When You’re Forced to Quit, What Do You Do?
Constructive Discharge is a slippery term designed to confuse and encite feelings of doubt. It is never easy leaving a job whether it is on your terms or the organization. Find out more when you are forced to quite.
So, you like to talk behind my back?
There is nothing more irritating than finding out someone has said something behind your back. It doesn’t have to be right or wrong; it just must be said without you there. Now I know you would never talk about someone like that, and it is the other people that do that, but not you. Let’s be real! We all said something, whether the intent was there at some point in our lives.
Talking behind someone else’s back, especially in the workplace, is a quick way to damage a team. Sometimes we are blind to the fact that our co-workers are setting us up to fail. I am saying it is gossip in the workplace. Gossip, true or not, is toxic, and Corporate Speak 2.0 names it “The Gemini Theory.”
As you may know in astrology, a Gemini is known to have “two faces.” Two faces, one in front of you and the other behind your back, maybe? That is a far stretch and I know that, but to drive home the point of talking behind someone's back, we should have some creative fun.
What is the Gemini Theory according to Corporate Speak 2.0? First, Corporate Speak 2.0 embodies the philosophy of an established, logical leader who prioritizes people-first values, builds teams that honor one another, fosters honesty and integrity, and develops teams that are secure and compensated properly. Corporate Speak 2.0 is a movement to construct non-toxic, competent workspaces for everyone.
Now, back to the Gemini Theory. The Corporate Speak 2.0 Gemini Theory is the theory of human nature to act in a way that promotes a positive attitude when all eyes are on them, yet the moment they get the chance, they begin to slander their co-workers. They do this to undermine others to get ahead, but it puts them further behind the team. Corporate Speak 2.0 will not tolerate this type of behavior, and should it occur, the receiver of the gossip has a duty to stop the conversation, say something to that person, and ask them not to talk about others in such a negative way.
This promotes accountability and places clear boundaries without the need to involve HR or management. It is time we empower people to be able to talk to people. And this is not to say that management cannot be involved, but they should not intervene just yet. Allowing the natural influence of power results in the solution. As leaders, it is up to us to allow conflict so that boundaries are pushed and set at the same time. It is when the team cannot work through their conflict that’s when we step up and lead. We should lead with a firm yet forgiving hand.
The more we allow our people to resolve conflicts among their peers, the more trust we give and, in turn, signal to the team we trust them. And when we must step in and lead to resolve issues, it conveys that we mean business when we do. If we cried wolf every time there was no wolf, as the fable goes, the wolf shows up, and everyone is taken down. Leadership is a passive and active pursuit of the organization’s goals. How it impacts the team, well, that is up to the leader to determine what is best and how to meet the expectations. Corporate Speak 2.0 is not designed to belittle people, gossip about others, no formal training, or be incompetent and dishonest.
Read Part of Chapter 3: Smiles That Cut
idk IS hr: fRIEND OR fOE?
TRIGGER alert! TRIGGER alert! If you are a Human Resources Professional (HRP), please don't take offense, but I want you to take all the offense you want, because you know what you do. Now that the trigger alert is out of the way, let me talk a bit about Human Resources (HR). As always, this is my perspective from what I have experienced over my career. I do not intend to kiss ass nor deny the benefits of HR, but I will give you the real answers to our question.
(HR) came about circa 1893-ish and was popularized in the 1930s and fully adopted in the 1950s. Not much has changed in HR over the years, but everything has changed. HR is not your friend. HR is not your go-to with every problem. HR is not going to protect you in every sense of the word to protect. HR’s sole purpose is to keep the company away from legal liability. Does it always work that way? No! But the sooner you understand to pick your battles wisely and be very careful when you go to HR, you will navigate Corporate Speak. If you go to HR with every little issue, you will be a target, and they will see to it that you get out of the organization quickly and quietly.
I do not have anything good to say about HR and the way those departments are structured. There are more lies, backstabbing, and overall dysfunction in the HR department in an organization. They are the ones who know everything about everybody and play the game so well because they get to write the rules. Now, it is not all doom and gloom; we do have some protections here in America when it comes to our civil rights, but not many. We have the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993, and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, to name a few. Within those landmark protection acts for employees, there are rules and consequences for breaking those rules. Two big enforcement agencies that enforce employment law are the Department of Labor and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. They enforce the laws and regulations and will sue if the situation requires it. You may be thinking that it is great; however, there are many loopholes, and organizations exploit those loopholes all the time.
One hot topic that is a loophole is the at-will employment decided by the individual state. That means an employee can, for any reason at any given time, be terminated without explanation. In theory, that sounds pretty crappy, and it is, but we do know that if the company violates the law in any kind of way, they will be held liable. Now you know why HR works twice as hard to cover or attempt to smooth things over when people decide to be stupid at work.
Read more about HR and its overarching power in Chapter 2: Hello, welcome! from my book Corporate Speak: Rebellious Change.
How Do you know if you are running on empty?
Hey, I heard you wanted to know what Burnout was and how to spot if you have it too. It doesn’t matter if you call it Burnout, Burnt out, Exhausted, Tired, Wrecked, Dead Ass, or Over it, they all have the same implications. Burnout is real and it creates real problems for people. Mental health is gone, physical health is gone, and you will be gone if you don’t wake up and snap out of it.
Chapter 7: Burnout is trauma Read More
