“'Only if you say please' is a statement that’s really only okay for a parent to say to a child, in the process of teaching said child manners. It’s not okay to chastise other adults with it.”
More from Alison Green
“Be pleasant, just give her space.”
“It’s one thing to pinch-hit for a more senior-level job for a few weeks, but at the pace…”
“Why not just talk to her? It’s 100 percent reasonable.”
“Is this something you’d fire him over if it continues unchanged?”