Potentially interesting forum subject being opened up here and it will be equally interesting to hear the people's views to see if we can establish, 'a general consensus' about what constitutes proper office banter nowadays between the sexes (is there such a thing?) and then try and also establish the right way to move forward.
First of all, a polite rebuttal to the poster that indicated that it was mostly due to lack of knowledge/charisma/reading of body language skills (delete where appropriate) in regards to having, 'failed' attempts in office banter or flirting. The rebuttal is from the perspective of the OP in thinking about the younger generation.
How does a young person (thinking more young men here, but some young females too) learn to be, 'competent' in this area if they are not allowed to learn from potential and inconsequential (in the past anyway) office social dynamic faux pas? Is that not how you get good at something? Fail first, amend and try again, repeat process until you succeed.
If nowadays a young man were to make a mess of his naive attempts at office dynamics is it worth the risk of trying if HR can come calling and end career before is has began?
Older posters (my age group 40s and above) might suggest this is a bit hyperbolic. However, let's be honest, there are not exactly a plethora of robust career paths available to those young ones that are academically able. I say academic, because you need some sort of, 'paper' now to take a shite these days!
So, having busted ones backside to get the papers to say, get in my industry (IT) and for then to flirt with the pretty young receptionist and then make an arse of it and interpret the signals incorrectly only to find himself in the HR office to be told, "we thought you were the right guy for this, we were wrong and no reference btw for you". Feck that!!!!
Being introspective for a moment and knowing what I was like in my early 20s (isn't that the decade to do our fuck ups?), given the same set of circumstances would I risk that? Would I fuck!! Head down, do the job, get tight with my superiors, get home. Be neutral but pleasant to everyone. Repeat.
If I want a relationship I would try and make a connection outside of work. That is my take. What do others think? |
I was having some banter back and forth with a woman at work a few years ago. Bit of slagging each other back and forth , I said she had lovely blond hair, why did she dye her roots grey and she came back with something else, I then said she was nothing but an over the hill barbie doll and she went fuckin mental. 
