Anyone ever hear that, either directed at you or someone you work/worked with? That’s a nasty thing to say, and very NOT true. Surely anyone who loses his/her job can be replaced with another person, but it still AIN’T you. The talents that only you possess, the temperament, attitude, your nuance is yours and yours alone.
I left a company after a two week notice some years ago, they told me I’ll be easy to replace. I ran a dept. several different machines, and even stepped in as manager for weeks on end while the manager was being hospital treated for cancer.
Several years later they did sell due to financial difficulties (due to their negligence), none on my account. I bumped into one of my colleagues and asked how things were going. He told me they had went into bankruptcy, then finally sold the business. He told me after I left, they had to hire 3 other people. I asked why. No one wanted to do everything you did without compensation. It was either supervise or run a machine.
I may be the exception, because I never liked standing still. I had to do something, make things run better, smoother, in sync. If there’s a better way of doing a process, I’ll find it, write the SOP’s, and bring it to fruition. I would work it out myself first. Then have the dept. run the gamete.
On the other side of things, you have bosses that are self-absorbed, everything revolves around them, or as an elderly friend says, “dissolves around them”. Humorous and yet true. In time it catches up.
Bad leaders say that because of one or more of these issues:
#1. They’re infatuated with themselves.
“It’s my way or the highway!”
No matter what you do it’s just not done right. No one does it better! You’ll hear the boss exclaim, “Do I have to do it all myself?” or , “If you want it done right, you just have to do it yourself!” We know fully well he/she can’t (in some cases), and he/she won’t. The project is never the way it should be, he/she would have done it differently. Yeah, right!
#2. They can’t handle that or any situation too big for them too handle.
It’s always someone elses fault, never their own.
I walked into a company, and when questioning the reasons why particular things were done in such and such a way, I got all the pain of heart his people give him. They don’t listen, or pay attention to what they’re told.
#3. They can’t handle the truth when confronted.
“Truth? You can’t handle the truth!”
When I asked what steps did he take to undergo transformation of his dilemma, he gasped, “What? I do everything I can to make this a tight ship!” I just replied lowly only for him to hear, “Your ship’s sinking.”
You’re, he didn’t like that at all! Let’s face the facts, you’re paying me to fix the problems you’ve created.
#4. Their boss told them that when they get that promotion that this is the way you act towards everyone beneath you.
“You’re above that now!, they’re just…”
It goes something like this: “Look Sam, starting Monday when you walk out of your office onto the floor, just remember you’re not one of them anymore.” Some think that once you graduate to a higher level of success you ‘must be above’ all your peers.
#5. They just don’t know any better.
“No one explained to me what I’m to do, I’ll just go with the flow.”
They come to work and assume little to no responsibility; not caring about what does and doesn’t get finished. Trying to look busy, just to get through the day, hoping to make it through to the weekend. As long as they’re not called to the carpet things will go as is.
#6. They didn’t ask for it, they didn’t want it.
“They just dumped it on me, I don’t care what happens!”
It will cost them the job somewhere down the line. Again, they come to work and assume no responsibility; not caring about what does and doesn’t get finished. The boss before was discarded, and now it’s their turn, as if to feel “NEXT!” So they turn that fear and anguish around and do what I call “Dumping Down”. Passing it down the line to the next.
You are unique, a one of a kind person. The boss may put someone else in your position, but they can’t take your place. Put yourself in a position of being non-replaceable. Go the extra, do what others turn down. Don’t be arrogant but in humility be joyful, even in adversity. You will rise to the top and make it hard to replace.
You can come up with some more points not mentioned here, list them in the comment section. Sphere-Logic Business Thinking is getting rid of the box mentality; and giving business real life thought. Working with the home and career sides of living simultaneously. Giving organizational leaders a step up to a fulfilling life. You can reach us at: info@agrpllc.com.
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