October 28, 2008
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Setting an example
Although this incident at work happened ages ago, it still
left a bitter taste in my mouth. I deal
with a variety of people at work from many different backgrounds and
cultures. There was this one guy who
needed my approval on his project. His
work was sloppy, poorly thought out and a bit dodgy. When I reviewed his work, he was a bit cagey
and elusive. I know he was looking for
me to give him a break and to go easy on his project. But I didn’t.
After a few moments of pointing out some glaring gaps in his proposal,
he kept repeating in the conference call “I’m just a dumb salesman ….”It was pathetic listening to this. Here was someone who was also Chinese, relatively senior in terms of experience and responsibility but he wanted an easy way out. I didn't like the example he was setting and I didn't like the quality of his work. After the call, I told him privately that he was wasting my time and was pretty blunt with him. I have my bad days too but I also take pride in my work.
I'm also aware that others who are more junior than I am may be watching me. I don't pretend to be a sterling role model. Maybe I'm just being overly sensitive but when you're in a relatively senior position and also a visible minority - you got to be aware that others are watching you.
Comments (18)
I totally agree! I like your work ethics!
If people are not interested in doing their work it is a waste of time, a waste of their time. They had better change their job.
Interesting, Matt. Am I reading this right? It sounds like your desire to set high standards was driven more by a desire to ensure you represent Chinese people well.
I can understand that sense of pressure - a self-imposed awareness that you are a "model" for others and in some way representative of your various socio-economic-ethnographic identity in all that you do. This was the case for Hillary Clinton's candidacy - that sense that you have to work twice as hard as someone else just to prove you are even half as capable.
That sense of pressure is understandable but a bit unfair. All the work you do shouldn't have to be done better just to ensure that people of Chinese heritage, or men, or gay men (or any other demographic that you could represent) are well-represented.
That said, I completely agree with you in imposing your high standards for quality of work with your employees: people can usually be coached to perform to a higher level, but will almost always go for a lower level of performance if it the bar is set there.
Sorry if I totally misunderstood the point of your post.
Ethics in the work place is something that often causes problems for those who try hold up the standards. The response of the employee was terrible - it was a manipulative cry for allowing inferior work. I am sorry you feel extra pressure based on heritage. I know it is there as I experienced it in terms of sexual orientation.
taking pride in your work is something that so few people have these days; i think there is such a vast disconnect between the work people do and the ultimate end result (i.e. the person putting widgets together on the factory line never sees the car roll off at the end) that the work becomes meaningless.
i agree that it is important not to look like the guy to go to for an easy break, but i can also see christao's point. i think he hasn't gotten it quite right though; being a minority means that you do have a lot of pressure to be a role model because everyone is watching for you to slip up (and it's not entirely self-imposed), and regardless of how fair it is or not, the fact is that such pressure exists. it's not that you want to make it about who you represent as a minority, but other people automatically couch it in those terms and it makes it difficult to escape. the important thing is that you are "colorblind" in the sense that you treat everyone equally and fairly, and people will gradually see that you don't represent a minority, you represent yourself.
hmmm ... I see this particular example as a missed opportunity on your part ... granted, I've none of the previous background but seems to me this was a perfect coaching moment that slid past. As senior managers, our role is always to be on the lookout for such moments and capitalize on them.
If it wasn't such a moment, then it was also a perfect management moment to capture some evidence for this particular employee's performance review
i agree with you on this
he needs that kick in the butt, otherwise he'll never learn
he reminds me of me, which is what i don't like
oh, but yes, i do agree with others on something
as long as you didn't correct him because he was chinese, and you'd do it to anyone else, it would be good. if it was because he was chinese, then it's not really fair
I have been in situations like this and have had to watch myself in the way I carried out various desicions, knowing well that the hospital was watching me. There were times when I went against the expected, and I did that only because it was the right thing to do and not because I woud have benefited. I don't think you need to feel bad about your desicion. But i am sure you feel good that you have finally poured it out on to paper.
@AppsScraps - unfortunately this wasn't the first time he's done this and after I've given him some feedback before, he didn't change.
@christao408 - not really, I set my own standards and push myself but that's for me. But I'm also keenly aware of my race. I've seen what double standards can do and my parents ran into those so many times. When I started to work, one of the first things they said to me was that I will need to work harder than others in order to prove myself.
I know my company has always weeded out poor performers. If you're a poor performer and you have low potential, low contribution - you better have your resume updated. I've selected others for this list before - I don't like it but that's business.
Anyhoo... I think I'm starting to ramble on.
I totally agree with you!!
I had a similar situation once with a woman who started crying because I was giving her what I thought was constructive criticism. Nothing makes me angrier the weak women crying in the workplace!
@ElusiveWords - Yeah, but it is a nice sort of ramble... =)
that was commendable you didn't mince words with him. as someone who's in the mid-stride of his career, i often look for leaders i can model after, and to find one is a rare, God-given thing.
how in the world did this guy rise in rank being like this? bewildering....
i support your decision. i think that's how a senior staff should be
Glad you called the guy on it. Sloppy work should not be tolerated!!
I agree...the role model example we set is a standard, work ethic is so important...good on you Matt
'Til The Next
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