There is no purer display of corporate insecurity than someone weaponizing the phrase “Cold today, huh?” before floor 4.
Everyone knows the rules. No talking before coffee. No weather recaps after 2012. And no unsolicited floor commentary unless your name is on the building.
But there’s always one.
The guy who treats every 12-second ride like a networking bootcamp. Who confuses proximity with intimacy. Who thinks a trapped vertical box is a great place to test material.
It’s not small talk. It’s hostage negotiation with name badges.
Meanwhile, the real pros operate in silence. They nod with precision. They face forward like it’s a military funeral. They understand that elevator silence isn’t awkward — it’s dominance.
Verbal restraint is the new executive presence.
Ride like a legend. Speak only in emergencies. And if someone says, “Long day?” — just get out, even if it’s not your floor.
What’s your worst elevator encounter? Drop it below and tag the friend who’d take the stairs with you.
#OfficeEtiquette #CorporateLife #ExecutivePresence #ElevatorPolitics #UnspokenRules