Malcolm O. Munro - The "Career Fitness" Coach

Dealing with a Wimpy Boss

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What do you do with the boss who won't use their authority to actually be the boss?  What if you work with someone who delegates the tough tasks for someone else to do?  How do you handle the boss who refuses to take charge?

I'm going to suggest seizing control if the boss won't choose to exercise it!

Now before I blast this week's bad boss, let me suggest that in some ways, this behavior can be explained.  Many people think the path to organizational success is to work your way to the top.  In fact, being at the top is a sometimes daunting place to be.  Nobody can prepare you for the hassles and stress that await you.  In the face of that stress, the new boss may turn back to old habits, behaviors, and even tasks that they held before the promotion.  And confronting problems?  They either go completely over the top or they shrink away. 

You have no control over how your boss makes this transition.

Here's what you can do:

1. Start asserting yourself!  If you've always wanted to try something new or do something a different way, this is your chance.  Get your act together, build the process, and put it into practice.
2. Take charge of your immediate area.  You don't need positional authority to be a leader.  I know you probably don't agree, but keep in mind leadership doesn't need a title to happen.  Management does.  Start thinking strategically and voice your thoughts.  Demonstrate you know how to add value and get busy doing it.
3. Be a good example.  If your boss demonstrates wimpiness, be the opposite and act decisively.  This is your chance to show the higher-ups you're qualified for bigger things.

There are some people who wait for opportunities to come to them.  If you have this type of wimpy boss, you have an opportunity to really demonstrate your worth.   Get busy this week building your own leadership and management skills! 

AND, if you're this type of boss, you're a complete disappointment to me.  Somebody thought enough of you to hire or promote you to that leadership role.  You better start acting in that role or find another line of work.  Leadership is a privilege.  Treat it as such!

Dealing with an Arrogant Boss

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Imagine if we still had kings like they did in the old days.  They would strut around with their big robes and crowns, compelling us to bow down as they moved through the streets.  At the sign of any criticism, they'd simply single us out for decapitation. 

Some of us unfortunately still live this way.  Arrogant bosses, the "kings" (and "queens") of our days still rule some workplace kingdoms demanding workers pay homage to their greatness.

Arrogant bosses exhibit a sense of entitlement, an incessant string of comments about how great they are, an attitude that demeans others of lower rank or position, and a focus on their needs over the needs of others.  If you're sharing a particular story with someone and they overhear it, they'll chime in with a similar story of their own.  At their least annoying, they'll simply be in your way.  At their worst, they'll inundate your day with deliberate arrogant pain. 

Here are some quick strategies on how to deal with them:

Don’t:

• Openly confront them – they would enjoy beating you down
• Try to one-up them – this is their game and they know how to play it
• Attempt to compete with them – why bother?  It’s a losing game

Do:

• Ignore them – they thrive on an audience and accolades – a silent or non-existent audience completely deflates them!

Of course the best way to deal with tyrants is to just not do it.  In this tough economy that may not be an option, but your sanity may dictate you make the move.  Whatever you do, don't become a clone of your boss.  Without a formal mentor program and development, that is always a scary potential outcome!

Dealing with Bad Bosses: The Screamer

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We're in our second week of figuring out how to deal with bad bosses.  This week's culprit is the screamer.

Screamers fly off the handle at the slightest provocation.  Why?  Their anger is an emotional response to outward stimuli.  It’s a fancy way of saying people get ticked off when actions fail to meet expectations.  According to Daniel Goleman, the “guru” of Emotional Intelligence, our brains are open systems, which, unlike our circulatory system that flows in a continuous loop, take in outside information and process it. 

What does this mean?

If you can’t manage anger, it just grows.  This is why  rage escalates.  Your only hope is to get out of the way until it subsides.  Angry people are irrational. Irrational people can’t be reasoned with. Your rational response will only put fuel on the fire. 

Don’t:

• Attempt to calm them down
• Rationalize with them
• Argue or further provoke them
• Take a swing at them

Do:

• Keep your cool
• Make a conscious effort to control your own response
• Wait for the right moment to revisit the issue when they’ve calmed down

In some ways, this boss is the most dangerous because their anger can provoke ours.  Keep in mind that positionally, they outrank you so your response will probably lead to the demise of your tenure at the company.  If screamer behavior is causing you undue stress that's affecting your personal and physical well-being, it might be time to find a new position.

If there is good news here, I think it's that screamers become caricatures and what they do to motivate simply makes them look foolish.  Still intimidating, but foolish.  They will never be seen as a leader. 

Dealing with Bad Bosses: The Unpredictable Time Bomb

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There you are, busy at work when your boss appears.  He begins yelling at you in front of everyone about your missed deadline.  His insults then turn personal.  You feel your blood pressure rising and muscles tightening.  As he moves into your personal space, you smell his bad breath and cheap aftershave.  He then grins and he hurls one last insult.  That’s all it takes – you shove him down and proceed to kick his head in like a watermelon, the cheers of your coworkers rising in the background.

Well that’s what you wanted to do anyway wasn’t it?  Most likely you slinked back to your cube, head down with your tail between your legs. 

This week the mailbag was full of questions on how to deal with bad bosses.  For the next several weeks, I'm going to answer them and give you some suggestions on how to deal with your bad boss.  This week's question comes from Carrie F. from Bowie, MD.

Dear Coach,
My boss is evil.  I never know what he's up to until he blows up at me.  Then he slinks back to his office like nothing's happened.  We can't stand his unpredictability.  None of us knows what he'll do next but we all feel very uncomfortable.

Carrie, I call bosses like yours the Unpredictable Time Bomb.

The scariest thing about these tyrants is their unpredictability. It’s like the sudden air pocket drop you experience on a calm airline flight.  Worse, they can shift mood right before your eyes after drawing you into their comfort zone, dropping the hammer on you when you least expect it.  The Time Bomb also exhibits a talent for hitting your with rage and insults while smiling.  I once worked for a boss who smiled all the time.  The only way you knew he was about to explode was when his face turned red and he began to rapidly grind his front teeth, all while still smiling.  He reminded me a little of the rather disturbing Burger King King. 

To deal with the Time Bomb, you’ll have to carefully study them.

Don’t:

• Turn your back on them – always be wary

• Be taken in by their sometimes charming behavior

Do:

• Respond to everything they say and do to you with caution

• Observe their behavior – watch for things that seem to trigger them

• See if patterns develop – are you doing something unconsciously that sets them off?

Remember, even in tough economic times, it's sometimes better to quit your boss than to put up with unhealthy behavior.  Use your HR Department if need be.  At the end of this series, I'll give you some very clear steps to take when trying to handle ALL bad bosses.

When this recession or whatever it's called is over, people will be leaving their companies in droves.  It's happened after every economic downturn and will happen again.  The bad bosses will get theirs and then some. 

How to be an INTRAprenuer

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Last week I showed you how to add value (and job security) to yourself by learning how to solve four types of problems.  Hopefully you've had a chance to put some of that knowledge to use.

This week we want to focus on helping your organization make money.

You've probably heard of entrepreneurs.  These are people who start their own businesses, often at great risk, for the reward of having control and being able to make dreams come true.  Entrepreneurs (and I know this from being one) are forced to think critically about every dollar that's spent and make the most of each opportunity to try and make money. 

Even if you're not up for this rollercoaster ride, you can still use principles we use and become an INTRApreneur!  I know that terms sounds weird, but it makes total sense.  To add value, you have to think of your organization as YOUR company.  Here are some suggestions to get your INTRApreneurial spirit engaged: 

1. Look for new markets.  Think of this company as your own. If you can't see opportunities coming down the road, your company can go bust.  This is your chance to do some networking and prospecting on behalf of your company. 
2. Establish networks.  Let people know where your work and what you do.  Think of ways to find common connections with everyone you meet.  Show them that your company is one they should do business with.
3. Think of office resources as your own.  In my home office, I count paperclips, paper, and other office supplies.  I have to pay for these so I control their use.  It comes right off my bottom line.  I know the temptation to leave with little things from your office, but remember, it comes off YOUR bottom line.  Protect your office from this kind of innocent pilferage.
4. Come up with a constant stream of innovative ideas.  In the old days, new ideas were probably swept under the rug or stolen by other office mates.  Nowadays, your ability to come up with a creative idea may save your company from going under.  This isn't the time to play games.  Make sure you communicate with everyone above you if you have a great idea.

I know these seem like they should be the responsibility of someone else, but if your own job security is on the line, don't you think you might want to step up?  Remember, job security is never a guarantee with the same company, but if you can do the four steps above, you'll learn some powerful techniques that will make any organization a success. 

And who knows, maybe someday that business you're protecting will be your own!

How to Be a Problem-Solver

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Last week we learned the best way to get job security was to ADD VALUE to your current organization.  Adding value is done by:

• Solving problems
• Helping your employer make money
• Getting along well with others.

This week we'll focus on the first one.

I'm sure most of us benefit from the fact we regularly solve problems.  Our normal week probably includes at least one work-related problem per day and a host of problems at home.  With regular practice, we've probably gotten pretty good at it.  The key though is the type of problems we solve and the longevity of the solutions.  The best way to gauge our ability is to look at the two types of problems most of us encounter.

1. Short Term - These are problems that give us headaches in the moment and come without warning.  These could be a moderate annoyance or a critical issue that can cause great harm.  The solutions to these problems are quick and result in instant abatement of the problem.  Examples could be a shortage of material, a machine that stops working, or a crucial staff member that calls in sick at the last moment.
2. Long Term - These are chronic problems that have a history of plaguing us.  They may be mild in nature or severe enough to cause hate and discontent but are somewhat systemic in nature, meaning we don't know why the problem is here or where it came from, we just want it gone!  Examples could be a useless and time-consuming meeting or an archaic approval system that takes forever to come through.
3. Process problems - These are issues with a system itself.  A key supply or component takes too long to come in when ordered or service and repair work never seems to get done on time. It could be related to an inflated performance management system or even the way promotions are awarded.
4. People problems - These are issues that directly relate to a specific person or group of people.  This normally focuses on attitude and behaviors that are caustic and disruptive.

Now the question is:  How do we solve these problems?  

First, you'll need to accurately diagnose the problem.  Figure out which one it is before jumping in to solve.  Next, you'll need to pinpoint the root cause of the problem.  There's no point solving a symptom - find the main cause and solve it.  Think about tools like a Fishbone Diagram.  Finally, look for a long-term solution.  Short term solutions merely push the real solution down the line either handing it off to someone else or allowing it to grow in strength and plague you in the future.

If you make a point of identifying one chronic problem per day (and this means not whining about it!), that would be a start.  SOLVING the problem would make you an all-star, and as we discussed last week, all-stars have job security, if not with a current employer, then certainly with a strong competitor.

This week, think about how you'll apply this information.

How to Make a Wise Decision

The following is my one and only reference to politics.

Well at long last the speculation is over on running mates, the ornate and over-the-top conventions have ended, and we are ready to enter the final stretch to election day.  Of course we can now expect to be  inundated with political TV commercials, the scary music and ominous sounding narrators telling us why the other candidate will leave America poor, destitute, and at the mercy of terrorists and other threats.  We can also look forward to suddenly-learned scandals, verbal gaffes by all candidates when they thought a microphone was turned off, slips of the tongue that manage to offend at least one group of the population, and one or two documents tying one or both candidates to some type of sordid deal someplace.

Somewhere in this process, we'll be expected to pick out our choice for President of the United States.  It's a right and a privilege to vote.  I'm going to ask you to choose wisely.  I'm also not going to tell you who to vote for or who I'm voting for.

Choosing wisely is something we have to do on a daily basis.  It's not easy considering the forces that are out there to influence us.  To help us, we need to first identify our values.

Values are those things we hold dearly to.  Some have been with us since our early childhood while others are added along the way.  We won't change our values although we can sometimes question WHY we have the values.  That's healthy.

Secondly, we need to be mindful of our attitudes.  These are how we live out our values.  Advertisers know we won't change our values, but we might change our attitudes.  Political ads try to work our attitudes since experts know there's no hope of adjusting values.  We might hate oil companies because they strike a nerve with our values, but an ad showing how oil companies are working to improve our environment might make us feel a little better in our dealings with them.

Third, we need to look at all aspects of a situation before making a decision.  Deciding on a solution based on only one set of outcomes might reveal new problems or exacerbate existing ones.  Consider all sides before making decisions.   Look at short and long-term outcomes.

Now that you understand that, apply the same process to your choice for President.  Don't vote blindly because you've always voted for that party, are focusing on just one single issue, or are taken in by a particular look of the candidate or their background.  This decision is way to important to be swayed by the press, the media, or advertising agencies and focus groups.  You'll have to live with your vote (as well as your daily business decisions) so make the most of it.

What do you think?

When Was The Last Time You Challenged Yourself?

I hurt myself today, to see if I still feel...

Johnny Cash

Two weeks ago, I taught a 5-day workshop entitled Making the Transition to Executive Leadership to a very senior group of managers.  It was one of the toughest things I've done in about the last two years.  The group was great to work with, but they challenged me on nearly every point I made.  Each morning, I woke up at 3AM to prep for the upcoming day.  At the end of each day, I was physically and emotionally exhausted. 

The good news was that I not only survived the week, but received outstanding critiques.  I really had to work hard for this one and it paid off. 

I do so many workshops that at times I am tempted to put it on autopilot and just coast in.  I never do though, my audiences deserve far more.  It's quite rare however that I put in so much prep time before each day.  That week I learned that challenging myself is a great thing to do.  My last two subsequent workshops have been really good - not only have the audiences been pleased, I've been pleased at my effort as well.  A good challenge brought out the best in me.

One of the greatest fights I ever watched was Buster Douglas's knockout victory over Mike Tyson in 1990.  Tyson took the 42-1 underdog Douglas too lightly and paid the price.  Tyson's prior string of easy victories caused him to disregard preparing for Douglas and was never the same after that fight.

When was the last time you really challenged yourself?

Are you at a place right not where what you do on a daily basis is so easy that you could do it in your sleep?  Does excellence come so natural to you that you don't work at it anymore?  If so, why not challenge yourself this week to do something totally different?  Shake things up a little.  Here are some suggestions:

• Take a different way in when you drive to work
• Take the bus or Metro for a change
• Talk to a stranger
• Begin a project that requires different skills than you normally use
• Place yourself on a new team
• Ask your boss for an assignment that will make you research and study
• Take on a new exercise routine

Mediocrity is the eventual result of a life without significant challenges.  Don't allow your rut to guide you into poor performance.  Don't be lulled into just existing.  Maybe like the lyric above, you need to hurt yourself to see if you still feel (figuratively of course!).  I know now that excellent performance needs to be worked at each and every day.  Let's commit to working toward that together this week!

How to Attain that High Level Promotion

This past week I facilitated a leadership seminar for a very senior group of Federal managers.  This is a group who is on the cusp of promotion to the Senior Executive Service (SES).  Members of the SES serve in the key positions just below the top Presidential appointees. SES members are the major link between these appointees and the rest of the Federal work force. They operate and oversee nearly every government activity in approximately 75 Federal agencies.

One of the highlights of the week was on Thursday where several current and retired SESs talked to the group about their career path, what they did to attain promotion, and passed along advice on career planning.  I was curious (although I'm not in the Federal service) about their career paths as well, wondering what it took to promote in the system.  What I heard was a little surprising.

When asked when they made the decision to go on a track for SES, each speaker told the group they never did.  They simply worked hard to achieve the mission of the Agency and take care of the people, and the big promotion was a by-product.

This was interesting to me since most folks in at least the private sector have to claw their way to the top, leveraging relationships, sometimes employing Machiavellian tactics, and in many cases stepping on top of others to make progress.  I was under the assumption this was the same in this case (and maybe in some instances it is) but either way, I was pleasantly surprised!

It made me think about the right attitude to have if you're on a career track for high level promotion.  The attitude should be one of service.  The harder we work for ourselves, the more challenging leading an organization becomes.  It's a very unselfish role to be successful at the top.

In some parts of the world, monkeys are trapped in a very unique way.  A glass jar of marbles is placed on the ground and monkeys, who are naturally curious, stick their hands into the jar to get the colorful little prizes.  Once they get a handful, they try to pull their hand out of the jar, but their fist blocks the exit.  Unwilling to let go of the marbles, the monkeys are easy prey for the trappers who snatch them up in a burlap bag.

If you're trying to get to the top at the expense of others and your organization, you're really no different.  The harder you reach for something, the more you have to lose.  This has nothing to do with working hard, as I spoke about in my latest book Endeavor to Persevere: 10 Steps to Achieve Breakthrough in Your Personal and Professional Life, it means we respect others as well as ourselves as we do it.

This week, take a look at your career goals.  Are you doing the best you can for your organization as well as yourself?  Remember, one you get that big promotion, you'll have to lead people.  Will there be anyone left to lead if you're promoted through a path of destruction?  Just a little food for thought this week.

Confidence Not Arrogance - A Lesson from the Belmont Stakes

I'm not much of a horse racing fan, but if the Belmont Stakes is on and a horse has a shot at the Triple Crown, I usually watch it.  Yesterday, Big Brown had a shot at winning the Crown after two impressive wins at the Kentucky Derby and Preakness so I tuned in.

After endless interviews, commercials, profiles of the owners, trainers, and jockeys, the race finally started.  Amazingly, Big Brown finished dead last.

The question this morning is, did Big Brown fail?

If you measure it by normal standards, you could say yes. After all, the Triple Crown is one of the biggest and most difficult prizes to get in sports.  If you miss that mark, you fail.  But if you really think about it, just getting to the Belmont after two other difficult victories is pretty impressive.  In my mind, Big Brown didn't fail, he just didn't pick up the third victory.

His trainer Rick Dutrow Jr on the other hand, did fail.  His failure however was before the race.  Over the past few weeks, Dutrow had become quite arrogant. claiming that Big Brown would be talked about "in the same breath as Secretariat, Affirmed, all those good ones."  He guaranteed a victory, something that's only been done successfully one time many years ago by Joe Namath before his New York Jets defeated the Baltimore Colts in Superbowl III in 1969.  His pre-race arrogance was annoying.

Perhaps that's why some of the trainers who beat him took such satisfaction in denying the boasting Dutrow of Triple Crown glory. It became clear after the race that by popping off so loudly and frequently, he had violated an unwritten rule of the shedrow. David Carroll, the trainer of runner-up Denis of Cork, did not mince words. Asked if he was sorry that another Triple Crown had been denied, he replied, "Not one little bit. There's a right way and a wrong way to do this. He said my horse was [in effect] a P-O-S. A piece of sh--. It bothered me, yeah. My horse is a good horse. It rubbed me the wrong way."

Now that it's over, Big Brown can enjoy finishing his days as a prized stud and Dutrow can begin mending fences and fixing his image.  He can only hope people forget the "guarantee" and move on.  It will reemmerge again of course the next time a horse has a shot at the Crown in some lengthy pre-race show, but maybe he will have done something by then to erase the stigma.

Big Brown, enjoy your new career, you've earned it.  Rick Dutrow, remember, confidence is fine, just don't get overconfident and arrogant.

It's a lesson all of us need to heed.