My boss is a genius!

Okay, so I really didn't think this could be done, but my boss has, I think, done it. The situation is this: some of my colleagues have been wanting to call it to another colleague's attention that he has a body odor problem. Now, before you say this is too heartless and cruel, I have to say that it really is true and it's a bit of an issue, because there are 21 or so of us assigned to one office (not that we'd all be in there at one time, but sometimes there's a crowd in there), and it gets pretty close and muggy. Although I wasn't thinking of saying anything myself, there have certainly been times when I've been uncomfortable with the odor, and also embarrassed when conferencing with students for fear they might think the odor was coming from me.

Anyway, when I heard that someone might say something to him, my first thought was that there was no way it could be done. What could you possibly say to someone? It was just too horrific a task for words. I took an informal poll and nobody's answer impressed me. Mark said he would approach the colleague and frame the whole thing as if it were happening to him-- "You know, people have sometimes told me I need to wear deodorant," something along those lines--hoping the person would then internalize the lesson and apply it to himself. I know this is meant to be kind and cushion the blow, but I think one of two results would ensue: either the person wouldn't connect the anecdote with himself, or, if he did, when he figured out what the other person had been doing, he'd be more mortified than if it had been done directly. My mom's response was that such horrible tasks should be the responsibility of highly paid, important people at the college (she actually said the university president should have to do it. Should have to tell an adjunct he has B.O.).

Well, just now my boss (and friend) at work told me how she would have handled it if the task had been left to her. It's not perfect, of course, but I really think it's by far the best idea I've heard so far. She said she would begin by telling him how difficult this was for her, and then say something like, "A couple people have commented to me that it sometimes seems to them as if you've come to the office straight from the gym." Now again, I know--not perfect. But we have to start from the premise that there is not going to be any completely ideal way to tell another person he has B.O. But if you have to perform such an odious (haha) task, isn't this just the most ingenious way to do it? I mean, a COMPLIMENT is embedded in the insult-- that people have perceived him to be a gym-goer, possibly connoting that he is in good shape or has almost a muskily attractive scent, albeit one that needs to be masked by deodorant while at a place of work.

I am just so wowed right now by her finesse. What a boss!