and by nature I'm a "fixer", so I take on the lead roll in extinguishing the situation. A couple of times it's backfired and I end up knee deep in crap while the guys who were complaining the loudest cower behind the nearest rock, lurking silently. Perhaps they should fight their own battles?

Just something to think about.
I feel that he may listen to me since he thinks that we communicate "well", but sometimes when I point out his unprofessionalism jokingly, he seems to all-of-a-sudden gets a chip on his shoulder.
 
I feel that he may listen to me since he thinks that we communicate "well", but sometimes when I point out his unprofessionalism jokingly, he seems to all-of-a-sudden gets a chip on his shoulder.

I feel for ya. That's a tough spot to be in. After making the mistake a few times myself though, I'd let the complainers handle it. When he's butthurt at them, he may come to you to vent. That would be the perfect time to gently "re-center" him. At least that's the way I'd handle it.
 
Also, it's most likely this isn't the first time in his life he's had to deal with this. Usually with those types it's a pattern of behavior...
 
Most people who are general dorks like this are usually not aware that they are this way. If they aren't, they're usually surprised and embarrassed when they find that they've been behaving badly, as it were.

If they are aware, there's not much you can do, because they don't care.

Find out which he is. That'll tell you how to proceed. If he's the former, be very gentle. Tough guys who get flustered mask vulnerability with full-on defensiveness. Deflect it.
 
So I have a coworker, which luckily is not on this board, who is very unprofessional when it come down to it. He like to tell people how to do their job (highlighting parts in the ops manual and giving it to a fellow co-worker,) yelling at co-pilots or making them do stuff like holding his coffee (he was mad at an SIC for touching the wheel, so he turned off the heater, un-synced the props and opened the window to prove a point who's boss,) flipping off the competition (well, this is sorta okay, but not really,) he was asked to fill in for a sick pilot and when the DO tried to ask, he locked the snooze room, turned off his cell phone and ignored him, and he believes that he is pretty much better than everyone else.

Probably passive agressive individual with esteem issues. At my crew base, we have that same "captain". Yelling, pulling out FOM during a flight and browbeating the FO, a selfish "ME" person, talking about how tough he is and "commands respect physically" (he is NOT). Every FO dreads him, and at least one took it to the CP and the no fly list.

I flew a turn with him, it was not fun, but I didn't have a problem with him.
Do your job, which is to help him as the captain. Avoid unecessary communication and be polite. Be the leader and adult on the crew since he has abrogated that responsibility. If it gets too bad, do what you have to do. In a 121 world, there is Pro standards and the CP, but in the end of the day, his reputation will follow. I personally would try to avoid the situation and have my reputation sullied.
 
His initials aren't H.P. are they?

No.

Also, it's most likely this isn't the first time in his life he's had to deal with this. Usually with those types it's a pattern of behavior...

He did mention to me he was kicked off flight team in college. Although "it wasn't his fault."

Thanks everyone for your input. He'll be landing here in about 15 minutes or so. I'll post after all's said and done.
 
Back
Top