Colleague - Insecurity?

[tohereknows]

I have just had a meeting with my business partners, a man and wife team and it got me thinking, is he insecure about something or just being an idiot for the sake of it?

 

We both manage our own departments in a single store and everything has been going as normal, to me anyway.

 

He called a meeting yesterday with us three in THERE office and basically played the big tough man routine, shouting etc in front of his wife. I really wasn't bothered as i am more than happy to return the favor. However his partner says "oh there can't be two alpha males working in the same place, it just won't work" hahaha! He is in his late 60's and i am in my twenties. Is he being insecure or am i missing something?

 

I'm more than happy to take a back seat if he thinks he feels small or whatever psychological crap he comes out with but really, is it insecurity?

[Finch]

From what you've posted there may be more going on than just business as usual. Whether it's insecurity on his part or something else I don't know. But if business is going well and you each manage your own department separately there is no need for that sort of behaviour. His wife's comment may indicate that someone else is going on - perhaps he's having a difficult time in another area of his life and is bringing those feelings to work because it's an arena that he has some power in. Big displays of power are just that - shows. They are usually put on for the benefit of the person doing the ranting in order to make themselves feel more secure or to try to establish their dominance for whatever reason.

If the situation between the three of you as partners in business is usually amicable and respectful I would let this one slide. Shouting very rarely accomplishes anything productive. Doing the same thing to him will only feed into the idea that he needs to assert himself, and the situation could escalate into a game of "who's louder". If it's something that happens over and over again it might be worthwhile approaching him calmly and bringing it up. You are partners; he's not there to talk down to you and make you feel belittled.