Nic: What’s worse than having a lousy big boss?
Nac: Er… a lousy middle management boss?
Nic: Yup – the kind who are just messengers.
Nac: Yeah – they just pass messages to and fro without question from the big boss.
Nic: Utterly useless ‘managers’ – they are just fit to be messenger boys.
Nac: Such ‘managers’ also expect staff to just do as told.
Nic: What’s worse is that the big boss is blind to see how useless such ‘managers’ are.
Nac: Ya – while thinking they are effective in getting things done.
Nic: Yes – it’s a disease of following the big boss’ expectations blindly, that infects the whole company.
Nac: Yup – and those who propose betterment of the situation with suggestions are seen as troublemakers.
Nic: When they are the truly dedicated ones!
Nac: Well, what one does not treasure, one will stop deserving in time.
Nic: Karma! Those who remain will be lousy staff or stifled good ones!
Nac: And the company either decays or fails to grow.
Having risen from a junior position to middle management that is being sandwiched between the junior & the senior, I believe I may have a better view from both ends.
I used to be a junior staff who also complained about my immediate manager and above conversation seem so familar but when I rose to the position myself, especially when in this present economy where restructuring is still the norm, I have to oversee 3 to 4 organisations, and pressure is from top mgt to complete within datelines, I have no choice too but to delegate jobs to my staff who may have also thot that I am just a messenger accepting tasks. Who doesn’t want to have less job? The top also needs to delegate, if not, why they need to employ middle mgt. Do you expect the big boss of a big organisation to go direct to the junior staff & instruct them to do tasks?
However, appreciation of work done & bonding with staff needs to be shown. The relationship between manager & staff is closely linked. If staff is able to support his manager, manager will then have time to review & improve workflow of staff, likewise if manager can help staff when he is freer, staff will then be able to help manager with lightened workload.
I learnt that one could face increased workload with negative attitude (like frowning at manager, thus creating tension & bad karma ) & one still needs to do the task, so why don’t one just accept it with a graceful smile & get on with it.
(I now sincerely repent for treating my ex-boss with bad attitude in the past stressful work environment which now I am facing similar situation in his shoe, sigh, immediate karma) :ermm:
Yup, the key is to show each other support, if jobs are delegated coldly or assumptions are made from groundless info, things will surely turn sour sooner or later… :sadd:
A good manager does not just pass instructions blindly. A manager is good when s/he is able to skilfully buffer the staff from unreasonable instructions, while skilfully explaining to the upper mgmt why his/her instructions are unreasonable.
(N) < Nay!
A good manager speaks on the behalf of the boss AND staff, improving the welfare and understanding throughout the company from top down, thus improving the whole company in terms of effectiveness.
(*) < A-star!
If a manager feels forced to just be a messenger, this person needs to brush up managerial skills – to learn how to manage BOTH staff and boss. Lousy managers who just hog the position, while not making the company grow in strength and spirit should resign – if they are not willing to better themselves.
(E) < Resignation letter please!
A manager is good when s/he looks at him/herself as the potential source of the problem and solution before pointing fingers at the big boss or staff. One must reflect – how can I bridge the two happily to make everyone more productive.
(Y) < Yay!
‘When you see ordinary situations with extraordinary insight it is like discovering a jewel in rubbish. If work becomes part of your spiritual practice, then your regular, daily problems cease to be only problems and become a source of inspiration. Nothing is rejected as ordinary and nothing is taken as being particularly sacred, but all the substance and material available in life-situations is used.’
– Chogyam Trungpa, The Myth of Freedom (Shambhala Publications)
Let’s find that jewel in the rubbish heap, no matter where we are working! :happy:
Struck me that even a butcher might discover the jewel of compassion within him while doing his bloody work – and give up his unskilful livelihood!
:bloody:
Om Mani Padme Hung (mantra of compassion):
Hail to the jewel in the lotus!
(8)
Some personal advice. Boss & Employee relationship passses by soon. It ‘s wiser not to show your displeases to bosses or vice versa. Always maintain a good attitude.
In this world of corporate restructuring, imagine you are an employee who may be considered of capability, you are senior in your years and you thought you will retire in the company but you reveal your disrespectfulness to your immediate superior and everyone knows about the bad attitude you had displayed. However, in this volatile economy, one word of restructuring & the dept closes down. You lost your job. Your supervisor and peers found a job 1st and wants to recruit staff to help them in their new role which happens quite often. Would them consider you who had been insubordinate? Unlikely!
Likewise, a staff may also leave the company or found a new job and there may be openings for supervisor role and if HR asks for recommendation, would you ever consider your ex-superior? Unlikely too.
Hence, do your part in your role as supervisor or employee, restrain from negative mood showing.
You may read it in terms of karma of planting good or bad seeds for future in your current every day life. :-O