LIFE SUCKS – LIFE IS NOT FAIR GET OVER IT WHY DO MANAGERS LIE TO THEIR STAFF? This is a major issue with me. I've worked for many different international organizations all over the world, having spent nearly ¾ of my working life in Africa, I learnt to be very weary of African Businessmen and never trust them with word of mouth deals; even written contracts are ignored. This is why Africa has the reputation of being so corrupt. During my study years back in the 50s/60s it was stereotyping the French or Italians as liars? However I have now returned to the UK (2005), maybe I am just unlucky having to work with various British organizations in the past seven years, but in most cases the British Managers tell lots of lies. Why I ask...? When I ask co-workers why they lie, I am told in the majority of cases it is because of all the cosmopolitanism (or multiculturalism) now in the UK. Some say it is peer pressure and others say it is plain greed for want (as is the case in Africa). Personally I think it is because we; the average Mr and Mrs Worker aren't as high up the chain and they presume we are stupid? If that is the case then I got a big problem because in most cases, I am smarter than they are by leaps and bounds. Most managers don't hold a candle to half their staff in the brains department. I have, in the last seven years, worked along side of people border level geniuses that wait tables, answer phones, work in coffee houses, or are bartenders. All while the people in charge of them couldn't answer a simple math problem like 2x6(0x16)+9 =? Or who Isaac Newton was or how many oceans there are and their names? This knowledge doesn't make you a genius, but it proves you can learn and you retain knowledge. Now if managers think leading by misdirection is good then they are now adding to their ignorance. Telling us what we might like to hear instead of the truth is still lying. If we aren't going to be packed don't say we are going to be busy. Feeding even white lies about things that simple eventually leads to demoralization of your staff. This leads to mistrust of your subordinates. Currently I can ask any servers at the restaurants or my colleagues at work, "If a manager says it is going to be busy..." their response is to laugh and know it will be slow. When a manager arrives in the office he explains, someone important is coming from head office, and thus get things tidy. It is almost immediate nowadays. The staffs at those places are so used to being lied to that they expect the exact opposite. Hell, one told me that a manager one time just made up a policy and rolled with it. Made up policy... who does that?? Now in my experience managers do this sort of thing because it is done to them up on high... shit rolls down hill? This I get and understand but I don't roll with it. If you know dodie ste®eo p®odu©tion ™
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LIFE SUCKS – LIFE IS NOT FAIR GET OVER IT facts then state it. If you have an idea or a belief, mention it as such. If you have no clue then don't make up or guess... tell us, the underdogs. We are all classified as adults so you can talk to us as such. We understand you aren't omnipotent so trust that we can handle the truth over overt lies. How many times have you been caught off guard and been a witness to a manager or supervisor lying about the real situation regarding your job performance or your standing within the organization you belong to and tell you that everything is fine and there is no need for any concern. Surely it must have happened to you a time or two as it has become a practice in the workplace to lie to people in order to take care of business. Honesty in the workplace, especially in the UK is suffering and straightforward performance feedback or evaluations have been tainted by managers not telling the truth in order to accomplish a pre-determined goal or objective such as a reduction in force or layoff or worst, personal revenge or retribution because they don’t like you or how you might threaten their success. Managers today have to make a choice whether they are respected for being honest or liked because they know how to lie. A manager that likes everybody and tries to please everybody is unlikely to be an honest person as they compromise too much to make such relationships work. However, the truth is many do it and you must accept it as a matter of fact in the workplace that it happens way to often when your work is evaluated or your contributions to the organizations are unfairly assessed for tenure or promotions. The first reaction would be a “why me?” or “what did I do to made they mistreat me or different?” and the truth is it may have nothing to do with you at all. It may be the way management has developed a policy to keep employees happy by lying to them and telling them they are doing great when in fact, they may not be meeting the cut to remain employed or a layoff is imminent. The reasons vary but the practice is real. The first and main thing you have to remember is that most managers are often the bearers of bad news. If they bring you good news it is likely suspicious and short lived. Managers like to exaggerate how people work in order to develop competition between people as they enjoy telling you that you are doing better work than the others and telling the other persons the same thing about their work. I am sure the truth is there somewhere between the truth and the lie but it makes it difficult to assess yourself so that you can make yourself a better worker and more valuable to the team or organization since your feedback is more often not truthful. Good managers must know that in order to get ahead one does not have to be a liar, a thief or a cheat. A good manager should have courage and behave morally at all times and not blame others for their own shortcomings. Keep in mind that a good manager may be an exception to the rule and identify it as such when you deal with this problem. Good managers also have good leadership qualities. Good leadership has two avenues or options available to them when it comes to under performers – they can coach them, direct them or dodie ste®eo p®odu©tion ™
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LIFE SUCKS – LIFE IS NOT FAIR GET OVER IT mentor them to acceptable levels or they can let them go. There is no third option when it comes to effective management practices. Bad managers lie because they want to or management preaches it. Unfortunately most managers don’t have the courage or intelligence to look another person directly in the eyes and tell them the reality around their job or future. They do what the company wants them to do and no matter how painful it is, they lie to avoid telling the truth. Once you understand this concept of management you will challenge any and all comments made in your favour and seek the best way to improve yourself or make you a better worker before it is too late.
dodie ste®eo p®odu©tion ™
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