"Villains" @ the workplace
Last Thursday I had the opportunity to try my new workshop entitled: "Never give 100, ten dimensions to achieve work balance". At Venture Café Monterrey, a place that was the venue for the "Kick the Burnout" event where the challenge of balancing personal and work life was addressed.
My workshop inadvertently went on for 30 minutes longer than agreed, but in all honesty, I couldn't help it, people were sharing, participating and being vulnerable. The topic of Burnout has so much depth that a simple post on social media listing the symptoms, saying that meditating or taking vacations is how it is resolved, knowing (and as I have mentioned before) that taking vacations in Mexico is a privilege, it is simply not enough for a problem that on many occasions represents a glass spilling water that it could no longer contain.
Among the testimonials that were shared, there was one in particular that I couldn't stop remembering, a question that Alex put on the table:
"If I know that my colleagues are being affected by the excessive workload, how do I not seem like a "villain" when complaining about this situation?"
What I was able to answer at the time, is that we simply cannot control how we are perceived, that it is very likely that I have been classified as the "villain" on several occasions, because in the end I am responsible for my words and actions, but not responsible for its interpretation.
Now that I think about it, I don't think it's "approved" that I'm constantly telling people not to give their 100, because it might be interpreted as a practice that encourages conformism.
But in any case, you can watch this video (not translated yet) to understand why I keep advising you to Never give your 100.
Feeling fear or concern about being judged as "villains" when we want to express something similar to what Alex experienced is perfectly understandable, we don't want to seem like the complaining person, who causes problems or who bothers and destabilizes the work environment, because these are the situations that potentially trigger unconscious biases, which occurs when someone who doesn't know you makes assumptions about your character, intelligence, or abilities based on how you look, talk, or behave. This person does it without even knowing that they are thinking or reacting in this way.
This means that if a person raises their voice and points out an uncomfortable truth, it is very likely that within the receiving audience, there is an individual who, due to their prejudices and preconceptions, lacks the openness to listen to the comment with an open mind.
Unconscious biases can only be overcome by examining our behaviors and becoming comfortable with the unexpected. If I visualize it, I can see that Alex's ugly truth can take his leaders by surprise, but I would expect them to have an open mind, to listen, understand and examine where Alex's comment is coming from, if it happens that someone finds the observation unpleasant, the suggestion would be to stop and make a conscious self-assessment of the cause of the feeling.
Perhaps in the process, you'll discover something about yourself that you didn't consider before, and from there a vision is born that embraces change, is flexible, and has better adaptive abilities for any situation.
There are cultures in certain organizations that handle the concept of "family" in the work environment. Although said notion can reduce conflicts and disagreements within the structure, the fear of causing tension in the relationship with their superiors (who are now seen as fathers and mothers) could make employees feel that they must share any information that is requested and therefore potentially be affected by unconscious biases.
These dynamics can also make employees feel powerless (parents usually decide and kids follow orders).
I personally categorically disapprove of this idea, my relationship with work is not "familiar" it's transactional, the company buys my time unlike my mom, where she doesn't expect anything from me and I, for my part, want to give her the world.
And I really wish that's how your relationships with your mothers are.
Finally, managers, in addition to training to overcome unconscious biases and question their behavior in the face of certain issues and especially comments from collaborators, must also move from focusing on a family culture centered on "We are all in this together" to "We share the same purpose." There is research to suggest that defining purpose can lead to a greater sense of employee loyalty and commitment, especially when the company's purpose aligns with that of the employee.
Harvey Dent said it very clearly in the movie "The Dark Knight Rises":
Either you die a hero or you live long enough to become the villain.
Is it worth taking the gamble, raising my voice, causing discomfort, causing a stain on my reputation, or potentially getting fired for pointing out a situation that affects me or my colleagues? Or remain silent, be indifferent, see how collaborators resign, observe how the workload for me or for some increases, witness how this begins to affect and hinder your or my personal life?
I have my answer. What is yours?
This article was translated by @ross.gspr
Disclaimer: The views expressed are personal opinions of the authors and do not reflect the views of affiliated organizations. The information is for informational purposes only and not intended as professional advice.
References:
Biro, M. M. (2022, February 16). How To Tackle Unconscious Bias In Your Workplace. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/meghanbiro/2022/02/15/how-to-tackle-unconscious-bias-in-your-workplace/?sh=3867948d6dc3
The Toxic Effects of Branding Your Workplace a “Family.” (2021, November 10). Harvard Business Review. https://hbr.org/2021/10/the-toxic-effects-of-branding-your-workplace-a-family
