Regarding my post about how Corporate gauges good communications between bosses and workers, Anonymous@8:37 a.m. says: "As a director, I respect my people who bring suggested solutions to the problems they uncover. If it's something we can do, we do it. If it's a situation we can't change, we work around it. If we're stuck with it, we throw up our hands and work through the issue together.
On the other hand, I do take pleasure in antagonizing those who insist on whining, pointing fingers or insisting that nothing ever changes. The way I see it, I have to work with you; I don't have to like you."Join the debate, in the original post.
Like all Directors they have zero original ideas. They want you to bring the new ideas to them. They know you will do it because you think your job security will improve. (FALSE)
ReplyDeleteOn top of all that BS they take credit for your idea or let another manager take credit for it.
Don't be fooled it happened to me and when I started going straight to the publisher instead of my Ad Director my AD threatened me.
Obviously they took credit for my idea not knowing I had been to my publisher first. LOL.
Hate to say it...I had a couple Directors who were great. They were supportive and innovative on their own. The sites were too small for them to take credit for something I suggested. Word would have made its way back to the Publisher anyway...
ReplyDeleteToo bad their hands were tied by moronic directives from Corporate.
Having worked at more than one GCI location, I found that the working environment was much more collegial, collaborative and rewarding at the small operations than the bigggies. The larger the site, it seems, the more the managers indulge in back-stabbing, credit-grabbing and general soul-crushing behavior.
ReplyDeleteMe? I am all about the work, and I want managers who share that mindset. I wish we could vet them before we sign on to new posts; I could have saved myself a lot of agony if I had a chance to weed out the whackos.
Isn't there a clinical term for people who get pleasure out of antagonizing other people?
ReplyDeleteSadism
ReplyDeleteAren't you doing somebody a disservice, though, if you enable them to continue a miserable existence?
ReplyDeleteIf they are staying in a job they hate simply out of inertia, encouraging them to find another position by either 'antagonizing' them -- or more mildly, applying the golden rule to their poor behaviour -- is actually helping them recognize that their happiness lies elsewhere.
The original poster sounds like s/he wants the team as a whole to do well. Even sports organisations trade grumblers who may be great players - for the good of the team.
The original Director posting had an attitude that led me to believe she/he may have been the reason for some of the grumbling and whining. A good manager knows how to work with 'difficult people' and bring out the good in them. You can't have a team of yes men/women without forfeiting original, creative and forward thinking.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous said...
ReplyDeleteSadism
9/07/2008 8:42 AM
There you have it! Point blank one word describes the type of bozos working at headquarters.
It doesn't matter how good an idea is: these suppose to be supervisors are so full of themselves it makes one puke! Furthermore, most of them have nothing to say at home and then come to work to let their frustrations out on the employees.
Whiners, complainers are on every job - but to fold them into a cohesive working unit - hey, that's what a manager suppose to do. Otherwise, why they are not fired? If a leader continues to let a whiner stay on, doesn't this compound the problem? From what I understand I only see narcistic leaders that don't even care about the employees under them. Because, let's face it: not every complaint comes from a whiner.
Pretty sure I know who wrote this...LOL Yes, SHE does love antagonizing people. Especially people who dont come to her at all with any problems. If its all good news, go ahead, "come into my office". If there is a issue that you need her help with, it's "Im busy, make it quick". She sure does have her favorites and lets you know it!
ReplyDelete"The way I see it, I have to work with you, I don't have to like you. But the people who make the team look good, who produce, who are decent to be around - I'll help their careers. If you'd rather be miserable, I can help with that as well."
This paragraph is such a lie! Because I "produced". Many who dont produce kept their jobs! But hey, thats ok. It will just help the ship sink even faster!!
Ahh, it feels so liberating to be away from the shit hole they call Gannett!!
@10:46: "If they are staying in a job they hate simply out of inertia, encouraging them to find another position by either 'antagonizing' them -- or more mildly, applying the golden rule to their poor behaviour -- is actually helping them recognize that their happiness lies elsewhere."
ReplyDeleteHuh? When/where I grew up, the Golden Rule was to treat people like you want to be treated. It was not to treat people like you are being treated. If a manager sees that one of their employees is unhappy, a face-to-face is much more effective than a passive-aggressive stance.
"You seem unhappy in your work. Let's see what we can do. If you think you need to move on, let's talk about that, too."
An uncomfortable conversation, but one m likely to yield results faster than the drawn out agony described.
And no one has to like you, either.
ReplyDelete2:30 you would make a better Director than the one who posted that awful management approach. It's a sad day for Gannett that upper management is allowed to get away with that. That is not leadership it is an inflated ego on a power trip.
ReplyDeletethat managers comments sound familiar. it could be a manager i just admire(lol). great attitude and you wonder why your employees are whiners.
ReplyDeleteWhiners and complainers (when they are not usually whiners and complainers) are the consequence of a more important underlying problem. Antagonizing is disrecpectful, ruthless and irresponsible. A manager who antagonizes is either incompetent to deal with the real issues, or scared and lazy to deal with the real issue at hand. Personally, I prefer being directly told what I am doing wrong, how I can be a better employee, or, at worst, fire me and get it over with.
ReplyDelete