FRIDAY THOUGHTS : ON THE JOB

New on the job? 

Discernment is a superpower. 

Note who’s just a little too eager to fill you in on what’s been going on, and who’s who. They have already pegged you as sympathetic, petty, nice, or gullible. 

Sometimes, the narrative you’re fed, misidentifies the bad guys, weakest links, and tries to gloss over the real problem. The bully on board tries to play innocent victim, and maligns anyone who poses a threat. 

Be objective. Don’t be swayed to take sides.You haven’t heard them all. You just got there, and can’t be anyone’s judge, referee, savior, or redeemer. 

Objectivity is key. That person being pegged as a troublemaker, slacker, or poor fit, may be the best asset the group, team, or organization has.

RIGHT is the only side you can afford to be on. Honesty, wisdom, and reason are there. Cling to them.

Those first voices in your ear, want allies—and consent. Perhaps they’ve exhausted everyone else, and need fresh ears. They labor under the misunderstanding that you’re there to validate THEM, their ideas, agendas, preferences, and plans. Gossip, groupthink, and blocking are their strongpoints. Cliques are their mode of travel. Don’t hop on that bandwagon. Perfecting the principal thing, takes a back seat to their actions. They’re nice, at first, until they realize you have a mind of your own, and prioritize the successful execution of the task, above all else. Stay above the fray.

Some dysfunctional situations don’t require discernment, though. They are obvious, and have been allowed to persist, because someone is actually orchestrating and benefiting from the chaos—or stagnation. You can clearly see where the trouble is, and why mediocrity and inconsistency reign. Excellence isn’t exactly welcomed, it’s feared, envied, cast aside, diminished, undermined, and deemed unnecessary. Unfortunately, everyone works around the stumbling blocks, talks and complains about them amongst themselves, but they stay in place. Don’t YOU trip, though. Step around. Step over. Straining yourself to move them, is not your job.

Don’t be dazzled by the uniform, either, nor accept or don it, until you know what your purpose really is. You might need more armor than is being offered.

When there’s no real growth, just a revolving door, pay attention. The constant exodus is attributed to everything except the dysfunction that’s allowed. Will you bounce, too? Those who tire of the nonsense, are labeled weak, selfish, or uncommitted, for not sticking around to be infected by it all. They take their skills and resources elsewhere—and thrive.

But, sad and counterproductive as it may be, is that the goal? Is maintaining the cliques, holding on to positions, and discouraging and driving away competent, effective, qualified people, the actual goal? People say they want help, improvement, cooperation, teamwork, and productivity, but DO they really?

Are you feeling brave? Do you have the patience? Can you handle the job? Can you help? Is it a good investment of your time? Have you seen this movie and its cast of characters, before? Will you give it a chance and commit, or do you already see that it’s just temporary?