In my work as an executive coach I have interaction and access to a broad number of people in and about their workplace. I’m often struck by the level of loyalty, diligence, creativity and selflessness so many demonstrate.
I also hear misconceptions people have, grandiose expectations, wants superseding needs, and general naiveté.
A Few Common Misconceptions People Have
Misconceptions People Have #1: Believing compensation should meet financial needs. I can’t tell you how many people, over the course of my tenure as a senior leader, have said to me, “But I need more money to (take your pick — buy a bigger house, reduce my student loans, pay alimony, and so on). While one can have sympathy for people in the position, it is not a company’s responsibility to keep employees financially solvent.
A better way to look at it — understanding your value in the marketplace, in your location, within that organization, and most importantly, your value to your employer. Questions like, “Is my salary competitive with similar levels in other organizations or even in my current situation?” “Is equal pay for equal work being respected?” These are important and relevant, and have a place in a conversation, not your bank balance.
Another part of this compensation expectation discussion has to do with increases in salary. When I hear smart people say, “I only got a 20% raise,” I can’t help but wonder if this person is delusional, or just plain greedy. Maybe you need more money in each paycheck, but this is not a reasonable expectation. Twenty percent (or more) comes rarely and from exceptional results; possibly your company becomes aware you were previously underpaid or gave you an increase in responsibility or title. Are there other exceptions? Of course. But is a double digit increase the norm? Absolutely not.
Misconceptions People Have #2: Culture is lifestyle. The culture of where you work is defined by many aspects of the organization — the leadership, history, aspirations, and especially how they view employees. All levels of workers can impact culture. Look at some big tech companies’ software engineers refusing to participate in aspects of defense industry work. That’s shifting culture.
Wanting all meetings to start after noon because you’re not a morning person is a lifestyle request, not a remedy to a culture problem.
Many culture issues exist because senior leaders were raised in very different workplaces — less collaborative, more hierarchical, and just plain obedience driven. Even the most traditional workplace environments, such as the law, have been forced to adapt and shift their cultures. That said, it doesn’t mean anyone is going to be wearing flip-flops to court regardless of how comfortable they think they are. Too many people think their lifestyle should dictate the office culture. Lifestyle is ever changing; culture evolves, often slowly.
Misconceptions People Have #3: Quantity of output is the best measure. There is a misconception in the workplace that “time in the chair” should be paramount. Fifty slides in a deck are better than five. “I worked 80 hours last week and he didn’t put in half the time!” That’s probably accurate but it is not the right measurement. In a thought-based economy, it is the great idea, new approach, cost-saving discovery that is recognized — regardless of whether you do it in a short or long period of time. A factory mentality exists with many people. It’s dated and nowhere in the future.
Where the shift needs to happen is when strategy becomes the focus rather than day-to-day production. It’s a move many can’t make, and some are not permitted to try. It’s a misconception if people think they will continue to succeed with this dated perspective.
Misconceptions People Have #4: Levels of power don’t exist. The boss is still the boss. Mike Bloomberg, when he finished his term as Mayor of New York, returned to the media enterprise he founded. Most people called him Mike, a few honored him with Mayor Mike, but no one confused the first name basis with who was in charge. He was fond of saying, “It is my money, you know.” He is right, and more importantly, he is the head and has certain expectations of what that means.
There is no question that the workplace has become more casual in many ways — the days when senior people were called “Mr.,” dress codes were strict, and office environments were regimental, are gone. This does not mean everyone is equal. Maybe your parents were willing to hear you out on every topic but let’s not kid ourselves — some have the power and they don’t necessarily want your “honest” input or feedback.
One of the misconceptions many employees have, especially those newer to the workplace, is that these levels of power don’t exist. They embarrass themselves with an air of entitlement. (“I’ve been here a week, and no one has complimented me,” was said by an intern to an EVP of a major financial institution.) You might write “yup” as a response to an e-mail from a buddy but sending it to the head of a major division of a media company is naïve at best and stupid beyond belief. These are dramatic, but true, examples to make a point. They are part of a behavior pattern that is hurting people’s careers strictly because they don’t understand the landscape and who’s running the place.
It’s easy to deceive ourselves and operate using misconceptions when it comes to our expectations of the workplace. We need to monitor if we are being accurate and our perceptions are smart and applicable. For some of us it requires more exposure and experience. For others, it’s an appreciation of how things are and then deciding whether to accept, fight, or reject them.
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