Surviving Poor Management 21: Focus on What Matters

This continues our series on how to survive poor management at work and grow

Margaret shared advice with one of her colleagues. She highlighted the need to focus on what matters. She highlighted how easy unimportant or non-essential issues distract us from what matters most. She follows her own advice and became one of the top 4 producing operations in 120 operation chain. Her focus allowed her to out produce operations with four times the potential clients as her market. Focusing on what matters most also helped her survive the frustrations of poor management.

Identify What Matters Most

A key to surviving poor management will require you to focus on what matters most, rather than those things related to the poor management. Each company, each project team, will define what matters most for them. The company culture also influences what matters most. For example, some organization may perceive the following as what matters most:

• Honor may matter more than sales or success
• Protecting client relationships and goodwill may matter more than revenues
• Courteous, kind interactions with co-workers, management, and subordinates
• Providing the best possible service or product at the lowest possible cost
• Innovation and creativity in product development, research and design
• Moral and ethical leadership and practices may take priority over profits
• Sales, revenues, and profits may matter more than any other issue

Your mentor, supervisor, network of contacts can provide guidance and help you identify what matters most. You should establish charts, graphs, discussions, and other prompts to keep you focused on what matters most.

Avoid Distractions from What Matters Most

Distractions appear in every business and every situation. You may think that the majority of distractions will clearly declare themselves as low priority issues preventing you from focusing on what matters most. Occasionally, that may be. Frequently, distractions carry their own priority. For example:

• Procedural changes or requirements established by management may demand your attention
• Clients require attention that will not lead to immediate sales or success, but take your time and attention

Monday, October 7, we begin a new series about improving yourself to improve your career

This blog will improve as you submit comments, questions, and experiences. We will answer your questions in future blog posts. Please submit your comments and questions so we can answer them.

Surviving Poor Management 20: Too Much Passion Hurts

This continues our series on how to survive poor management at work and grow

Sam developed a good characteristic for working in a company with poor management. He did not allow problems to bother him. His pleasing personality did not mean that he did not care or passionately want to improve service and productivity. He stayed focused on what truly mattered. He gained respect and a reputation for mediating tense situations. As a result, he received assignments to key project teams that developed strategy for the entire company.

Healthy Harmonious Passion

A well-balanced, or even-keeled, temperament helps you cope with poor management. The Harvard Business Review published an excellent article titled Why Your Passion for Work Could Ruin Your Career. In the article Scott Barry Kaufman describes two kinds of passion: harmonious or obsessive. He writes

“Those with harmonious passion engage in their work because it brings them intrinsic joy. They have a sense of control of their work, and their work is in harmony with their other activities in life. At the same time, they know when to disengage, and are better at turning off the work switch when they wish to enjoy other activities or when further engagement becomes too risky. As a result, their work doesn’t conflict with the other areas of their lives. When they are at the opera, for instance, or spending time with their children, they aren’t constantly thinking of work, and they don’t report feeling guilty that they aren’t working. ”

Obstacles of Obsessive Passion

Kaufman continues “In contrast, those with obsessive passion display higher levels of negative affect over time and display more maladaptive behaviors. They report higher levels of negative affect during and after activity engagement; they can hardly ever stop thinking about their work, and they get quite frustrated when they are prevented from working. They also persist when it’s risky to do so (just like a pathological gambler). A reason for this is that their work forms a very large part of their self-concept.”

Friday we share how staying focused on what matters most helps with poor management

This blog will improve as you submit comments, questions, and experiences. We will answer your questions in future blog posts. Please submit your comments and questions so we can answer them.

Surviving Poor Management 19: Why Stay Unhappy?

This continues our series on how to survive poor management at work and grow

Madge had a good friend working in the same company as she did. This friend repeatedly expressed frustration with the management and direction of the company. She watched his attitude, and his health, deteriorate over four years. He began to negatively influence others within the company. Madge, as a good friend and colleague, intervened with her friend. She met with him a few times to vent his concerns and help him work through his frustration. Finally, she asked why he continued to work in a place that clearly did not enjoy. He intervention helped him begin reevaluating his employment and decide to find something that would make him happy.

Returning to Your Options

In earlier posts we shared options for coping with poor management. We explored the following options:

• Improve management within the company
• Accept management and press forward
• Leave and find a new job
• Leave and start your own company

Reasons People Stay in Unhappy Situations

Today, we wish to examine leaving the company for a new job from a different view. Why would you accept being unhappy, frustrated, or angry on your job.

You may stay in an unhappy situation for several reasons, including:

• Fear of the unknown future situations
• Aversion to most risks
• Cannot envision a different future
• Still harbor hope that it will return to the good you remember
• Appreciate your co-workers, clients, and vendors
• Tied to medical and other benefits at your current job

But, Really Why Stay in a Job That Makes You Unhappy

All of those reasons seem valid. However, at some point you must ask if all of those things really compensate for the unhappiness you feel. If not, why are you staying in a job that distresses and frustrates you? You should move to something that will not degrade your health, depress your spirits, or upset your family.

Sometimes, you don’t know all the reasons, but stay anyway. Your reason may even be irrational.

Wednesday we explore additional thoughts as we summarize how to survive poor management

This blog will improve as you submit comments, questions, and experiences. We will answer your questions in future blog posts. Please submit your comments and questions so we can answer them.

Surviving Poor Management 18: Don’t Canker Your Soul

This continues our series on how to survive poor management at work and grow

Saul had his own very successful business for more than 20 years. He decided to give something back to the world in his later years. He went to work for a nonprofit organization using his skills to improve the populations of third world countries. Unfortunately, the organization suffered from some very poor management. Saul experienced a lack of support and forced to work a lot of overtime. He tried to get relief from upper management, but was ignored. He let the problem canker his soul. He became bitter and angry. Today, almost 15 years after retiring, he still gets angry and tells relations and others about his horrible experience with poor management.

Do Not Suffer as a Victim

We work with thousands of people every year who feel compelled to repeatedly share the story of how they were misused or neglected by management . The need to inform people of how they were wronged by poor managements creates a victimization. They cannot move beyond the tragic events to improve their lives.

A speaker  recently  told how, when we allow perceived injustices to fester, they injure us more than those we blame. He encouraged us to follow Christ’s teachings and forgive those whose management makes our life harder.

Pray for Them That Despitefully Use You

The speaker cited Jesus Christ’s words from Luke 6:27-28 (King James Translation)

“But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you, Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you.”

The effort to “pray for those who despitefully use you”, to wish them well instead of ill, lifts the heart. It brightens the countenance. Victor Frankel highlighted the beneficial impact on prisoners of war who found a way to forgive their jailers. Letting go of hurts is not the same as ignoring them. You must process your feelings through the anger and hurt—to let them go—until you feel better. 

Monday we begin closing this series with concluding observations and examples

This blog will improve as you submit comments, questions, and experiences. We will answer your questions in future blog posts. Please submit your comments and questions so we can answer them.

Surviving Poor Management 17: When You’re the Problem

This continues our series on how to survive poor management at work and grow

Brad worked for a company that he felt suffered from poor management. He frequently listed all the  reasons that he did not appreciate upper management. His continual criticisms and negativity affected co-workers and reduced morale. Imagine his surprise and embarrassment when his research into poor management highlighted several traits that Brad possessed. He began  changing his attitude, behavior, and management skills. It took years, but Brad transformed poor management skills into good management skills.

You May Be the Poor Manager

As you read the previous posts in this series, you may have recognized that you possess some of the traits of a poor manager outlined in the articles. We recognize that no one perfects management. Even the best managers make mistakes.

You may use several methods to explore your flaws:

• Read the articles listed in previous blogs and compare your behavior to the articles
• Make a list of traits outlined in the articles and conduct your own 360 evaluation by asking others to give you feedback
  • Co-workers or peers
  • Subordinates
  • Supervisors and managers
  • Clients or vendors

How Can You Fix your Own Poor Management

We affirm that everyone may change, at any age. Your mistakes today do not define your mistakes tomorrow. As Santana said “He that does not learn from his past is doomed to repeat it.” You may learn from your mistakes. You may change.

Several excellent researchers can teach you how to change to fix your poor management. We found the following books very helpful:

• The Influencer and Change Anything by the authors at VitalSmarts
• Leadership and the Art of Self-Deception by the Arbinger Institute
• Speed of Trust by Stephen M. R. Covey
• True North by Bill George

We also recommend Benjamin Franklin’s method of implementing a characteristic. He recounted how he focused on a trait for a week at a time. He found a week’s effort improved the virtue within his life. You may do the same.

Friday we summarize how to survive poor management at work and still grow your career

This blog will improve as you submit comments, questions, and experiences. We will answer your questions in future blog posts. Please submit your comments and questions so we can answer them.

Surviving Poor Management 16: More Options to Consider

This continues our series on how to survive poor management at work and grow

Ron worked for the same company for 33 years. He managed one of the highest producing branches of the company. He adhered to certain foundational principles. He perfected collaborative processes that assured success and outstanding performance. During the last decade the organization abandoned the foundational principles. Upper management even accused Ron of falsifying his reports because they rejected the principles. Ron decided to take early retirement after two accusations by upper management were proven false.

Leave for a New Organization with Better Management

One option for surviving poor management remains to leave the organization and find one with better management. You enhance the probability that you will find greater satisfaction and better management with a few key steps:

• Identify the poor management practices that bothers you most
• Identify the effective management practices that you appreciate most
• Prioritize, in writing, the practices you desire most and the ones you want to avoid
• Prepare questions that will discover how well opportunities will meet your desires
• Research about companies and management practices before you accept a new job

Without these preliminary steps, you may accept a job with a company just like, or worse than, the one your are leaving.

Create Your Own Company with Better Management

You may consider creating your own company as another option related to leaving your current job. In the past, starting a business required large expenditures of capital, thus preventing many people from starting a business. In the last few years, you can start a business with much less money.

However, you should consider the following ideas before starting your business:

• Your business idea can succeed based on solid market research and assessment
• You will provide better management than the poor management you are escaping
• You possess the technical skills to provide a good product or service
• You will cover your financial needs, including your current non-salary benefits
• Your business plan outlines sold marketing and sales strategies and campaigns

Wednesday we highlight options when you discover you are the source of poor management

This blog will improve as you submit comments, questions, and experiences. We will answer your questions in future blog posts. Please submit your comments and questions so we can answer them.

Surviving Poor Management 15: Options to Compensate

This continues our series on how to survive poor management at work and grow

Sam worked for a poor manager. His manager tended to become defensive when he perceived someone challenged his thinking or authority. His passion for what he did frequently led him to speak too harshly and bluntly in an effort to convince others to accept his opinion as their own. Sam observed this behavior and worried for his boss. Sam, with great delicacy and tact, informed his boss of his observations in such a way that the boss listened and tried to change. Sam’s courage and tact helped improve both his supervisor and his workplace.

Improve Management within the Organization

You may try to improve the management within the organization as one option for surviving poor management. You may select a variety of methods to try and improve management:

• Discuss possible improvements with your supervisor (use techniques outlined in Crucial Conversations, Crucial Confrontations, The Influencer, and Change Anything by the authors and consultants from VitalSmarts)
• Study good management skills and begin to implement them in your own work, within your responsibilities. In other words, work to improve your own management
• Work behind the scenes to improve management within the organization without acting overtly or drawing attention to yourself
• Collaborate with your mentor and network of internal contacts to change the organization from within from multiple sources

Accept Management and Press Forward

You may also follow another option: accept poor management practices and continue working in the organization. This option possesses several advantages:

• Don’t risk offending management or others by highlighting poor management
• Reduce distractions the could arise by focusing on the poor practices
• Ignore the problems and stay focused on the job at hand

As with all options, negative consequences may also arise from ignoring poor management:

• The company struggles, and possibly even fails, due to unaddressed poor management
• Persistent flaws build animosity and distracts you from doing your job
• Unresolved stress may affect your health and create ulcers
• Accepting poor management leads to apathy and not caring

Monday we discuss two other options for compensating

This blog will improve as you submit comments, questions, and experiences. We will answer your questions in future blog posts. Please submit your comments and questions so we can answer them.