The Scene

Your team is working diligently to finalize the deck and send it off the client. There have been many late nights, but this Friday afternoon, it will all be over.

You are furiously trying to figure out a way to re-calculate a GM% so that your client doesn’t blow his lid. You look over, and Hubert is gone.

“Where did Hubert go?”, you ask innocently.

“He had a party to go to tonight, so Mr. Partner let him go home early,” says the senior associate with 4 kids. And a sick grandmother.  Who hasn’t been home in 3 weeks.

Hubert, my friends, is the office pet.

Identifying the Office Pet

I will use the pejorative “he” going forward, but women are just as likely, if not more, to be pets.

The office pet is the relative newcomer with questionable skill, but a bravado and cockiness that appears to come from 35 years of corporate finance experience. He isn’t very smart or particularly innovative, but seems to get much better treatment. If you have one in your office, you are nodding along while reading. If you can’t identify it, either you are not paying attention or you are the pet.

Either way, Office Pets sap morale, kill enthusiasm and generally annoy you into a murderous rage.

3 ways to deal with the Office Pet

1 – Avoid

Most office pets crash and burn eventually. You may not be around when they do, but they will. The reason is twofold: First, turnover of management causes attitude changes. If he made his bones using his personality, some people may love him, but most others will not. As staffing changes or rotates, he will no longer be surrounded by those protecting him, and will be forced to adapt or leave.

2- Deflect

If you are forced to work with the office pet, be careful. Sure, the assignment might be interesting, but even though you have been there longer and have more skill, you will be doing shit work. Why? Because you aren’t the pet, you are the pet’s pet. In this situation, deflection is best. The key is to over deliver, and show the partner.

The pet keeps his power because people are more than willing to fall into subordinate roles. If you have suggestions, tell the Partner/Director. When your work is complete, discuss your findings with the partner. Don’t let someone else’s assertion define your career.

3 – Confront

This is tricky and can swiftly backfire. If you find the situation untenable, or if you’re leaving and don’t care, confront the partner about the pet’s existence. Inquire what he has done, what skills he has shown or what clients he may have brought in that entitle him to preferential treatment.

The partner may have answers, he may get the wrong impression of you, or he may be unaware that he is treating someone differently.

In the end, your career is your own to forge, and no matter where you work or with whom, you will have to be able to stand on your own. No single other person can alter your career path unless you let them. But following the above steps when confronted with the bane of the professional organization, can make your life somewhat easier and put you on your path much earlier.