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I’m sorry to bore you with the details, but there are some very good lessons to be learned here, especially for young people who may believe that this only happens to them. To the 420 club who reads this, I’ll be back to the more abstract lessons soon.
This is why it is important to always do your best, and put a positive face to the public. Yesterday, while still on “in-house suspension”, I was doing my work in the same manner as I always have. I was friendly with the customers, cordial with the employees, and efficient. Because of this, I received several compliments that are worth more to me than anything my employer could say.
What many people don’t understand is that most customers won’t bother complimenting someone for doing their job. They might complain if something is wrong, but they rarely compliment. I’m not going to pretend to analyze why, but I accept that it is. So when a customer takes time out of their schedule to say something nice about me and the way I work, it means a lot. The reason it means less from my employer is that I have come to understand that employers are usually complimenting their employees as a way to coax more work out of them. There’s nothing wrong with it, and it isn’t true in every case, but again, there it is.
Meanwhile, over at my (hijacked) office, several customers have complained very loudly that they want me back there to serve them the way they have become accustomed to being served. They have high expectations when it comes to customer service (which I even have a hard time meeting, sometimes), and they will accept nothing less. Most of the complaints have one of a couple of root causes.
- The offending employee (the one who caused all the problem in the first place), is constantly on MySpace, and therefore not ready and willing to help the customer when they walk into the door.
- Our company hasn’t blocked MySpace like others. Personally, I have no problem with an occasional visit as long as it doesn’t affect WORK.
- Our computers have a glitch where they will freeze out, forcing a complete reboot, if they spend prolonged periods of time on the Internet.
- The offending employee spends an excessive amount of time on the phone, and customers have heard her talking about me, other customers, and the company in derogatory terms.
- Nobody likes to hear someone talking about them. It is even worse to talk about someone else that may be known to others. It is especially bad if this is the reason you complained about a well-liked employee.
- Again, I have no problem with talking on the phone, as long as it doesn’t (in this case it certainly did) impact work.
- These customers are a tightly knit group. They are around each other for as long as 12 hours at a time. They get kind of clannish with those that measure up to their expectations. We also live and work in a small community.
- One of the stipulations to my punishment was that it wasn’t to be spoken of again (their request because they feared it would make me a martyr and give me leverage with the customer base). To date, I have been asked, with surprising detail, no less than 6 times what my side of the story is. When I reply that I can’t talk about it, I am told that someone else is.
These complaints are piling up, and unfortunately for the offending person, they cannot be ignored for much longer. Even worse, when the table is set with all the players, this person is not looking very good right now to management. They are doing subpar work, they have a history of “issues” within the company, they have a history of doing the same thing that they did to me at other companies (with a lawsuit against another company thown in for fun), and they are getting complaints. Because they didn’t use the opportunity to change the perception about them, and because they didn’t put out their best work, this person will be sent back to the “minors” until such time as they prove themselves. Meanwhile, I will be back doing what I was hired to do, and will have vindicated myself against a predator.
When I talked about HONESTY I talked about a co-worker who was going to engage in some shameful tactics. Well, she did.
Today, I got called in for a good tounge-lashing from senior management. Things were said that were attributed to me, things that I said were misquoted, and things were taken out of context to maximize the damage. It worked.
The end result was I had to be penitent and beg to keep my job, which I did, but they gave me the most personally humiliating sentence I could have received: I have temporarily lost my office.
Normally, I run on a pretty even keel, but I am bothered by the fact that two people who have received numerous complaints from the customer base will be in my place for the next week. I can already see all the damage control I will have to do to fix this mess, and I’m not even talking about the destruction to a damn good reputation. I will have to earn the loyalty from customers that will be pissed off about the way things go in my absense.
That’s the way it works sometimes.
People might ask why I agreed to the public humiliation. I am good enough at my job to be able to find another. I did so because I don’t plan on working in the industry for a long enough time to make going to another instituion worthwhile. I tend to give a lot of loyalty to the company I work for, even if the company shows me no loyalty in return. This is the game: Temporarily, they (those who would see me fail) have the upper hand. Since I am not willing to leave right now, I have to allow them the upper hand, and play with the one I have.
I feel truly sorry for the person that instigated this. I have no doubt that this person believes they did the right thing. I have no doubt that there was some pressure from on high to allow things to go as far as they did. Had this person approached me directly, I would have more empathy for this person. As it is, I have no anger towards them- as I said, I believe they felt they were doing the right thing. The problem that comes to bear is that this person will inevitably slip up somewhere in the presence of an influential customer, and the customer will bring this slip-up to the attention of those in power. The co-worker will, at that time, realize that they were played by the same game I was. Too bad it will be too late by then.
I mention any of this because this type of office politics is not uncommon. It happens all the time, and usually a young person bears the brunt of whatever happens. I took my lumps, and I will easily go through their gauntlet, emerging as a winner. If you get caught up in this type of thing, try your best to avoid the political repercussions. If you cannot, don’t try to come out swinging. Do what you need to do in order to keep your job. When you leave a company (as you would inevitably do, facing this mess), leave on your feet, through the front door. Understand that karma, fate, or divine intervention will catch up with the bad people. Companies will come and go throughout your life, but you will always be stuck with your own dignity. Some would think there is more dignity in quitting: I believe they are wrong, and that there is more dignity in doing what is needed to keep your job, or at least to not lose your sole source of income.
Welcome to SUPERBIA!
PRIDE is often confused with arrogance, especially in the workplace. Somehow, there is a negative connotation to the idea of appreciating the amount of work that went into achieving a desired outcome, and the overall result is a decrease in quality.
Think of the small things that happen every day:
You are in a store, when you see a piece of trash on the floor. You watch an employee walk right by without even stopping, even though you know they saw the trash.
You are in a restaurant, and the waiter/waitress has a large stain from food on their uniform. How likely are you to think that is a little gross?
You are walking through a store, and have a question about a product. Two employees are relatively close (equidistant); one with cleaned and well-tended clothes who is also well groomed. The other gives the appearance of not caring how their clothes look, whether they are clean or even if they are severely wrinkled. Which one do you approach?
We see things every day that influence our opinion about a company, the employees, and even the customers. Companies know this, and this is the reason why wait staff in restaurants wear aprons, why there are dress codes in most companies, and one of the reasons why employers have face-to-face interviews.
If you want to be successful in anything, you really have to take pride in yourself. Notice, I’m not saying you need to be arrogant. There is a difference. There are several areas where pride is important, and when you look at all the successful people in any industry, you will see that they all share similar qualities.
Pride in appearance: Your appearance is the first thing that everybody sees, and for many, how they will judge you for the remainder of your contact with them. It seems so simple, but there are things that you need to make sure you are doing to make this interaction positive. Start with staying clean. (I know, this sounds stupid, but believe me when I tell you that there are many people who need to read this blog for JUST this tip!!) Also, make sure you keep well-groomed. I’m a little lazy when it comes to shaving, but the upshot is that I really can’t grow any decent facial hair. Guys, you need to stay clean shaven, or, if you decide to grow a beard or mustache, keep it trimmed and clean as well. Girls, if you wear make-up, try not to look like you are auditioning for the circus. It doesn’t look good.
You need to also make sure your clothes are clean, and in good repair. Your (or your parents’) ability to afford clothes notwithstanding, you need to make sure that your clothes aren’t stained, worn, frayed, torn, or otherwise not in good repair. When I was young, I only had one pair of slacks and two dress shirts (this was before I went to a parochial school where slacks and oxford shirts were part of the uniform) that I could wear to work. I would put these clothes on at the last possible minute before my shift started, and as soon as I was clocked out, I would change out of them. The clothes were cleaned daily, ironed and hung, and my mom would immediately repair any damage done throughout the day (sewing).
I suppose I could also mention that you should work on staying healthy and fit, but I understand that there are some medical issues. The important thing is that you need to carry yourself to the best of your ability no matter your fitness level.
Pride in your performance: This one will be a little shorter. I know there are times when you can do less than your best and everything works out okay. I know that there are days when you just want to slack off a little. You may be a little sick, you may be having a bad day, or you may not really like your job that much. The thing is, when you are young, you are more in competition to keep your job than many young people believe. As a manager, I also have bad days. Some of those bad days mean that I have to get rid of an employee. Now, you could play the odds that our bad days won’t be the same day, but that’s pretty risky. Better that you do your best at all times. If you consistently perform at 100%, I will be a whole lot more likely to overlook the one time you bring me 70%.
Learn as much as you can about doing your job. Become an expert. Be the person that others come to when they need help. Doing this shows your employer that you are also looking out for the best interests of the company. Most importantly, completely internalize all of the QUALITIES OF SUCCESS . By doing this, you will show not only your bosses, but your customers, and the rest of the world that you have what it takes to succeed.
Every employer will ask for references. Especially since you have little or no previous work experience, the references you provide will be important. Initially, many young people don’t even think about references, and when they see the application, they scramble to ask relatives to say nice things about them. Unfortunately, this doesn’t work well because most (all) applications specify that the references cannot be related to you. A smart choice would be to have people who know you from school (teachers, counselors), the community (religious advisers, community officials), or volunteer organizations you help at.
Asking someone to be a reference for you can be touchy. In a very real sense, you are asking someone to put their reputation on the line for you. You are asking this person with very limited knowledge of how you will perform to vouch for the fact that you will perform well. For this reason, I’ve found some people have reservations about being a reference. You need to ask delicately if someone is willing to act as a reference, and you need to make it super clear that they don’t have to, and you won’t be hurt if they don’t. Be very clear that you aren’t asking them to say nice things, but to be honest about your performance in front of them, and the likelihood that your performance will continue to be the same for the employer. Allow them time to think about it if they need it, and never act offended if they hesitate.
One reason why someon might not want to be a reference for you is because they feel that you will be disappointed and will blame them if you don’t get selected. Another is because they don’t feel comfortable enough that you won’t let them down. Either way, if they are willing to do this favor (and that is what it is!!), treat people with respect, dignity, and gratitude.
Loyalty
I’ve talked about it before, but LOYALTY is a biggie.
One of the first questions I ask a possible employee is why they want to leave their current company. The truth is, I most likely have already found out the answer. I like networking, and I love the idea that friends will tell other friends things that they might not tell a stranger asking. I can’t tell you how many people will tell me that they want to leave because they hate their jobs.
They may not use those words, but since I have shared, and therefore, can understand the sentiment, I know what they are saying. But my understanding doesn’t extend so far as to mandate that I employ the griper. In fact, I rarely do.
Loyalty to your company is important while you are working there, but it is crucial when you are trying to get out. Most industries talk to each other within their industry. You might be working for someone’s mentor, and while by law they can’t give you a bad professional reference, sometimes friends understand what is unsaid as clearly as what is said.
That’s an obvious one, but what if you are trying to leave your department to work in another department in the same company? You have heard how the managers of each department don’t get along very well, and how they are constantly at each other’s throat. This can be particularly dangerous. Your instinct will be to say whatever necessary in order to ingratiate yourself with the new manager. You should do your best to avoid this instinct if you like your job, or the concept of being employed. Even if what you have heard is true, and if the managers really hate each other so much, there is the (strong) possibility that your off-hand comment about your current boss will be used as a slap to the face by the new manager. You also may not get the job, and your reputation will become that of the whiner that is gunning for your boss’s job.
Even though I’ve never particularly wanted my supervisors’ jobs, I’ve been accused more times than I can count that I was working to sabotage their department because I wanted them to fail. Because I have always been vocal about the shortcomings of anybody in a company (myself included!), people have taken the logical leap to say that I have no loyalty. I know this happens, and I’ve even become very good at telling WHEN it is happening. The problem here is, reality is infinitely less important than perception. If the perception is that I have no loyalty, then it doesn’t matter that I am the most loyal of employees in reality.
There’s another aspect of loyalty that is important to becoming successful. You are only an employee for about 1/3 of a day. The rest of the day, you are just a person. You have values, goals, and morals. So, what do you do when your job asks you to break loyalty with your home life? The answer depends on what is important to you. In most cases, I have always chosen that which was important to Wil, the guy over Wil, the employee. I have often found that betraying loyalty to myself never worked out well. In the short term, I might find small successes, but in the long term, I wind up resenting myself for the betrayal, as well as the company for allowing it to happen.
Another aspect of loyalty is that of blind loyalty. If you are reading this, I assume you have a little more intelligence than most people your age. You have proactively decided to take control of your destiny and your future. That being said, I expect you to think critically at all times. There is nothing disloyal about honest questions to the status quo. I read somewhere that without people questioning the status quo, we would still be living in caves. Personally, I welcome questions, as long as they are asked in the spirit of doing better. When they are just complaints with a raised inflection at the end, I get weary, very quickly.
When the question of loyalty comes up, most people stumble over themselves to prove their loyalty. You should never have to prove your loyalty to any employer. Sadly, you will be called to do so many times in your career. When proving loyalty, you should use actions. Like the used car salesman who claims he’s honest, when you have to shout about your loyalty, you make me think you are not loyal, or that you could easily be swayed to shift loyalties.
