Ten signs you work in a fear-based workplace
- Thread starter Jones
- Start date
Shifting Contents
Most Help Needed
I like this part of number 10. I hear it all the time.
. . . and the PA system all but blares "Be glad to have a job, stop whining, and get back to work," your company's fear problem is off the charts.
. . . and the PA system all but blares "Be glad to have a job, stop whining, and get back to work," your company's fear problem is off the charts.
I don't know. It seems to me like people are naturally fearful. I started reading through the list and kept thinking, "Yes, but people love the drama." I can't tell you how many times people simply make things up around the work place to be afraid of. Just whisper the word "audit" and watch the blood drain from people's faces. Don't whisper it and a rumor will start that "heads are about to roll". Mind you we've had three (3) people fired in the 16 years I've been with the company.
Returntosender
Well-Known Member
Chief executives know in their hearts that smart people, set loose to solve big problems, are responsible for every success and innovation industry has ever seen. Fear-trampled employees don't do a thing for your business. management by fear is a hard habit to break, because fear-whipped underlings don't squawk. Meanwhile, your competitors may be hiring your best talent away and stealing market share while you make it easy for them to do so. Those meek, submissive, broken-down employees might blossom in your rival's trust-based culture. Do you really want to find out?
I heard stories that there was a UPS managers buy out in the late 1990s. After the buy out FED EX offered those high level ex UPS managers jobs at FED EX. Then FED EX bought RPS. Then started FED EX ground. Now, it's 2010 FED EX is taking volume away from UPS. I wonder how many of 1800 mangers that recently left UPS are now at FED EX? I'm pretty sure the small package transformation pissed off several managers when they were thrown out the door. If I was Fred S I would offer those ex managers jobs. The enemy of my enemy is my friend. Those ex managers have detailed information about UPS accounts that Smith needs to take even more volume away from UPS.
I heard stories that there was a UPS managers buy out in the late 1990s. After the buy out FED EX offered those high level ex UPS managers jobs at FED EX. Then FED EX bought RPS. Then started FED EX ground. Now, it's 2010 FED EX is taking volume away from UPS. I wonder how many of 1800 mangers that recently left UPS are now at FED EX? I'm pretty sure the small package transformation pissed off several managers when they were thrown out the door. If I was Fred S I would offer those ex managers jobs. The enemy of my enemy is my friend. Those ex managers have detailed information about UPS accounts that Smith needs to take even more volume away from UPS.
1. Appearances are everything - I don't see anybody at work caring about how management perceives them.
2. Everyone is talking about who's rising and who's falling - I don't see much of this going on.
3. Distrust reigns - Definately see alot of this everyday, some for good reason but mostly due to past experience.
4. Numbers rule - oooh strongly agree on this one between misload count and having workers work the least amount of time possible.
5. And rules number in the thousands - Probably the least number of rules any company can have.
6. Management considers lateral communication suspect - I personally have experienced this when I have been conversing at the end of the day with a driver of a truck I load about how to change some things on the truck and my supervisor has gotten upset that I appear to be chatting and wasting company time by not punching out and then not willing to here the reason for the conversation.
7. Information is hoarded. I do see some of this when workers are unwilling to share tips and advice with new hires. I have even gotten strange looks when I try to give new hires some tips.
8. Brown-nosers rule - Definately dont see any brown nosing going on atleast on the preload.
9. 'The Office' evokes sad chuckles, rather than laughs - I do see alot of "sad joking" going on with workers joking about how bad something is to make them feel better rather then genuine random topic jokes.
10. Management leads by fear - I have heard workers talking over the last few years about how we are all lucky to have a job in this economy whiles others have admitted that we are replaceable. We also dont hear much about why the decisions were made that affect our day.
so out of those 10 I would say that I have noticed 6 of them.
2. Everyone is talking about who's rising and who's falling - I don't see much of this going on.
3. Distrust reigns - Definately see alot of this everyday, some for good reason but mostly due to past experience.
4. Numbers rule - oooh strongly agree on this one between misload count and having workers work the least amount of time possible.
5. And rules number in the thousands - Probably the least number of rules any company can have.
6. Management considers lateral communication suspect - I personally have experienced this when I have been conversing at the end of the day with a driver of a truck I load about how to change some things on the truck and my supervisor has gotten upset that I appear to be chatting and wasting company time by not punching out and then not willing to here the reason for the conversation.
7. Information is hoarded. I do see some of this when workers are unwilling to share tips and advice with new hires. I have even gotten strange looks when I try to give new hires some tips.
8. Brown-nosers rule - Definately dont see any brown nosing going on atleast on the preload.
9. 'The Office' evokes sad chuckles, rather than laughs - I do see alot of "sad joking" going on with workers joking about how bad something is to make them feel better rather then genuine random topic jokes.
10. Management leads by fear - I have heard workers talking over the last few years about how we are all lucky to have a job in this economy whiles others have admitted that we are replaceable. We also dont hear much about why the decisions were made that affect our day.
so out of those 10 I would say that I have noticed 6 of them.
Anonymous 10
Guest
The only thing you have to fear is fear itself
Just Numbers
Retired
And after he died Congress immediately passed term limits for a President! Don't you wonder why?
Anonymous 10
Guest
He was a great man.
Well vampires and werewolves too. Any of the undead should be given a wide berth. And having the hidden stash of porn found. Be afraid of that too.
Scoot
Well-Known Member
I occasionally have to go into the Fed Ex Ground facility located on my route. It looks like a UPS reunion inside there....
Anonymous 10
Guest
Well vampires and werewolves too. Any of the undead should be given a wide berth. And having the hidden stash of porn found. Be afraid of that too.
What about growing a porn stash?
Might I suggest a P.O. box and a rented garage at a local storage facility?
FracusBrown
Ponies and Planes
What better motivation is there than fear? People do incredible things when fear is a motivator.
What's the opposite of fear? Stupidity? Suppose you're a person with no fear of lions. Would that be a wise thing in the jungle?
I know fear is not necessary pleasant, but would you rather defend your family with a sign that says the owner has a big gun or the owners respects your feelings?
I fear everyday that if I don't do my job I might get fired. Is that unreasonable?
Fight or flight (based upon fear) is the most common instinct among humans.
What's the opposite of fear? Stupidity? Suppose you're a person with no fear of lions. Would that be a wise thing in the jungle?
I know fear is not necessary pleasant, but would you rather defend your family with a sign that says the owner has a big gun or the owners respects your feelings?
I fear everyday that if I don't do my job I might get fired. Is that unreasonable?
Fight or flight (based upon fear) is the most common instinct among humans.
This is a good post....The application to UPS is relevant and becoming more so everyday... I think the closer you come to chaos and tragedy in the absence of fear based management the more needed and unerstood these management tactics become. The culture described in the article describes management (as I recall it) in my military service. Youk now the rules, you know if you are not part of the program you are out (or worse) - and/or people die. I'm not sure that is the case at UPS....But in some applications regarding safety and compliance I don't see fear based management as a bad tactic if it is what it takes for people to "get it".
soberups
Pees in the brown Koolaid
Fearful people do stupid things.
Fearful people dont act in a manner that best represents the interests of their company...they only act in a manner which best allows them to cover their own ass and shift the blame for problems elsewhere.
A fearful person wont tell you what you need to hear....he will tell you whatever he thinks you want to hear. Fearful people dont make good team members, they only make good syncophants.
As a company, we certainly do need to guard against complacency and we do need to develop a healthy respect and concern for the tough challenges we have to face in order to survive in a competitive marketplace. But we wont accomplish all of that by being fearful.
That has been going on for years, I have a handful of managent buddies that went to fed-ex. Most of them left UPS in their 30's or 40's. I still golf with one of the guys. Not much different over there on the management end than here. Everyone tooks cuts, some companies just hid the cuts better....
JustTired
free at last.......
I think a certain amount of fear is healthy.
If you had no fear that you could lose your job....some would do as little as possible without fear. If you didn't have a certain amount of fear about the competition.....they might roll over you before you knew what hit you. If you didn't have some fear for your life....who knows what lame-brained thing you might try.
Many a person and/or company has died by being fearless.
Of course, as in anything, it can be taken to an extreme. Fear can paralyze you if taken to extreme.
The question is....will you or the company you work for become a victim of fear?
If you had no fear that you could lose your job....some would do as little as possible without fear. If you didn't have a certain amount of fear about the competition.....they might roll over you before you knew what hit you. If you didn't have some fear for your life....who knows what lame-brained thing you might try.
Many a person and/or company has died by being fearless.
Of course, as in anything, it can be taken to an extreme. Fear can paralyze you if taken to extreme.
The question is....will you or the company you work for become a victim of fear?
trickpony1
Well-Known Member
.....and being in a constant "fight or flight" mode for 10-12 hours a day can exact a terrible toll on the human body and mind.
I'm with you on this one Mr. Know It All... I Totally agree..
KingofBrown
Well-Known Member
Ignorance is the mother of fear- Eric Hoffer
The man who fears no truths has nothing to fear from lies. - Sir Francis Bacon
A supervisor that hasn't read the contract is always fearful, I've seen several. However, most of them get more fearful when they've read it. And so they try get respected based on intimidated tactics.
Nothing in life is to be feared. It is only to be understood.- Madam Marie Curie
The man who fears no truths has nothing to fear from lies. - Sir Francis Bacon
A supervisor that hasn't read the contract is always fearful, I've seen several. However, most of them get more fearful when they've read it. And so they try get respected based on intimidated tactics.
Nothing in life is to be feared. It is only to be understood.- Madam Marie Curie
