OMG My New DM just bought the house 3 doors down

I'm so screwed...My previous DM was promoted & my new DM is relocating for the position. I have yet to meet him in person, only spoke on the phone. Today on a conference call he announced that he just went to contract on a new home. Someone else asked where did you find a place. He mentions my town, then my subdivision. As I held my breath, I asked what street...it turns out he is 3 houses around the corner from my house. What the hell am I going to do? My friend & district mate suggested that I talk to him on the first meeting just saying that we should both respect each other's privacy being that we are going to be living steps away from each other. Anyone have suggestions? I don't know what to do!

 

Don't have that conversation with him. It would come off as peculiar.

 

You are completely screwed. Don't know what to tell you.

 

Actually this could be good for you. If you have a good communal neighborhood, this guy will want to fit in and will want his neighbors to think he is a good guy.

BEFRIEND THE GUY! Seriously, if they become a buddy, you have a better chance of becoming a friend first and employee second. Good position to be in.

This isn't the end of the world. Plus, in the 3 years I was in pharma I had 4 different managers, so this isn't going to be like this forever.

View this as a plus! If the person is likable, its a win win.

 

One thing I would suggest .... always park your company car IN THE GARAGE and have curtains or other coverings over windows in your driveway.

I had a DM move in about a mile away from my house once; it was not a pleasant time in my professional life.

 

I feel your pain. I had a DM who lived 2 blocks from me. I found that whenever I was home between 9 & 5 I was worried he'd find out. I always kept the car in the garage & never answered the door during the day if I was at home. Fortunately, nothing bad ever happened, but it was very stressful!

 

Believe me the DM is probably not thrilled either..does this sound familar? " I can't do field ride Friday have tons of paperwork and expense reports to go thru...Let's call it a day, have a conference call this afternoon, Why don't we start around 10 am, gotta clear my calendar this week and prepare for the upcoming POA, important trip to HQ to get ready for"....

 

Agreed it could be something like "I see nothing, i Know nothing." You both may learn to cover for eachother...

 

Ouch. Even if you become the best of friends this will be uncomfortable for you both. I had a DM 2 miles away one year and was always looking over my shoulder if I ducked out at all early. Of course the irony is that if he sees me at the dry cleaners or the market at 4 pm that means he is there too doing the same thing.

If you don't already, I would suggest that you take up drinking in excess.

 

I agree with your statement is that if you see eahother out at a weird time say getting dry cleaning picked up. There is a good Simpsons episode whereBart and Homer are both playing hookey and they see eachother walking down the street. They know they are both screwed so they walk past eachother and Homer says "Young man..." and nods and Bart replies "Sir" and nods...

Same situation. remember, these "hard working" DMs are always the ones "burning the midnight oil" for you when they are home doing office work....

 

You would think the "irony" would work in the employee's favor, but I have an example that it did not. A manager at my current company had it out for one of his employee. The lived on opposite ends of the same small town, but never saw each other. He claimed he saw the employee one afternoon at a grocery store, but didn't approach him. Later that day, he called the and said he wanted to know where he was that day. They guy had gone out and worked half a day, and then went home, but unfortunately didn't pick up a gas receipt. He tried reasoning with the manager, and said his wife did all the shopping at the grocery store blocks from their house, but there was no reasoning. It was the only way this manager could "manage out" the employee because he was so squeaky clean. Just be careful. If your manager ever has it out for you, he might use your close proximity to make your life a living hell.

 

Move right now

 

I ran into a doctor from one of my biggest offices one day at 10:30 a.m. at Best Buy. Of course, we were both doing the same thing, so we joked about it. No big deal. But then one day, my manager & I were in his office, and the doctor innocently asked me about my shopping that day (I told him I needed a new microwave). I looked at my manager, and said, "Busted!", then I laughed. But I learned a lesson: work when it's time to work, and you won't have a problem.

 

Happened to me too. Not the same street, but the same neighborhood. The dude was cool at first, but then he become a real asshole. Eventually, he got fired. Now, it is funny to see him when I drive by in my company Ford Fusion- and he has no car and no job.

 

Always remember to CYA. There won't be anything "cool" about your situation. I would stay in all day, rather than risk being seen pulling out of garage "late" or pulling in "early". Everyone knows that these jobs can be done in less than 5 days p/week, but to this day no one wants to admit it. When I was in same city as DM, I was the one that was always called when someone else in district canceled/called in sick for a scheduled ride along. I wouldn't answer evening calls from DM or super early am calls; definitely let those go into voicemail.

 

Eventually, all DM's go to the "dark side" and turn on their comrades.

 

And the comrades can do the same to their DM's. They have just as much to hide as we do.

 

It's a lot harder for district reps to get a DM removed than it is for a DM to have a rep or two removed. I've seen it. Great guy who was a district mate became a real asshole when he became a DM. Big company man, all of a sudden. Didn't take him 2 months to flip to the dark side.