Difficult people in the lab, and their acts - (Apr/23/2007 )
I can't take it anymore. There's one person in my lab who is extremely difficult. I'm not sure any of you out there had this problem but it's driving me up the wall...
Here're some of the things he had done so far, and they're ever increasing as time passes:
Act 1:
He writes to our PI often, and it takes two to three pages to print (As was told by said PI later). Ha! But the content of the email is always complaining something, blaming someone and shifting responsibilities.
Act 2:
He is an introvert, likes to keep to himself. Therefore, any petty problems will be blown out of proportion by him, when it's easily solved if he had made the effort to talk to someone.
Act 3:
Any blames will be shifted to someone else, any compliments or success will be his to take.
Act 4:
Booking system only applies to other people. To him, he has all the rights to use it whenever he wants to.
Act 5:
There's a time when he wanted to use a PCR machine in the lab, and unfortunately all were in use. So, the next day, and out of frustration, he shifted one of three machines to his bench without telling anyone about it. He likes to shift things, and he had already shifted quite a lot of things to different locations without informing anyone.
Act 6:
He's a conspiracy fanatics. 24-7 thinking that someone in the lab or out there are going to get him.
Act 7:
When you talk to him, he'll guide you through the conversation until he's able to extract some info or maybe quote you against another people. He's conniving and it scares the shit out of everyone in the lab.
To be continued...
Got work to do.
Sounds lovely ... just have a look at axis II of the DSM IV - I am sure you can figure out the correct diagnosis 
Take care.
K.
quite a paranoid person !! 
I always make sure i'm attentive to everything that's done in the experiment since everyone seem sleepy and have no idea what's to do or record or whatever.... it's really frustrating ... 
thats quite frustrating, i mean working with those kind of people..however i think its normal to have at least one "black sheep" in every lab 
Let's hope we will be the exception to this rule...
But the guy seems really disturbed... Have you ever talked to your PI about it?
Here're some of the things he had done so far, and they're ever increasing as time passes:
Act 1:
He writes to our PI often, and it takes two to three pages to print (As was told by said PI later). Ha! But the content of the email is always complaining something, blaming someone and shifting responsibilities.
Act 2:
He is an introvert, likes to keep to himself. Therefore, any petty problems will be blown out of proportion by him, when it's easily solved if he had made the effort to talk to someone.
Act 3:
Any blames will be shifted to someone else, any compliments or success will be his to take.
Act 4:
Booking system only applies to other people. To him, he has all the rights to use it whenever he wants to.
Act 5:
There's a time when he wanted to use a PCR machine in the lab, and unfortunately all were in use. So, the next day, and out of frustration, he shifted one of three machines to his bench without telling anyone about it. He likes to shift things, and he had already shifted quite a lot of things to different locations without informing anyone.
Act 6:
He's a conspiracy fanatics. 24-7 thinking that someone in the lab or out there are going to get him.
Act 7:
When you talk to him, he'll guide you through the conversation until he's able to extract some info or maybe quote you against another people. He's conniving and it scares the shit out of everyone in the lab.
To be continued...
Got work to do.
Ha... ha..... hopefully we are not from the same lab. Opposite my lab, there is also a student with almost similar character. We can't stand him at all and we just ignore him.
Actually, we can easily grab a handful of these people around. Especially in most lab in Malaysia. These people are not doing science but power, which only lasts until he or she has completed his or her degree. Silly not?
Yup, it is very, very difficult to work with this type of people. To make thing simple and make life happier, why not just ignore him? He is just someone insignificant in the lab. Experiments are far more interesting than entertaining him.
It never ceases to amaze me how many annoying people there are in the world....
If this person is really a problem for everyone else in the lab, then maybe the best thing would be for you to go as a group to your PI. Try to focus more on how his behavior affects the research process, and less on how he is personally annoying. Also, it helps to express concern for this person as an individual (i.e., act like you care).
Believe it or not, but sometimes a gentle intervention can really turn a person like this into a decent, productive member of the group. Sometimes people like this have really serious issues, but other times they're just lonely and frustrated.
Good luck!
Here're some of the things he had done so far, and they're ever increasing as time passes:
Act 1:
He writes to our PI often, and it takes two to three pages to print (As was told by said PI later). Ha! But the content of the email is always complaining something, blaming someone and shifting responsibilities.
Act 2:
He is an introvert, likes to keep to himself. Therefore, any petty problems will be blown out of proportion by him, when it's easily solved if he had made the effort to talk to someone.
Act 3:
Any blames will be shifted to someone else, any compliments or success will be his to take.
Act 4:
Booking system only applies to other people. To him, he has all the rights to use it whenever he wants to.
Act 5:
There's a time when he wanted to use a PCR machine in the lab, and unfortunately all were in use. So, the next day, and out of frustration, he shifted one of three machines to his bench without telling anyone about it. He likes to shift things, and he had already shifted quite a lot of things to different locations without informing anyone.
Act 6:
He's a conspiracy fanatics. 24-7 thinking that someone in the lab or out there are going to get him.
Act 7:
When you talk to him, he'll guide you through the conversation until he's able to extract some info or maybe quote you against another people. He's conniving and it scares the shit out of everyone in the lab.
To be continued...
Got work to do.
idiots exist in all color and shades; the main problem, I think, is that lab managers are often not interested if a new member fits socially to a group...
Hi,
krümelmonster, I chuckled on that one. Wish I have that book in my lab.
To Madrius: yup, the whole group of us talked to the boss and the boss wanted all of us to accomodate him. According to the boss, that guy is hypersensitive and has lots of stress. So boss' advice was to avoid crossing his path and take it easy. The boss then threatened that if this thing goes out of hand, he's going to dissolve the whole lab. That really put things to prespective for us. So in the end, four members of the lab had quited and moved elsewhere. There're only two of us left plus two more new staffs. Unfortunately, the new staffs are beginning to get annoyed by that guy also. Sigh.... anyway, I'm the one that the guy hates the most because according to him, I lack respect for him and "I talk before I think". These two attributes had landed me in hell.
Well... I wanted to leave too but since the project is rolling downhill now, I'd really want to enjoy the momentum, especially after all the toiling uphill. I've tried to ignore him but the thing is, it's difficult to jump rails when he's churning his engine at full speed in all direction like runaway train(s).
You must be wondering why boss is like that? Well, according to the post-doc that had left us... "boss had invested a large sum of money into that guy's project and boss is afraid that if that guy leaves, boss will be left with nothing". He's the jewel and we're the coal.