Four Sins the Boss Won't Forgive

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  1

  Perigrinus

  02/17/09 | Report as spam

  RE: Four Sins the Boss Won?t Forgive

  I fully agree with points 2 and 3 but think that both 1 and 4 need to be qualified.
  
  Point 1
  
  is valid in as much that it is wholly unaccceptable to slag off your/other/senior managers with colleagues and or subordinates. If you think you have a valid comment to make make it to the person concerned. If they are not ameanable to feedback, or if you lack the courage of your convictions, keep it to yourslef and vote with your feet
  
  Trust is not a given in manager/team relationship. There are managers out there who cannot be trusted. If you are sufficiently undfortunate to have a manager who you cannot trust, be professional don't join the cooler club and vote with your feet.
  
  Point 4
  
  There are times when you have to say that you think that an idea is not going to work. In fact I think that, in some instances, not saying this can amount to dereliction of duty. Negativity becomes constructive comment when the critique is followed by a suggestion as to how else the objective might be achieved.
  
  That said giving a patently unfeasible objective a cutsey name (e.g. BHAG) will not convert wishful thinking to a feasible objective,
  

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  2

  sumantranag

  02/18/09 | Report as spam

  RE: Four Sins the Boss Won?t Forgive

  Point 1. Loyalty is a two-way process. What happens when the boss is not loyal to you? By a boss's loyalty I mean standing by your actions when these have been made in good faith and within your authority. And not bad-mouthing you in the presence of others. Criticism can always be made through direct communication and an honest, reasonable and fair action by a boss will be tolerated by the subordinate even if it affects him/her adversely.

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  3

  hugo.vanveghel@...

  02/18/09 | Report as spam

  RE: Four Sins the Boss Won?t Forgive

  Point 1 - 2 - 3 fit even if I can, for a part, agree with sumantranag for point 1 on the two way process, but 4 is something else... it means internal conflict and handled in the right manner it can lead to innovation, which is, in my opinion a conflict model. 4 fits in a non-creative, thus non-innovative environment... but not in an environment with a "gyroscopic balanced manager - leader" Boss...

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  4

  jagad5

  02/18/09 | Report as spam

  RE: Four Sins the Boss Won?t Forgive

  Being loyal extends to cronies as well. Never, not even when asked for honest feedback, point out that the manager you're working for/with (the one who was the director's college roommate) did anything less than an outstanding job.
  
  On point 4, why is an honest assessment of a situation so frequently seen as "being negative." I will accept any challenge I believe can be met (and I have met many that no one else thought could be solved). And I will step aside if I think someone else will have a better chance of coming up with solutions that might not occur to me.
  
  Tough problems require rigorous debate to bring the entire problem into the light for complete examination. Once the debate has run its course, then the decision gets made by the person authorized to do so, and everyone gets their butt in line. Not doing so leads to band aide solutions.

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  5

  mliebman@...

  02/18/09 | Report as spam

  RE: Four Sins the Boss Won?t Forgive

  And the 5th sin: Catching the boss with his or her figurative pants down. Witness a drunk and inappropriate boss in a social setting and the embarrassment can lead to a witness exorcism.
  My recommendation, always show up early and leave early.

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  6

  dbutchko

  02/18/09 | Report as spam

  Negativity

  Folks, read the article again. Point 4 is completely valid. Negativity is about attitude; it doesn't mean avoiding the truth. There is a world of different between saying, "This will never work" (negativity), and saying "I think we need to revisit this plan because I am concerned that it doesn't give adequate weight to the current market conditions" or words like that. And that has nothing to do with how creative your environment is, or with healthy conflict or disagreements. If you ever hear yourself saying things like "I'm/You're/This project is doomed to failure" then you are being negative and neither your boss nor your peers want to work with you.

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  7

  EEBW

  02/18/09 | Report as spam

  Negativity- agreed

  I whole-heartedly agree with dbutchko. Negativity is not the same as disagreement which may also foster new solutions. Rethinking ideas that don't seem feasible the way they are first presented allows the team to be creative. Negativity never gives ideas a chance; disagreement rethinks the possibilities.

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  8

  jagad5

  02/19/09 | Report as spam

  RE: Four Sins the Boss Won?t Forgive

  In a healthy environment Disagreement and negativity are different. In some places, not parroting what the boss says is categorized as negativity. Disagreeing with the boss is treated as disloyalty.

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  9

  bjos

  03/03/09 | Report as spam

  RE: Four Sins the Boss Won?t Forgive

  The Four Sins the Boss Won't Forgive can only be good advice if the Boss is truly a boss - one that displays integrity and trust himself. A good worker will have dignity in their work and ethics no matter who the boss is.
  For those who do not, yes this is good advice for boss and worker.
  I have found in my 11 at my current job that
  * finger pointing does nothing
  * kindness goes a long way
  * no one has to be your friend BUT learn to
  work together
  * Good bosses CAN create good workers.

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  10

  kevin.carrell@...

  04/16/09 | Report as spam

  RE: Four Sins the Boss Won?t Forgive

  I think it should be 1 thing the boss cannot forgive.
  
  Everyone has a personal opinion and it will always differ from people who have the power to tell you what to do, and the people that do not have that privilige.
  
  I used to be a soldier I understand both the chain of command (that is essential) and the need for discipline.
  
  However just because you are a manager or that is your title it means absolute squat if you cannot man manage.
  I beleive there are 3 types of manager. Those that are natuarally leaders and people follow without question. Those that are successful in leading with an understanding of how to get the best out of individuals by using different tactics, and then there are the managers that aportion blame down the ladder and allow the lower minions to take the flak as a result, generally coming out blameless and generally hated by the rank and file. To these people personal opinions are the law. They will generally be bullies as well having their own little circle of people who are favourites and likewise always blameless. They are lighthouses in the desert. Bright, but ultimitely useless.
  
  So in to answer to my sentence.
  
  There should only be one sin the boss cannot forgive and that is a sackable offence.

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  11

  anne_thomas

  04/18/09 | Report as spam

  RE: Four Sins the Boss Won?t Forgive

  I agree in whole with all four points - negativity is simply bad for business.
  
  I am lucky to be surrounded by the most energised, loyal and focused people I could have ever imagined working for my company. I believe this is down to the culture that has been created in my business:
  
  - Firstly we have a fantastic product that is changing the world, so that immediately attracts great people.
  
  - Secondly we are diligent in the recruitment process and probation period. We engage and keep people who can see where the business is going and are passionate in becoming part of that.
  
  - Thirdly we create and maintain a positive culture of open communication, mutual respect, honesty? and fun!! One where individuals are recognised and praised for their own achievements and guided, not punished, when mistakes are made. We have an employee share option scheme that is directly associated with performance.
  
  - Fourthly, as a 'Boss' it is important for me to put my hands up when I make a mistake and ask for help because I am human and I don?t know everything. I need each team member to know that they can achieve great things and that it?s ok to be human with it!
  
  Because of the energy I put into my employees I would be deeply hurt if any of them breached trust. At a minor level it would raise alarm bells and I'd be on it in seconds wanting to understand the source and guiding accordingly. At a major level it would be a breach of contract and they would be asked to leave.
  
  People are simply the most important and valuable asset of ANY organisation. If this principle is not at the core of a company then negativity will breed.
  
  The more negativity that breeds, the more rigid the company becomes on its employees, the more rigid the company becomes, the less it gains from its employees... and so the vicious circle continues.
  
  Great things are born from positivity and grow from continual nurturing.

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  12

  DebF

  05/27/09 | Report as spam

  RE: Four Sins the Boss Won?t Forgive

  Negativity - I agree that it is dangerous to disagree openly with management, which is so often seen as "negativity". Those of us who do this a lot ("the prophets of doom") must learn ways of framing our objections in a more constructive way - suggesting alternative courses of action where possible.