What possesses a human being to allow another person to treat them poorly? Why would you not speak up for yourself? Why do some people think that they can treat others poorly?
My temporary work place is not a happy place. There is a real lack of respect for the employees. Somewhere back in the beginning the staff gave the manager permission to speak to them in whatever manner he sees fit. He sees fit to talk to them like their are beyond stupid and somewhat hearing impaired and like rubber door mats they just take it.
Apparently the manager was forewarned that if he did not treat me with respect I would simply walk out the door and return to my own lunchroom. My manager warned him, my manager’s manager warned him and he has responded properly. He knows that I will indeed walk, I would walk if I worked for him, there is always a job elsewhere.
Twice today “John” approached me and quietly asked me to “please” perform a task that is (apparently) part of my assigned duties. Three times today he yelled at the other 2 women to get something done. For a spell I felt bad that “John” treats me, a temporary employee, with the respect that he should be treating the women who can make or break him.
I am a firm believer in the philosophy that people will indeed treat you in whatever manner you allow them to. Where you draw the line should parallel the level of self respect you have for yourself or you negate the right to complain about the way people treat you. Respect can be demanded, whether or not you receive it is completely dependant on only you.
Very true.
You could also examine this from the standpoint of management styles and competancies. In classical training, there are multiple management styles – coercive, affiliative, pace setting, authoitative, democratic, coaching, etc. A good manager has the capacity and understanding to adjust style as required to suit the needs of the situation and those being managed. One shouldn’t manage every employee the same way, as the individual needs vary. Different people need to hear things different ways in order to undertand and respond positively. There are many poor managers that only learned one style, because they learned from someone else. As a result, they mis-apply it, and when they don’t get the results they want, they just turn up the volume.
I hear this from my brother who works in the automotive industry. He has heart and compassion, and understands those who work for him have a choice in coming to work, and so he tries to make decisions that align with the employee interests. This is the affiliative style. His boss, isn’t getting the dollars out of the store and doesn’t appear to understand marketing and promotions very well, so he really lacks some of the ingredients for success. As the results aren’t meeting objectives, his approach turns blindly coercive – ordering my brother to work people like dogs until they quit and then replace them with someone else to use up. This approach comes from only having one tool in his tool box, and that is a focus on labor and controlling costs. Were he to add other tools, he could affect more of the equation and create sustainable balance and growth.
Anyway, how fortuneate for you, that you enjoy the freedom of mind and situation to leave if conditions become untennable. Perhaps you will be able to offer John some alternate perspectives on ways to get results. Perhaps you can teach him the value of coaching…adding that to his management toolbox.
By: markitude on January 16, 2008
at 10:25 am
Strike! Strike! Strike!
By: Brianmpei on January 16, 2008
at 11:17 am
mark,
I have walked away from 2 jobs where my boss has not treated me with a modicum of decency so once more would be no biggie. “John” has other tools in his toolbox but chooses not to use them, “what are they gonna do, quit” was his reply to a suggestion that he would get more from his workers if he treated them better. Some folks are very resistant to change.
brian,
strike “John”, strike head office, or strike myself in the head?
By: sweetlybroken on January 16, 2008
at 4:32 pm