Outro dia ocorreu-me algo de óbvio. Tão óbvio que nem pensamos nele a sério. De que falam as pessoas doentes? Não, não, não é do hospital que estou a falar. É da rua, do café, do supermercado. Em todos os lugares encontram-se pessoas que falam sobre os seus males, as suas doenças.
É ouvi-las a falar do médico, da farmácia, dos medicamentos, das dores, do mal-estar, de outros doentes como elas. E repetem-se continuamente, de cada vez especificando pormenores sobre a sua «cruz»: onde fica a dor, como se sentem, o que fizeram, o que tomaram, o que comentaram, o dinheiro que gastaram. E afirmam o quanto infelizes se sentem com tão desagradável situação.
Uff, é na realidade um turbilhão de histórias e acontecimentos que não raras vezes enfastiam quem está a ouvi-las, a não ser que seja outra pessoa... doente. Mas no fundo, bem no fundo, é compreensível, pois as pessoas falam mais daquilo que as perturba e as incomoda.
Pois bem, e de que falam as pessoas que trabalham em empresas «doentes»?
Das «doenças» das empresas, da gestão, do dinheiro, do fim do mês, do horário, da hora de saída, do pessoal, dos colegas, da «chatice» do trabalho, da crise, da falta de oportunidades, de formação, da inércia, do que se disse sobre quem e o quê.
E de que falam as pessoas saudáveis?
Dos projectos, dos amigos, da alegria, dos planos para o fim-de-semana, das férias, de desporto, de jantares, de divertimento, de gente saudável...
E de que falam as pessoas de empresas saudáveis?
De projectos, de formação, de oportunidades, de ideias, de colegas satisfeitos, de férias, de convívio...
Bom, que conclusão tirar?
Se uma grande parte das pessoas doentes não tem hipótese de escolher sentir-se bem ou melhor, pelo contrário, uma grande parte das pessoas de empresas doentes tem hipótese de mudar, de fazer uma viragem. Se fala muito das «doenças» e da disfuncionalidade da empresa e se isso lhe causa um mal-estar permanente, equacione mudar... Já. Não espere até ficar como a empresa. Doente.
segunda-feira, 31 de janeiro de 2011
quinta-feira, 27 de janeiro de 2011
Toxic Companies - Take 5
«Go down there and bring me a packet of cigarrettes»
Another situation of assertion of power. The boss controls, the boss's boss. The personal favor is an institution, unfortunately very common.
"Buy me that magazine, you know... Take the money!"
"Go up stairs and deliver this sheets, hurry, hurry!!"
"Please go to the post office and send me this letter"
"Go down there and bring me a packet of cigarrettes"
"Can you do me a favor? Get down to the market and buy me a biological lettuce?"
This type of boss keep the employees busy, quiet and silent. If you refuse to make a favor, say goodbye because or you go straight to a «shelf» or, sonner or later, get fired.
Notice that this kind of managers or bosses usually are people with a huge lack of work capacity. They spend their time keeping the eyes in small tasks and in personal favors.
Companies of personal favors tend to die, but, meanwhile, they still are in a large number. According my experience, I noticed several times real competition between colleagues in order to have boss's preference. We all know why, because is an advantage, better salary or bonus, less work, less responsibility, and more complacency.
What happens then? The work turns in a second plan issue. Who cares about commitment, or effectiveness, whatever! The more preferences rise, as well as personal favor's activities, the more the business narrow. Till one day, when we stop defining the company as a... business.
Empresa Tóxica - Take 5
«Vai lá abaixo e traz-me um maço de tabaco!…»
É a afirmação do poder em absoluto. Inquestionável. O chefe manda, o chefe controla, o chefe é o chefe e vai lá fazer um recado ao chefe:
«Compra-me ali no quiosque a revista do costume… Toma lá o dinheiro!»
«Vai lá ao 2.º andar levar estas folhas»
«Vai ali aos correios pôr-me esta carta…»
«Vai lá abaixo e traz-me um maço de tabaco!…»
«Podes ir à praça comprar-me alfaces biológicas?»
«Olha, vais à EDP e pagas-me esta factura de luz»
Quem precisa de sentir que tem poder, tem de pôr alguém ao seu serviço particular. O chefe que manda fazer recados pessoais domina. E mantém os seus colaboradores ocupados e subservientes. Uma recusa é o passaporte para a prateleira ou para a rua.
Estes managers são por norma algo limitados na sua capacidade de trabalho, pelo que se concentram amiúde nas tarefas menores, não permitindo qualquer criatividade. Ocupam os seus colaboradores com tarefas simples, rotineiras e nos... recados pessoais. A lealdade é reconhecida no favor. São essencialmente avaliadores, analistas do trabalho feito, destruindo ou reconstruindo qualquer iniciativa.
As empresas dos favores pessoais têm tendência a morrer, mas existem ainda em grande número. A competição interna é voraz e prende-se, claro, com favoritismos. A luta dá-se ao nível da preferência por quem faz mais favores. Quem estiver disponível sai em vantagem, com salário reforçado, menos trabalho e menos responsabilidade, gozando de mais complacência.
Pela minha experiência, assisti a competições renhidas pela preferência da administração. O trabalho passava a segundo plano, pois o desempenho, a produtividade e a pontualidade não eram valorizadores. Por outro lado, conseguir fazer um recado, um favor pessoal, era ficar nas boas-graças do patrão.
O que acontece a empresas deste tipo? Bom, internamente vai crescendo o fascínio e a luta tenaz pela preferência de quem manda. Só que... Bom, só que, à medida que esta tendência cresce, encolhe o negócio… Até um dia, quando se deixa de poder chamar de... negócio.
quarta-feira, 26 de janeiro de 2011
Great people in a great magazine, the Success
I've just finished reading December Success Magazine and couldn't resist to make a post of it. Why? Because, in my opinion, Success is the best magazine in the world. In this issue I've found a John Maxwell's text in wich he talks again of what leadership is. Allways great advices he gives us to be better. Take note: «If I had to identify the n. 1 misconception people have about leadership, it would be the belief that leadership comes from having a position or title. This position myth, that you can't lead if you're not at the top, couldn't be further than the truth. The erroneous thinking of this myth is that leadership is position, not influence.»
I've caught too many strong ideas from Tory Johnson article, «Stop Planning - Start Doing». Tory had an amazing job she loved at NBC, but suddenly she was sacked. Then, for the first time in her life she thought that was the moment she finally had to take charge of her life. So, Tory gives some advices of how to start on own business or creating a brand: «That means you have to know who is your target audience, what are you offering them, what are you marketing, what type of people are you targeting and how do you sell...»
I've found too an extraordinary interview of Paula Deen, a great cook that tells us her life story. She's a real winner and I've already added her to my Facebook page. «You cannot let fear paralyze you. You have to face your fears. You can't run from 'em, and I ran from 'em for 20 years. You have to be passionate. You really have to believe in whatever it is that you've chosen to tackle. You've got to be willin' to make sacrifices. When I was building up my business, I kinda referred to myself as "that old plow mule"; it was like I had to get up every day and put on these blinders so that I couldn't look to the right or to the left.
I had to keep my eye on my goal because if I looked out there and saw somebody livin' a normal life, a real well-rounded life and havin' a good time and doin' all those things, I felt like I would have dropped. So I had to keep my eye on the ball.»
The article of Tony Robbins is unavoidable, «Make The Decision»: «(...) You've got to take massive action; you've got to be resourceful. If there isn't a way, a leader makes a way to meet those standards. Find a way and make it the way you want it, whether it's your body, your energy, your career, your spiritual life or your relationships.»
In other extract I've highlihgted, Tony says «I don't care what you've achieved or how much money you've earned; if you live with an attitude of scarcity and limitation, if you wait for someone or something else to fulfill you, you're not going to be happy. You must make the decision to live with a mentality of abundance, and you will experience true freedom».
Finally, the cover article. Maria Shriver «that found her voice - and her mission - as a champion for women and families. Her crowning achievement has been The Women's Conference. Touted as the premier forum for women (...) it is the launching point for an ongoing effort that has positively impacted millions of lives in California and beyond.»
I've caught too many strong ideas from Tory Johnson article, «Stop Planning - Start Doing». Tory had an amazing job she loved at NBC, but suddenly she was sacked. Then, for the first time in her life she thought that was the moment she finally had to take charge of her life. So, Tory gives some advices of how to start on own business or creating a brand: «That means you have to know who is your target audience, what are you offering them, what are you marketing, what type of people are you targeting and how do you sell...»
I've found too an extraordinary interview of Paula Deen, a great cook that tells us her life story. She's a real winner and I've already added her to my Facebook page. «You cannot let fear paralyze you. You have to face your fears. You can't run from 'em, and I ran from 'em for 20 years. You have to be passionate. You really have to believe in whatever it is that you've chosen to tackle. You've got to be willin' to make sacrifices. When I was building up my business, I kinda referred to myself as "that old plow mule"; it was like I had to get up every day and put on these blinders so that I couldn't look to the right or to the left.
I had to keep my eye on my goal because if I looked out there and saw somebody livin' a normal life, a real well-rounded life and havin' a good time and doin' all those things, I felt like I would have dropped. So I had to keep my eye on the ball.»
The article of Tony Robbins is unavoidable, «Make The Decision»: «(...) You've got to take massive action; you've got to be resourceful. If there isn't a way, a leader makes a way to meet those standards. Find a way and make it the way you want it, whether it's your body, your energy, your career, your spiritual life or your relationships.»
In other extract I've highlihgted, Tony says «I don't care what you've achieved or how much money you've earned; if you live with an attitude of scarcity and limitation, if you wait for someone or something else to fulfill you, you're not going to be happy. You must make the decision to live with a mentality of abundance, and you will experience true freedom».
Finally, the cover article. Maria Shriver «that found her voice - and her mission - as a champion for women and families. Her crowning achievement has been The Women's Conference. Touted as the premier forum for women (...) it is the launching point for an ongoing effort that has positively impacted millions of lives in California and beyond.»
Great stories of great people in a great magazine
terça-feira, 25 de janeiro de 2011
Toxic Companies - Take 4
«Who did this mess?»
Very common in toxic workplaces. Shouting is an excellent strategy to keep your power position. The assertion of power is determined by the noise you make. Who makes the most noise is the most powerful. «IT'S ALWAYS THE SAME...»; «DO I MUST SAY IT AGAIN?» «WHO DID THIS MESS?»; «THAT TEXT, CAN I HAVE IT AT ONCE?».
When I remember these shouted phrases I heard so many times in companies I worked for, many times I do remember too that old story of the father who walks through the countryside with his son, and suddenly asks him:
- Son, what noise is this we heard in the distance?
- It's a cart, dad.
- Very good. And the cart is filled or empty?
- It is filled, dad, is filled.
- Why do you say that, son?
- Because it makes too much noise, dad...
- No, son, is an empty cart.
- How do you know that the cart is empty, if you don't see it?
- Son, the cart is empty because of the noise. The more empty the cart, the higher the noise it makes.
The boy became an adult and hasn't forgotten this episode. And now, when he sees someone talking too much, screaming, with arrogance or / and interrupting everybody, as a requirement of reason, he remembers: «The more empty the cart, the more noise it makes...»
So, the idea of chaos is always grateful to whom want to maintain the power, or the idea of power. Yelling seems a great solution, and calling attention to others. If you add up abrupt ramblings, nervous gestures and hard expressions, it is created an atmosphere of fear, horror, humiliation and submission.
People stand still, people retain all their knowledge and who loses?...
Ultimately, the company.
Creativity and innovation are incompatible with this atmosphere. As well as excellent performance. I worked in several companies in which the «yelling culture» prevailed. Some of them are stuck. Some were sold, others simply disappeared.
Empresa Tóxica - Take 4
E quando me lembro destas episódicas frases gritadas que ouvi tantas vezes lembro-me da velha história do pai que passeia pelo campo com o filho, e que de súbito pergunta:
- Filho, que barulho é este que se ouve ao longe?
- É uma carroça, pai.
- Muito bem. E a carroça vai cheia ou vai vazia?
- Vai cheia, pai, vai cheia.
- Porque dizes que vai cheia, filho?
- Porque faz muito barulho, pai...
- Não, filho, é uma carroça vazia.
- Como sabe que a carroça está vazia, se não a está a ver?
- Filho, a carroça está vazia por causa do barulho. Quanto mais vazia a carroça, maior é o barulho que faz.
O rapazinho tornou-se adulto e não mais esqueceu tal episódio. E agora, quando vê uma pessoa a falar demais, a gritar, com prepotência ou/e a interromper toda a gente, como que numa exigência de razão, lembra-se: «Quanto mais vazia a carroça, mais barulho ela faz...»
Pois, mas a verdade é que mesmo sabendo esta lição, o ruído continua a incomodar, a energia emanada de uma pessoa descontrolada invade-nos e perturba-nos. E quando ameaça a nossa sobrevivência, ainda pior.
Sendo a ideia de caos sempre grata a quem quer manter o poder, berrar afigura-se a grande solução chamando a atenção sobre os outros. Se se somarem deambulações bruscas, gestos nervosos e expressões de inconformismo, está criada a atmosfera de medo, de horror, humilhação e submissão.
A criatividade é incompatível com esta atmosfera. A inovação idem. Bem como o desempenho excelente. Trabalhei em várias empresas em que a «cultura do berro» imperava. Todas elas estagnaram no seu negócio ou definharam. Algumas foram vendidas, outras, pura e simplesmente, desapareceram.
sábado, 22 de janeiro de 2011
Toxic Companies - Take 3
«I only talk with you»
In some companies I worked for, I've always seen this. The CEO or chairman only talked with or to people in charge, managers, hierarchy. All communication was exclusive and didn't flow among teams.
At first, I thought this was normal, but soon I realize managers lied a lot and tended to manipulate a large amount of information, with bad consequences to companies, of course. In many situations, I've seen people got fired just because communication and information was misleading. The «I only talk with you» politic.
Once, I had the opportunity to be present at a meeting between a CEO and my department's director. At that time I would be in charge during his holliday. My God. I remember I couldn't believe in what I was hearing. The director took his word and has started telling so many lies, half-truths, misrepresentations and inaccuracies about the work processes, about people, about performance. I was astonished. A sense of fear ran through my body. I had to be carefull with that guy.
All decisions were made according the information told by that individual. He was seen as a star, he was... the best, and all people around him were so... «bad». And the CEO kept trusting him, again and again. And the results were not famous, but the guy kept talking, only with the CEO, only with the chairman. And there were so many things people liked to tell about him, the star. But couldn't because CEO and the chairman only talked to hierarchy.
What happened? As the results kept going down, although some peolpe got fired, at a certain point, doubts came about director's performance. In a desperate attitude, the CEO has decided to collect information and finally talked with employees. He got furious, but was too late. Something had to be done in a hurry. Company was in bad shape. «My God, why did I trust him? Why didn't I see this before?», claimed the CEO. Then, he put him away. Fired the director...
Lack of information is lack of management, perception and decision. My suggestion is if you are in charge for any area, please talk with several people and not just with the hierarchy. If you work in a large corporation may seem less easy. But it is possible. But if you work in a small business, as the case described, with about 25 people, believe that it will be easy to do.
Subscrever:
Mensagens (Atom)
