Colleague being ridiculously attentive to Manager - getting Embarrassing

[Doggy Styles]

You can't trust nice people. You never know where you really stand.

True, you can trust that statement.

[d000hg]

Guy near me, who I actually quite like in most respects, always makes a point of asking boss how evening was, has made sure to learn boss's family's names and how things are going in their lives.
Discussing the project he is managing, fine. But sympathising this the problems the boss is having with his other, unconnected projects?
Wishing the Boss well as he leaves to go to the Dentist??!!

Nobody else does this.

OK our boss signs his timesheets and will decide whether to extend the consultancy but this sycophancy is embarrassing everyone, including the boss.

Wouldn't annoy me so much if I didn't like him!

Sorry, just had to vent.

This is how smart business-people work... people do business with people not faceless business entities.

[Gentile]

Guy near me, who I actually quite like in most respects, always makes a point of asking boss how evening was, has made sure to learn boss's family's names and how things are going in their lives.
Discussing the project he is managing, fine. But sympathising this the problems the boss is having with his other, unconnected projects?
Wishing the Boss well as he leaves to go to the Dentist??!!

Nobody else does this.

OK our boss signs his timesheets and will decide whether to extend the consultancy but this sycophancy is embarrassing everyone, including the boss.

Wouldn't annoy me so much if I didn't like him!

Sorry, just had to vent.

This sounds much like a conversation I had once with the worst colleague I've ever had in 22 years in technology. The boss and the boss's wife both worked for the company that employed me at the time, and they were both lovely. After a quick chat with the boss (who'd come in on his day off to fix a problem), I said cheerio, and told him to tell his missus I said hi (he'd mentioned they were heading off out for the day). As soon as the boss was safely out of earshot, my colleague Mr Charm-And-Personality called me a "suck up". Another day he called me a "whore". On yet another occasion, he stopped a meeting we were in to note that one of the other girls in said meeting had a small hole in her blouse, next to her breast.

In short, OP, he was a prize jerk that didn't know how to communicate with anything other than a computer (and he couldn't even do that much competently). If your colleague asking polite questions of the boss about his kids bothers you as much as you say, you may want to look inside yourself to ask why? And whether it's a more general aspect of your own personality that's the root cause.

[xux42]

If its not impacting on your work what's the harm, or put another way what's the problem?!

None at all - its just that I have never come across someone using these techniques so systematically and blatantly before.
Which is saying something what with working closely with freelancers continuously since 1983 (and met an awful lot of IT salespeople).

As I said, just venting.

The resulting posts are interesting though, thanks - I think you are all really interesting people.
Please do tell me, how is your <significant other here> keeping?
I will read and respond with interest without once referencing my own problems.
- Stepford freelancer

I think the reality is that Jim (let's call him Jim) is both genuinely interested in other people while at the same time expressing a 'professional' interest in the hand that feeds him.

[xux42]

If your colleague asking polite questions of the boss about his kids bothers you as much as you say, you may want to look inside yourself to ask why? And whether it's a more general aspect of your own personality that's the root cause.

Yes I know exactly what you mean, and I think you had a horrible experience. However, the way 'Jim' gets a 'missile lock' on the boss when he walks in the room has to be experienced to be appreciated.
You sound like the nice, naturally interested type, quite a different proposition.

[EternalOptimist]

'hey Boss, I forgot to mention it, but your kids are all little twats and I hope all your ******* teeth fall out. Any chance of an extension ?' - xux42

[SupremeSpod]

Yes I know exactly what you mean, and I think you had a horrible experience. However, the way 'Jim' gets a 'missile lock' on the boss when he walks in the room has to be experienced to be appreciated.
You sound like the nice, naturally interested type, quite a different proposition.

Now who's sucking up?

You w4nker!

[fullyautomatix]

Anybody know where Suity is contracting ?

[SupremeSpod]

Anybody know where Suity is contracting ?

Nope, neither does Suity

[MarillionFan]

Anybody know where Suity is contracting ?

I heard a big retail bank in London. Seems he was helping out with a software release of some kind.