Sir, This is Apple-Polishing!

In an institution I once worked, there was an end-of-year staff soiree, where the Board Chair made the following announcement: ‘Don, you are the CEO of this subsidiary. Team, I’d entreat you all to give your new CEO the maximum support he needs. I’m still gonna have very high expectations of him and I assure it’s not gonna be easy…’

Don had been in acting capacity for a while and he seemed to have caught the Board’s attention.

With a wide almost ear-to-ear grin in his face, Don, awestruck, struggles to string a few words in a remark… ‘Errmm, I think I want to thank the Board for reposing such depth of confidence in me.’ ‘Thank you!’

There appeared to be cheers across the table, colleagues making faces, some silly ones, some obviously not too amused about the announcement.

In turn, colleagues began expressing words of solidarity in support of the new CEO. At my turn I said: ‘Don, congratulations!’

One manager, Patrick, rose and begun: ‘… oh, this is the doing of the Lord…praise be to Jehovah God Almighty…Don is a very good leader…I’m not surprised at all that the Board is saying he should be the CEO…As for me I will support him, I will make sure I do my work well so that Don doesn’t get into trouble.'

At this point I was getting a bit impatient, mixed feelings, worried, not too sure Patrick was properly screwed up in his mind. A few other colleagues felt same too. Don was however just watching and nodding away, then appeared to be basking in those unnecessary sycophantic praises.

Mulling over, I whispered to myself. ‘Don, can you not just discern that Patrick is so apple polishing you? Have you become naïve all of a sudden? Ouch! Sadly people cannot tell the difference when sycophants are on the floor.

Outside, after the drink-up, I got curious and asked: ‘Patrick, how long have you known Don, be it on the job or elsewhere… I see you have a lot of goodwill with him…’ Patrick chuckles, gets a bit fidgety and relates…Oh Louie, errmm I’ve not known Don for long -  less than a year, but in this organization if you must secure your job, you have got be nice to the big guys. And you have really got to do this openly so that the big guys will feel good. And Louie, you don’t have to assert yourself. Just tag along any decisions that are taken and you can be sure your job is protected for the long haul…’

I go like Patrick, are you serious? You have got to be kidding me big time! Musing…what does Patrick mean by job security? Whatever happened to performance, competence, delivery? Whatever happened to professionalism and self-assertiveness…Ok, ok! Survival in this environment depends on praise-singing and politics. No workplace policies?

Behaviour at every work place is quite infused with politics and this cannot be discounted. Work place politicking in itself is not an exactly bad idea.

Political behaviour is using the power at one’s disposal to get the desired outcome. For political behaviour to be effective, one has got to have some kind of power. Without this power, it is almost impossible to get the other person to do or give what is desired.

As a result there is positive and negative political behaviour.

Positive Politicking

Positive, because the organization may be the ultimate gainer of the outcome of political behaviour which results in a win-win situation.

Scenario – Bertha sends a directive by email to a colleague to get some tasks executed immediately. A week goes by and there is neither an acknowledgement of the mail, nor the performance of the task. No feedback. Bertha follows up with a telephone call to the colleague and there is a story. Bertha then, politically, sends a reminder to her colleague and this time, puts the General Manager (who has that reputation of terminating appointments of Staff who do not perform) in copy of the resent mail. The job gets done immediately and perfectly. The gainer is definitely the organization as well as Bertha whose directive has been effected. This is win-win.

Positive Political Behaviour Strategies

·         Forming coalitions of strong allies who can really connect to get results.

·         Building a network in and out of the organization to tap ideas from.

·         Pretending all colleagues are favourites, just so the work get done.

Negative Politicking

The beneficiary of the outcome of political behaviour is most likely NOT be the organization but an individual or group of persons who may have used their official status, resources and clout to reap undue benefit.

Scenario – in Gwen’s capacity as the final approving authority for procurement of capital items, she decides to put aside the quotations solicited and covertly obtains other quotations of bizarre values from unapproved sources (cronies) subsequently resulting in loss of value for money for the organization. Clearly in this scenario, the organization has lost and the staff gained.

Negative Political Tactics

·         Scape-goating – avoiding or minimizing outcomes of professional incompetence.

·         Information withholding or distortion in order to outperform work colleagues.

·         Taking undue credit for other colleagues’ accomplishments.

·         Making the superior feel good (ie apple polishing) in order to cover up for their inefficiencies.

·         Creating social debts or simply (threats of) blackmail - feeling you owe a favour.

All manner of employees, out of competition and the desire to out-perform colleagues regrettably engage in negative political behaviour which ultimately breeds disaffection and unhealthy rivalry among staff. This development can poison the work environment, nothing will get done and endless (paid) staff time would be used for conflicts resolution.

                                                                                                                                               

Industrial Relations Tipper Louisa: There’s a Hyena in My Office!

Industrial Relations Tipper Louisa: There’s a Hyena in My Office!: Have you ever been a target of aggressive behaviour in the office? In every endeavour and especially the work place, there is at least one p...

There’s a Hyena in My Office!

Have you ever been a target of aggressive behaviour in the office?

In every endeavour and especially the work place, there is at least one person who is often perceived as a threat to the career progression of their colleagues or the institution in general. This person may often be very intelligent, principled, organized, assertive, Union member, seeks to show a lot of career promise, affable, sometimes has strong personality presence, or worse yet, one who has victimization complex or low self esteem. This is usually NOT the boss!

These striking attributes suddenly irritate colleagues/bosses and they either get into unnecessary competition by desperately seeking to even out somewhat, initially dropping subtle hints of their discomfort with the target of victimization.

In the beginning the ‘prey’ may be quite unaware of these recurrent reprehensible behaviours like disrespect, unnecessary arguments, petty gossips and very soon becomes apparent and then gets worrying.

I worked in a non-Ghanaian insurance company where as a principle, I determined to practise my profession ethically and would NOT report or trade false figures. Incidentally my personal values sharply contrasted that of this firm’s and I suddenly became a threat who had to be dealt with.

This is the point where the hyena shows up.  A hyena is a carnivore. The hyena in my superiors will pick on me needlessly in every aggressive and offensive manner.  Here is what the CEO will do:

He makes an announcement in an antagonistic fashion as follows:

·         ‘It is an offense not to be part of the compulsory morning devotion which starts @ 7.15am. If you are not here by 7.05am you better not use the front door…’ (What happened to the labour law? Discrimination on religious grounds… what if I am not a Christian? - musing…

The CEO appeared to have connived with his colleague nationals in the firm, to bully other people, especially the assertive ones while he feebly looked on.

Other forms of Victimization

Relevant official information and documentation will be withheld so ‘preys’ are unable to execute their tasks.

Resources are unevenly and inequitably distributed in the workplace so that the ‘prey’ is sure not to get what is due them to be able to work efficiently.

There is obvious disregard for hierarchy and wanton display of power, to the point where the ‘prey’ gets frustrated and leaves the organization.

The CEO knows there is absolutely no basis to terminate the ‘prey’s’ appointment and so they bring out the hyena to terrorize and frustrate.

People, Victimization in the work place is illegal. The LABOUR ACT of Ghana, 2003, clearly and specifically abhors Victimization; and here is what it says in Part XVII Section 127:

Discrimination

127.  (1) A person who discriminates against any person with respect to the employment or conditions of employment--------- is guilty of unfair labour practice.

         (2)  A person who seeks by intimidation, dismissal, threat of dismissal, or by any kind of threat or by imposition of a penalty, or giving or offering to give a wage increase or any other favourable alteration of terms of employment, or by any other means, seeks to induce a worker to refrain from becoming or continuing to be a member or officer of a trade union is guilty of unfair labour practice.

Under no circumstance should you continue to be anguished on the job for no just cause.

Here is what you can do:

• Ensure foremost, that you are in no way engaged in any work place malfeasance - like ineptitude, disrespect, stealing, gossip and so forth. This way your hands stay clean to pursue your case and seek equitable redress.
• Petition the LABOUR COMMISSION to call your case for fair hearing.
• Keep documentation and a log of your official communication about the victimization practices and your possible attempt of grievance resolution at the workplace.
• Refrain from issuing empty threats like: ‘I will sue this company’; I will leave; I will report and so on.
• Stay focused on your job, difficult as it may be, under the circumstances.
• Stay calm and do not talk too much to implicate yourself.
• Be conscious of your environment, work station, working tools, who you send, what you eat and drink.
• Finally, for your own sanity, resign honourably.

Fascinatingly victimization often comes your way, when you are doing something right and colleagues are averse to your style and striking attributes. The hyena in them will want to diminish you so they can emerge.

Be careful. Do not play along. Strategize like the serpent. Be wise, but remain humble like the sheep.

Industrial Relations Tipper Louisa: I Can Do That Job!

Industrial Relations Tipper Louisa: I Can Do That Job!: I watched with awe how Journalists around the world had been getting their jobs done and I say to myself, 'I CAN DO THAT JOB!' I'd seen the ...

I Can Do That Job!

I watched with awe how journalists around the world had been getting their jobs done and I say to myself, 'I CAN DO THAT JOB!' I'd seen the calibre of great journalists like Larry King, Andy Cooper, Christiana Armanpour, Jonathan Mann, Richard Quest and many more.

You know that feeling when somebody does what they really are good at, you stay back and watch the ease with which they do it and you conclude rather nonchalantly: 'Oh, I can do it...' often without giving much thought to what that whole task entailed. Alright!

I so was in love with that profession especially for the glamour and attention it attracted.

It is not as if to say journalism is less difficult but, I indeed was a bit impractical about the workings and preparations of that profession, thinking that all it probably took was: good looks, great personality and fine communication skills. But that definitely was not to be!

So, while finishing secondary school, I'd normally have a chat with my father and he'd ask: Ok, Louisa, what profession are you considering to undertake..? Almost immediately I'd gleefully chirp: 'journalism!' He usually would not have much to say against my career preference, but would ponder a little and pry: 'really?' as if to search for a different choice of career.

He'd then ask: ‘so what about journalism?’ Then I'd come round to giving him a full lecture and strongly defend why I wanted to be one. I'd tell him how talkative I am, how articulate and smart I thought I was and I'd just go on and on.

He wouldn't say much but his posture and disposition showed clearly that he wished I did not tow that line. His reason was simple, and here it is.

Back then in the early to mid 1990s there was just about one state owned not-too-attractive television station along with its radio units; very few newspapers in circulation; it was a male-dominated profession; free speech was curtailed; non-competition and boring media landscape! My old boy clearly feared for me that it was NOT a profession for me at that time to pursue. Also because journalists were often thrown into jail without regard for their human rights.

Himself an accountant, and once Chief Accountant of SSNIT, my father would prod, ‘Louisa, I see you are quite analytical with figures’. ‘Would you not want to pursue Finance?’ Then I go like: 'well, yeah, it wouldn't be bad at all to be called a Chartered Accountant one day...' However, my dreams of wanting to be a journalist were still very much alive.

Career choices are very CRUCIAL and students must definitely be SHEPHERDED in this regard.

Often students have chosen professions because:

• those professions appear glamorous to them;
• they may be influenced by their peers who may have considerable strengths in certain subjects;
• parents are foisting a particular profession on their wards which they (the wards) obviously cannot cope with.

I believe students must have frank moments with themselves.

They must know their personalities, their strengths, what they can productively venture, what the profession entails and most importantly if they are prepared to pay the price of preparation for that profession.

Being in the wrong career may put food on your table, but could also make you very miserable.

Being in an imposed profession could get you needlessly into trouble because that is surely not your calling and therefore you may lack the passion to go the full term.

Being in the wrong profession could even kill you in the long run.

In my case I said to myself 'Louisa, what is it that you want to do?' Alone in my closet I begun musing and asking myself frank questions.

• Are you prepared for this profession?
• Are you ready to pay the price by dedicating yourself to focus on this course?
• Can you really go through these very difficult professional modules of ACCA?
• Are the job prospects encouraging for the accountancy profession both locally and internationally?
• Do I qualify for admission into the ACCA programme?
• Do I have that penchant to really go at it?

These are candid moments of critical assessment of your personality to truly find if this personality can support a particular career preference.

Let us not push ourselves into professions we cannot sustain. Talk to experienced people. Seek counseling. Do not pretend. Whatever you are good at, pursue it. Be excellent in that field of endeavour and all things being equal, you will enjoy your career to the maximum. When you get paid, it will feel like a BONUS.

Alright! So I ended up pursuing accountancy which I really love as my profession and God gave me a journalist to marry and we lived happily ever after!