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Don’t Let the P.D.s Get You Down

Every office has its prima donnas, the creations of their own imagination and of indulgent managers. The P.D.s have an easy rapport with the boss. Their families may even socialize. They receive the best assignments and the best resources to carry out those assignments. Under those circumstances many other employees could produce fine work but the prima donnas would never acknowledge that fact.

I once wrote a story about a charity group that distributed used business clothes to low-income women reentering the workplace. The story included a number to call for donations. A prima donna in our office called me to say she had wonderful clothes to donate but was too busy to make the call and drop off the clothes. She wanted me to make the arrangements. I pointed out that I was busy, too. She ended the conversation in a huff and was cool toward me from that day on. Prima donnas thrive on being indulged. They have no compunction about imposing on others, but they feel put upon when others do the same. For your own sake and the sake of the office, please don’t feed the prima donnas.