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Monday, September 15, 2008
Why Bad News Has Trouble Going Up the Ladder (Ch 2)
I really relate to the article on why bad news has trouble going up the ladder. When I first started working for a corporation, my manager told me "perception is everything". In order words, it did not matter how hard I worked if people had the impression that I did not work. If I wanted to be successful, I would have to carefully think about how to manage my image and reputation. For example, coming to work before my manager would automatically contribute to "positive" perception even if I did not really do any work the rest of the day. Coming early was what counted. So I am not surprised that bad news have trouble going up the ladder because they give the wrong impression, that maybe the manager in charge is not performing well. In a way, I understand that we all have perceptions right or wrong, but at the same time, it really saddens me to see that often people do not take the time and make the effort to really look at a situation, face the problems and have open and honest conversations. In the end, it would be better for the company.
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3 comments:
That observation is so relevant, and perhaps more so the lower on the ladder you are. If you are seen standing still for five seconds at work, you are a lazy or disgruntled worker. If you take too long to answer a question, you are unintelligent or unprepared, or unqualified.
It think this relates to Image Management. In order to succeed, employees must constantly engage in actions and communicative processes which bolster and support favorable impressions of themselves. It is too bad, I agree, that evaluation in many organizations is based on flimsy and shallow impressions, even on first impressions which is even more arbitrary. If employers actually analyzed behavior and communication over a more prolonged period of time, suspending judgement, then the result would be much more accurate and fruitful.
I also agree that "impression management" is an important component of success in the workplace. The emphasis on appearance is perhaps less important for workers that perform physical labor, since it is easier to tell whether work is actually getting done. One of the reasons that appearances may take on greater value than in highly bureaucratic organizations,is that structural constraints, such as rigid pay categories, often prevent the recognition of outstanding work. For example, if you reach the top of a pay grade, and cannot get a get a raise no matter how hard you work, while your coworker spends half the day on personal calls or instant messaging, while earning the same pay, it can have a very damaging effect on motivation. In turn, the perception of low morale by superiors, can negatively impact your performance evaluation.
The way organizations operate is really universal! Your example reminds me of one of my previous jobs. Apparently there was no planning for my arrival, because there was no desk or computer for me to start working. The first day it was ok, because I was being introduced to other people, etc. But after a week without resources to work I was uncomfortable. The only reason why I did not quit the company was because my previous boss advised me to be patient, and that there was a purpose for me to be at this company. Because I do believe that there is a purpose for everything, and because I was seriously interested on the job I would “eventually” perform, I did not quit.
The situation itself was so ridiculous. People from other department started asking why I was always in the break room, or if my boss was not keeping me busy because they did not see me doing anything. Simple: I could not work at that moment!!! It turned out that my desk, computer, and supplies arrived 3 weeks after my hire date. When you say that people do not make efforts to really look at a situation, I absolutely agree with you. Even if I wanted to pretend that I was working I could not. My manager told me not to worry about what other people were saying. The most important was what he knew why I was not working. Who is going to deny that "perception is everything”?
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