Is My Company Really That Bad?

Dear P.K.,

I’m glad to hear you are still on the bright side of what’s happening at your place of employment. I have seen situations where the boss or person in charge sees negative issues and has a similar perspective, and they try to manage and support the company line while commiserating with their team members. You believe you are all fortunate to be where you are, and you want to stay upbeat and focused. It’s a delicate balance, because usually there is some truth to the negativity, and maybe there are obstacles you could help remove. Adopting a perspective of objectivity is your best goal.

Here are a few things you can do to engage with the people who are disgruntled and fed up:

1. Help your team focus their energy on what they can do and influence. Obstacles exist everywhere. The key is how we deal with those obstacles. There are three categories: Those we can control and overcome by taking some steps or action, those we can influence by putting together information or by influencing someone else to make a decision or change, and those out of our control. The problem in many large organizations (small ones, too!) is that people spend an inordinate amount of time focusing on the things they can’t control. Unless you are a board member, the CEO, or you own a large portion of the company, you aren’t influencing or changing decisions being made at the top. Help your team members see this. How can you be a resource to help them think through their options?

2. Encourage your coworkers to look elsewhere. Yes, I know this is counter-intuitive and you are resource-constrained. But it can be very helpful for people to see opportunities are not better somewhere else. What you are describing is happening in most large organizations I deal with, and many of the smaller ones too. Firms are trying to figure out how to operate most efficiently and effectively. This means doing more with less. I had a boss many years ago who was one of the worst people I ever had the displeasure of working for. But he had a mantra that did make sense to me then and that I’ve lived by ever since – keep your eyes and ears open for what’s happening outside, interview every chance you get, network like crazy and stay knowledgeable about what’s happening with other firms in your industry. His main point was that it is easy to become insulated and complain about circumstances. But when you look outside, you might find you have a much better gig than you thought.

3. Be the person to reframe. This one can be tricky, because when someone talks to you and they are in a bad place, they don’t want to hear about how the situation may be better than they think. However, someone who is struggling with too much to do has an opportunity to get better at time management. Someone who dislikes the decisions being made has an opportunity to get engaged in groups or on teams internally to make change happen. Someone taking on additional responsibilities has a chance to learn and develop a new skill. It isn’t rose-colored glasses – it’s true! Help the person see there is always another side to every situation.

4. Remind your team they can pay some bills and take care of their family with their paycheck. I know – they are contributing and helping the company succeed, and they get paid as a result. It’s a quid pro quo situation – each side gets something in return. I am not suggesting they roll over and let the company do whatever it pleases; but remind them they are receiving a paycheck for work done. The time spent complaining about the company is time away from the work they are being paid to do. I used to tell my team they could go home and swear and yell about me and our decisions, and they could get drinks with friends and say I was the worst and the company is awful. But as soon as they walked through that door (or logged into the system or onto Zoom), they were to be as positive and supportive as possible for their management and our company. This doesn’t mean you don’t try to bring about positive change – of course you should try and make things better. It means you don’t denigrate the org that is paying you on their dime!

5. Help them to problem-solve. When people get frustrated, a lot of times it is a symptom they are stuck and not sure what to do next. Implement the SHIFT process I have written about in prior columns. Help them to “S,” specify the desired outcome. Most people know what’s wrong, but not what they want to have happen. “H,” highlight those obstacles and help to categorize as mentioned in point #1 above. “I,” identify the human factor and help your team member understand what strengths they have, what they can do to bring about a positive change or to improve their circumstances. See what stakeholders they can leverage and work with to bring about change. “F,” find the alternatives. Work with them to uncover alternatives they might have, including looking elsewhere if they just can’t stomach what is happening at your company. Then “T,” take the disciplined action. Make a plan. What will they do, when, who can help them and how will they be held accountable.

6. No matter your level, you can gather the input you are receiving and bring it to someone who can make a change happen. I’ve had situations in my firm where time management comes up repeatedly. We have asked people to do time tracking and identify where the time is going. In many cases, we find themes where the company could invest – often a reasonable amount – to put a role in place, upgrade a system, or provide training to become more efficient and effective. Just because you are in middle management doesn’t mean you are helpless to do something to make change happen. Consider if what you are hearing is true enough that you could help bring the message forward.

Beverly Flaxington co-founded The Collaborative, a consulting firm devoted to business building for the financial services industry, in 1995. The firm also founded and manages the Advisors Sales Academy. She is currently an adjunct professor at Suffolk University teaching undergraduate and graduate students Entrepreneurship and Leading Teams. Beverly is a Certified Professional Behavioral Analyst (CPBA) and Certified Professional Values Analyst (CPVA).

She has spent over 25 years in the investment industry and has been featured in Selling Power Magazine and quoted in hundreds of media outlets, including The Wall Street Journal, MSNBC.com, Investment News and Solutions Magazine for the FPA. She speaks frequently at investment industry conferences and is a speaker for the CFA Institute.

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