How would you have handled this?

This happened at work today just as you’ll read here, and I have a witness (you know who you are).

I was in a tradeshow planning meeting this afternoon that included people in my division and others participating on a conference call from other divisions.

The woman who (incredibly) is responsible for our tradeshows is, well, completely inadequate for her position. She seems to be 216 years old and just doesn’t get it. She somehow has 30-plus years with the company. I’m sure way back before telephones she was almost tolerable, but not today. Let’s call her Betty.

Betty’s main goal of tradeshow planning ensuring we have enough Skittles in the booth. I’m not kidding. The frustration level of sitting through her meetings is indescribably high. Being in a meeting with her is like going on the Bataan Death March. She rambles around without sense, makes bizarre comments to no one in particular, writes what looks like scribble but must be her notes, summarizes them, and then restates them during the next meeting. And, she regularly contradicts herself from meeting to meeting.

Unfortunately and frustratingly, while many people within the company are aware of the problem (Betty), it seems as though waiting for her to retire is the corporate plan.

We (the overwhelming majority of the participants, including me) on these conference calls already share a low opinion of this person for a large variety of reasons.

I was shocked at what happened, and thought carefully about how to handle my response.

The conference call ended, but there were a few things left to discuss among the people left in my conference room.

At one point, Betty said someone “Jewed” her down on a price.

I wasn’t looking, but I certainly heard it. I immediately looked up and around to see everyone's reactions. One of my co-workers also looked up and shot me a look, as if to say “WTF, did she really just say that?”

I shot him a look back with the same incredulous look on my face. Several others in the room didn’t react, so I don’t think they heard her what she said.

My heart started to race as I thought to immediately stop her in her tracks and rip her a new one right there. I waited…

She continued along but I was only thinking of how to handle what just happened. I decided to wait and confront her privately after everyone left the room.

So I did. The others finally left, and I moved to the chair directly across from her.

I said “Betty, I need to tell you something.”

She must know what I think of her even before this. I don’t pretend to hide my disdain.

“Yes Doug. What is it?”

“Your comment – about Jewing someone down. Besides being an incredibly ignorant thing to say, it was highly offensive to me because I’m Jewish.”

“Oh, well I guess it’s just a saying.”

“What!?!”

“I guess I should be more careful with what I say.”

“Yes you should.” And with my best disgusted look, I shook my head at her and walked out.

So, I ask for your reaction to what happened.

Would you have –

A – stopped the meeting in its tracks and publicly embarrassed her?

B – handled it privately like I did

C – or put her head right through the %$@^&*#! wall.