Question
For the last 12 years I have been working in a very demanding but challenging job that thankfully the recession has not hit. If anything, the recession has provided the company with opportunities for growth. During this time I have had two children, so on the outside life is good, hectic and busy but I count my blessings every day, as the children are wonderful and bring such joy.
The problem is my job. Up to last year I was lucky to work for people who were hugely appreciative of team effort. I learned a lot and enjoyed a great work/life balance. Then my present boss arrived. I can acknowledge that this individual has great vision and has implemented changes that are necessary for the company to continue expanding. It's his attitude that makes life miserable. He is an aggressive person and extremely demanding. He implements projects with totally unreasonable deadlines. He never backs down on anything, even when he is proved incorrect. He constantly puts down other members of the company and, to be honest, it is very wearing being in his company for any length of time.
It isn't just me that feels this way about this individual. I am a senior member of a large team and they all feel the same way. During the past six months two of my team have had health issues due to sheer exhaustion and the stress this individual puts them under. I know I must bring the problem to the attention of senior management. However, this is easier said than done. This person can talk himself out of any situation and I strongly suspect he would make my life a living hell, if challenged. The bottom line, I guess, is that I am afraid of the consequences of challenging him. I am living in an area with no prospects of another job which pays as well, and I need to support my family. My husband and family are supportive. Do I just ride this out and hope things will improve? Or do I take the risk and challenge this man?
Answer
Two things need to be clearly separated. An aggressive attitude is a pain in the proverbial, but not life-threatening. It's also hard to prove. A wise employee finds ways of coping, a large part of which involves dropping the sensitivity and switching off. In other words, it's possible to de-sensitize ourselves to someone's rough style. You just stop taking it personally, stop being afraid, refuse to be intimidated, and find comfort in the company of your team. It's not nice, but it's not the problem.
Unreasonable deadlines are unreasonable deadlines. That can be shown, not as a once-off, but as a pattern over time. That means keeping careful records. It also means careful thought. It could be argued that things were, perhaps, a little too cosy before the new boss came along. I imagine he would definitely say that. The base-line by which you measure unreasonable deadlines has to laid out in detail. It can't just be a question of what you used to do. What are your criteria? What makes the deadlines crazy? Is it that suppliers or subcontractors can't meet the time targets no matter what pressure you put on them? Is it a question of safety due to cutting corners in some important and potentially hazardous way? I've no idea what business you're in, so these are just examples. Is it about constant overtime? Or regularly interrupted official breaks like lunch-time? Is there a product or service quality issue involved? Are there problems clearly piling up that would perhaps lead to future customer dissatisfaction, or worse? You get the picture.
You may be head of a team, and hence part of the official line of communication with those above, but be sure you are following proper procedure - which perhaps involves taking these things up with your boss first. You have to show him you mean business, and document it. Otherwise he could argue you just whinged, and he didn't take it seriously, not to mention being seriously cheesed off that you went over his head or behind his back or whatever. When someone is aggressive and has a bad manner of communication, there's a terrible temptation to side-step them. Don't. Talk to him, courteously but firmly. And often, not complaining, but documenting reality.
Finally, if you do decide to take the next step - and that's a decision only you can make - be sure the posse is close behind you. How often have leaders, or staff representatives, or managers, taken a stand and then turned round to find themselves standing alone. Don't forget. Others will be afraid of losing their jobs too. You may be team leader. That doesn't automatically mean you have to take on the world. All team members are adults. Tread carefully.
