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Butt-kissing, back-stabbing, and nepotism are what get you ahead at a company, not working hard. Some of this is obvious - a manager's friend or relative is clearly "better" and "special" - even when he's a complete moron - compared to a "stranger" who just does his job at the company. My former job at a "leading defense company" was full of useless nitwits who, at best, did nothing all day, and, at worst, actually spent their time sabotaging the work of others. They are all still there, of course, while suckers like me got laid off, despite excellent performance reviews, raises, promotions, and performance rewards. I was only useful right up until it came down to choosing between keeping me or keeping the useless clod who spent the past decade brown-nosing. After forever, I found a new job and get to enjoy gross under-employment at a place with the same mindset - the useless are rewarded and granted blanket immunity because they brown-nose. So, no, don't put in too much effort because nobody cares anyway.
Nearly all managers who make trouble are either delusional or just rotten to the core from what I've seen, and every company has them. Many of them simply refuse to accept reality - I've actually been yelled at for not being able to change the laws of physics by "thinking about it harder" - and they honestly believe that if they give an order, the universe will change itself to conform to their demands. So, if they want a job to take a week when it really takes 3, they really believe that the workers are "lazy" and if they just scream at them more, the job will suddenly get done in a week. These people are insane egotists and ruin everything they touch.
And yet, they are not the worst ones - no, those are the deeply toxic people who treat their employees badly because they enjoy it. The world is full of sick, power-hungry lunatics who just enjoy watching others suffer. Some of them are even sadomasochists, in that they are only "happy" when everyone - themselves include - is suffering, which is why they will derail projects and crash companies - they thrive on misery and pain. I've been told by these types to my face that they "like to watch others suffer" when confronted about their actions. These types are the ones who constantly abuse their employees and should be kept out of power at all costs.
When I was working, we had a running joke. Weekends were for working hard, then we rested for the other 5 days. Like Oleg Bach said, we only used 60% of our ability, sometimes a lot less, just to make it. Bottom line is that bosses don't want someone that is smarter, and a harder worker than they are. It would make them look bad, and then they would become expendable.
My oldest brother took a quick job in a car parts plant. He has a degree in chemistry and knows a lot about metals. He noticed some scoring or hair line cracks in brake parts. He mentioned this to the manager...He was fired three days later. Middle management are ambitious up starts who will do anything to stay on what they see as the top. The super high up people look at middle management as maggots who do their dirty
work. The middle management type thinks that they will be rewarded by a crumb of bread that might fall from the masters table...sure they toss them a few bones...but middle management are expendable. Look at the president of America - You would assume that he has the highest executive position but he does not. He is not the smartest tool in the shed. Those with the real smarts and control stay below the radar.
They lead by following...In other words they herd the sheep from behind and their egos do not demand that they lust for recognition. They know who they are and are secure people...The pushy bosses further down the food chain drastically need to feel important...They are disloyal to those below them that they manage..When push comes to shove and a company is in trouble...Middle management is the first to be tossed out...The reasoning is character. Those that really run the show observe one thing about middle management...If they can not be loyal to those below them...than that is a character flaw. The real bosses figure this out "If our managers are not loyal nor can they be trusted by workers- Then who cab they be full trusted by us...and are they really dedicate to the company or just to the status and larger pay check.
The big bosses respect those in the ranks who are loyal and dutiful...those that can not be bought for money...Those are the most likely to be promoted and kept on...Upper management cab tell the difference between a cut throat opportunist and a truly productive worker...Trust and honor will be rewarded if you can just sneak by middle management..Just be careful...If you are a threat they will quash you. I did some decorating in a few homes on compound of Magna international - the liked my work but my boss who was a middle management guy did not like the fact that an artist with out a degree was gaining respect...One executive saw one my large pieces of are and really wanted to possess it...But my boss block the deal out of sheer spite...Because I went over his head...Even those high executives who loved my personal art were not allowed to purchase it. So they fired me...not because I was a poor producer but because I surpassed the quality o.
my boss...He was arts school graduate...A high end designer in charge said my bosses work was cartoon like ...They liked my work so boss became spite flilled...so left.
I don't know about OP's situation but here's my experiences/observations after 25 years in the corporate environment:
- If you consistently take on more than your share of work, it gets noticed once and then it becomes the expectation.
- If you're a hard worker but noone likes you then you will not get far.
- If you make yourself invaluable to the team, you may be passed up for a promotion because you're too valuable of a grunt.
- Don't expect anyone to notice as you toil in anonymity. Market yourself.
- If you find yourself doing more stuff outside of your area of responsibilities, ask for a change in job title.
- If you are constantly picking up the slack for "laggers", tell your manager you'll train them on how to work more efficiently like you do.
Location: Stuck on the East Coast, hoping to head West
4,640 posts, read 11,937,291 times
Reputation: 9885
Quote:
Originally Posted by jaypee
I don't know about OP's situation but here's my experiences/observations after 25 years in the corporate environment:
- If you consistently take on more than your share of work, it gets noticed once and then it becomes the expectation.
- If you're a hard worker but noone likes you then you will not get far.
- If you make yourself invaluable to the team, you may be passed up for a promotion because you're too valuable of a grunt.
- Don't expect anyone to notice as you toil in anonymity. Market yourself.
- If you find yourself doing more stuff outside of your area of responsibilities, ask for a change in job title.
- If you are constantly picking up the slack for "laggers", tell your manager you'll train them on how to work more efficiently like you do.
Don't forget the "what have you done for me lately" effect. You could do great work, make the company millions of dollars, whatever, and when it comes time for raises/promo they come up with BS like "times are tough, can't give you much" or even a salary freeze. If things get better for the company a few months later and you ask for more, the message will be "yeah, that was great work, but that was LAST quarter... what have you done to justify a big raise THIS quarter?"
Of course, that's only good things; screwups count forever.
Don't forget the "what have you done for me lately" effect. You could do great work, make the company millions of dollars, whatever, and when it comes time for raises/promo they come up with BS like "times are tough, can't give you much" or even a salary freeze. If things get better for the company a few months later and you ask for more, the message will be "yeah, that was great work, but that was LAST quarter... what have you done to justify a big raise THIS quarter?"
Of course, that's only good things; screwups count forever.
True, and if you do a hard job really well all the time, that simply becomes "expected" and management doesn't care. But if you brown-nose, somehow each time gets you more brownie-points, and, like you said, mistakes count forever.
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
44,576 posts, read 81,186,228 times
Reputation: 57813
Quote:
Originally Posted by alphamale
The job of a great manager is to assure that the business could run the same if you miss a day.
If you're afraid that an employee will get noticed and take your job, you don't belong in management.
I agree, and have trained several people to do certain important parts of my job when I'm away. I have added it to their performance plans. All of our raises are based on an annual performance review. if a person is hard working, gets their work done accurately and on time they will get a high rating and raise every year. To get the maximum raise allowed by the budgeted policy for that year, they would have to go beyond what is expected. Things like a suggestion that saves time or money, training a new employee while still getting their own work done, or doing an outstanding job on a special project not normally in the scope of their job description. As a manager, I would not reward a butt kisser but would ask them to stop, and tell them that they are wasting their time. In an effort to do the best possible work I like for my people to disagree at times and try to convince me if they think there's a better way. Times are tough, and the maximum raises are not all that much this year but anyone I supervise that's competent will get one.
I would consider myself one of the hardest workers at any job I have been a part of over the years. I'm usually able to get things done faster than most people around me, and find myself being a person who goes out of the way to do extra unrequired tasks to help co-workers, customers, or the company I am at.
I guess I am the workhorse because nobody ever offers to give me a raise, or rewards me with the same treatment that other lazy employees receive based off of their ability to kiss-butt and their charisma/charm. Sometimes I wish I didn't go out of my way to perform my job as well as I do, and just half-ass things like lots of my piers do since they seem to get away with it and get time off when they want or get cut to go home early as I get stuck at work later than they have to ever be there.
This opening paragraph is not the whole entire story because that would take a book to explain it all, but this is a short explanation of how I feel tonight after busting my butt every single day and picking up slack from lazy people at work as they get time off, and I either have to make a big issue out of things and fight for a simple day off or not get one at all when I requested it, even though these other people get to pick and choose when they get off it seems.
Why do employers use hard workers, and make things more stressful on them as they overlook the lack of effort and care that other employees have for their jobs? Anyone out there feel me on this? Anyone else have the experience of knowing that the better you get at your job, and the more effort you put in that it usually leads to being used as a workhorse as others get promoted/benefits ect?
My dad used to say.. "It's who you know, and who you blow". Which, unfortunately is true.
Sometimes the reward for good work is more work. If you want it to be something else, you have to make an effort to communicate that to the boss.
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