We have newly appointed 75+ power-hog manager (old school but in pejorative sense), affected by second childhood and treated like a lame duck (too good to do anything productive).
He is infatuated by Emails (like an email junkie and usage of MS excel too) in the office for any thing and everything. Whenever any one send email to anyone with him in CC regarding any important decision and action to be taken, he erupts out of nowhere and instead of discussing the email content for its technicality, starts to appreciate the sender like the below example (1). This is with cc'ing Clients, Other departments and Vendors too who have no connection with your internal appreciation emails (who have even commented us and other staff members whenever they happen to meet us off-the-record about his quirkiness) to the point that it is become cringe worthy.
1.) Bizarre Email pleasantries are important than the subject matter (even if sending response may be the most important comeback required which should be the priority 1) that too with all other in CC (as much as outlook can allow). Worth mentioning is that this is not the first time this email are formulated. Staff members have been working on such task for past 12-15 years.
Eg: Write up in email as below
Email # 0 Staff member -to- Vendor XYZ: Looking to receive you assessment reports after conduction inspection on 23 Sept 2021 for LMN equipment. Email # 1 Manager -to- Staff member: Good job Email # 2 Staff member -to- Manager: Thank you sir Email # 3 Manager-to- Staff member: Welcome Email # 4 Manager: Keep it always your work style. Email # 5 Staff member: My pleasure sir Email # 6 Manager: (Sometime even) smiley emoji And it does not stop there...I have instance where it has more 6 to 10 such exchanges...
Why is this important is because it encourages a new bad culture in the office and around thus in the company,that as long as you keep exchanging emails with pleasantries or irrelevant stuffed emails, this kind of culture will be valued. Because he is treated a lame duck no one above bothers to reprimand him for what he does and this affects all the department equally.
I am looking a saying, proverb, phrase that succinctly fit
(1) that brings out the idea of absurdity of concentrating on pointless over-the-top pleasantries, one that is redundant, unnecessary, superfluous and are simply misplaced priorities
(thinking as though everyone in the email appreciates and thinks this is a enhancement to the work culture and so should be followed. Seems as if he has never been appreciated)
