Rules for Success: #11

11.  Never talk smack about your boss.  Ever.

Anyone who has had kids knows that they are obsessed with the concept of fairness.  Though they mistake equivalent treatment for fairness, they will strenuously object at any perceived favoritism or curtailing of their ‘rights’.

“That’s not fair!”

Unfortunately, many adults have yet to realize that identical treatment does not uphold fairness, not even in an office.

For example, if two employees violate a similar rule, most people would agree that they should receive the same corrective measures.  However, what is punishment or corrective for one person may be nothing to the other.

Favoritism rears its head.  Face it.  Folks like to work with people they like, and are more likely to give praise to someone they find appealing.  Minions don’t like everyone they work with and bosses don’t like everyone they supervise.

Favoritism can be less overt than you might suppose.  It isn’t necessarily ensuring that someone receives all the choice projects, it can be as simple as not following up on tardiness.

Perception and differing values.  Perhaps a tardy employee is always one to volunteer when the company needs someone to pull late hours.  Maybe the manager feels that tardiness of 15 minutes can be overlooked for someone who is always willing to stay until midnight, then show up the next morning.

An employee who comes in 5 minutes late, but never volunteers for any extended projects, may be the recipient of the verbal hammer.  This employee might think, “This isn’t fair!  Melissa is 15 minutes late every morning.” 

The employer and the employee have different values.  The employee wants identical treatment, where the employer values work product and flexibility.

Laying the smack down.  Employees who feel that the office environment is unfair spend their time criticizing the powers that be.  Often this employee will find more of the ‘disenfranchised’ with which to commiserate. 

No matter what the perceived or real injustice, badmouthing your boss will never be effective at remedying the problem.  If you can’t take your problem to HR or transfer to another department, nor can you ignore it, it may be time to find another place of employment.

MYOB.  If, however, the ‘problem’ doesn’t really affect you (as in the case of someone else’s forgiven tardiness) then mind your own business.  What someone else does or doesn’t do has nothing to do with you.

You have two choices, leave or deal with it.  Badmouthing your boss is not one of the options.

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If you liked this article check out Rules for Success: #10.