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July 31, 2010, 3:34 pm
It isn’t a disgrace not to reach the stars,
but it is a disgrace to have no stars to reach for.
Benjamin E. Mays |
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Coaching at Work...
New Ideas for a Better Working Life |
Mucky Little Lies Bad Bosses Will Tell You
- And What To Do About It!
It's a sad fact of life that the world of work can be a world in which the wrong people get promoted for the wrong reasons and then treat their new-found underlings badly - because they can and because they enjoy it.
I coach people in being more successful at work; being better at what they do, , doing more of what they like (and less of what they hate), getting promoted, earning more, and being happier, And in the course of that work, I hear some amazing things about life out there in the working world.
Of course, I used to live out there. Seventeen years in corporate blue-chips, as well as three years lecturing in the public sector colleges - so I know quite a bit first-hand, but my coaching practice has given me far wider exposure that many to what goes on.
So I've written this report to help you spot when you're being manipulated or otherwise badly treated - and to give you some ways to fight back. Of course, if you're into "fighting back" at work, you're probably in the wrong job! But I recognise that most people are not ready to up-sticks and move - it's a daunting prospect and they have other priorities. And anyway, there's a lot you can do to make your life far better - in the job you already have.
So, here are the little boss lies I hear most often - and my thoughts on how best to tackle them. Of course, you'll need to decide what will work, and what will get your fired in your own specific work-place - I can't take responsibility for that!
1. I'm Your Boss - You'll Do What I Say
In a good organisation, this one doesn't stand a chance, and anyone with that attitude doesn't get to be anyone's boss. But sometimes, they get through. When things are working properly, your boss's power is severely limited, and in fact - bosses should almost never use positional power anyway. It's important to remember, when countering this one, that your boss is an employee of the company just like you - and you both serve the company and its interests. Even if your boss owns the company, their interests should be those of the company. So, where you can, bring things back to that - to what's good for the company - what the company would want you to do. Now it's not about you versus them - it's a triangle - you, your boss and the company.
2. If You're Committed, You'll Do Whatever it Takes to Meet Deadlines
This is just part of the crap which is the rat-race at work, and it's prevalent even in the best organisations. It's how your work/life balance - along with low blood pressure and a healthy lifestyle goes out the window. To some degree, it's valid; if you're on a career path with prospects of promotion, you'll want to show that you are worthy of promotion, by going the extra mile to meet deadlines, to get things done, to change and improve the way things are. That's fine - hard work is sometimes the most enjoyable kind, when you're inspired, when you buy in to the goals, when you feel supported and recognised. When that's all happening, work can be a great buzz, the place can be exciting and inspirational, and the company moves forward fast.
Conversely, if work is an endless sea of unwelcome pressure from above or from targets set my a moron or an ogre who doesn't care how you feel about meeting them, and only knows how to beat you up when you miss them, then this "Do whatever it takes" mantra is a manipulative crock.
Work is a job - not a religion. Respect it, but don't worship it. Keep in mind that when the company decides it no longer has a use for you, it will be saying goodbye without so much as a blink. Work is a business arrangement - a contract of mutual back-scratching. Once that is clear to both sides, most things get easier.
So - how can you stop playing whilst avoiding the sack or relegation to the backwaters? It's a multi-pronged approach:
- Maintain visible commitment to the company goals where you possibly can. Show that you understand them, you know why they are there, you support them, and that you'll work hard towards them.
- Keep a work diary - a log - showing what you actually do each day, including timings. This will demonstrate your commitment in concrete ways (time, places, activities) and it will impress your boss because you're showing a level of control which is unusual and useful.
- Adopt a collaborative approach with your boss. Remember that triangle from earlier? Use it. Point to it often, and work with your boss in this context. How can you - with the help of your supervisor (who is, of course, paid to supervise you - to help you achieve your goals) make meeting the goals possible with reasonable commitment (as opposed to un-reasonable commitment) from you? What obstacles can you remove, what new resources can you make available? What re-organisations of people, processes or tasks would make things better. You might set up a weekly or monthly meeting to do this with your boss. If it's appropriate you might propose a meeting with your boss and all your colleagues who face the same targets.
Now it's not about horse-whipping, it's about professionalism and teamwork. - Respectfully decline deadlines that you don't think you can meet, given that you plan to leave at 5pm each day - or at least - most days. Work with your boss; ask them what the priorities are, and then decide with them, which things must get dropped or slipped in order to meet the priority goals.
- Clarify The Terms of Work. Sometimes, your boss will not want to play this game. They might say "I don't care about ay of that - just get it done - it's what we pay you the big bucks for". Hmmm, well, if they do pay you big bucks, then maybe they have a point. But if not, then clarify with your boss - how long, on average, they expect you to work each week. Refer to your contract if you can. If you don't have one, ask for one. At some point, unreasonable demands become illegal demands, but you really don't want to go that route unless nothing else is working.
- The bottom line has to be that you'll leave and work for a company that's reasonable. I know that's a tough decision to make, but if your boss knows that you're willing to make it - not as a threat - but as a miserable alternative to a life of stress and unhappiness at work - then they may wake up and start being reasonable.
3. The Company Can't Afford to Give You a Pay Raise
It's depressing that most bosses are conflict-averse. They fear unpleasantness and as a consequence they tell lies to avoid uncomfortable truths. If you're performing badly they may be unwilling to award you a raise because they don't think you're worth it, and/or the hierarchy will not approve it. But they may not want to tell you that you're performing below par because you might argue, pout, whimper, shout or strop off and sulk. Toys may fly, and prams may shudder. So one of the most common lies heard is that "the company loves what you're doing but just isn't doing well enough to give you a raise just now".
Where do you go from here?
Well, if your company is a PLC then you can check its performance at Companies House. Anything around 11% operating profit or above, is good - in which case, a "poor company" is unlikely to be the reason why you haven't seen a raise in three years.
Another information source is other people. If it's the done thing (and perhaps even if it's not), discuss raises with others, but remember that they may not be motivated to tell you the truth.
Another source is the going rate for a job like yours in the market. You can find that out on the web, through employment agencies, and a variety of other sources. Are you at, above or below the going rate?
What has inflation been doing over the period you're interested in? What does this say about your real rate of pay?
When you have some information it's time to talk to your boss. Let them know that you are concerned but not hostile about the way things are. Allude to financial pressures. Show an openness to accept negative messages and take them onboard as learning opportunities. Ask what you would need to do to earn a good raise. Ask for more regular performance reviews - maybe even monthly - and cultivate a relationship where truth is told in a professional and non-confrontational manner. Set a deadline for when you will want to either see improvement or look elsewhere - sell that to your boss (or not) however seems appropriate - but don't make it an ultimatum or a threat.
What Else?
These are just three of the common situations I deal with in my corporate coaching work. There are plenty more! In each case, the details are different, and in most cases, my client feels that they are the only one facing their particular problem, and that it's probably not possible to fix it. They see the embedded culture, the entrenched viewpoints, the unreasonable personalities surrounding them, and their hearts sink as they contemplate a future without hope.
But there is always a way out of the misery, and it's usually not as drastic as leaving! And my clients really enjoy the process as well as the results.
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