Beyond the Cubicle - Corporate Culture with Teri Aulph
This is a cautionary tale about how easy it is to allow the downturn in the economy, added pressure, fewer resources and other factors to negatively impact your management style and, ultimately, the culture of your work environment.
Dear Boss,
I appreciate working here and am thankful to have a job. I like the people I work with and care about them. I listen to you and try to please you when given the opportunity. Here is what I need you to know:
I’m not sure you are aware, but my name is Bob. I am married, my wife’s name is Cheryl and we have a new baby girl. Her name is Zoe. We bought our first home this year, right before the death of my mother. You have never called me by my name or asked me about who I am. As a result, I don’t feel like I matter.
When I am in your office to discuss work and you choose to type, read email and/or take phone calls, I don’t feel like you are interested in what I’m saying. As a result, I don’t feel valued.
When we launched the new product last Fall I was very excited. At my former company, we tried some cutting edge marketing strategies that were very successful. I emailed these to you as a suggestion, but you never replied. As a result, I felt invisible.
I have never been late to work. The only time I have missed work was 2 days when my new daughter was born and 3 days when my mother passed away. I eat at my desk and usually use this time to read and respond to my email. During the new product launch, I worked 1-2 hours late every day for 3 weeks and most Saturdays, as the whole launch team did. You never recognized those of us on the team who put in the extra time to make the launch a success. As a result, we were de-motivated.
Due to financial constraints and the down economy, we have downsized our employee population. Those of us who remain are expected to take up the slack and do more with fewer resources. My team has been meeting to explore the most effective way to get the work done and balance the workload. When we asked to meet with you to discuss our ideas, you were too busy. As a result, our team morale is very low.
The work our team did to make the product launch did not go unnoticed by our competition. I have been approached to work for a competitor. This position is a promotion and starts at a higher salary. I realize I would not be afforded this opportunity if I had not been an integral part of a team working on a high profile product. However, if I choose to stay, I run the risk of never being mentored or coached by an effective leader who is interested in developing the talent around which he/she is surrounded. I owe it to myself to do what is best for my family and my career. As a result, I am resigning.
I wish the best for you and hope you discover that YOU are an important part of the process. You never understood that we were waiting for you to show up; we were waiting for you to lead.
Best regards,
Bob
For more information, please visit Teri's TNNW Bio.
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