When you work for large organization you may suddenly find yourself in gossipy, political situations where negative attitudes of co-workers or bosses actually interfere with your ability to do the job at hand. How are you suppose to be productive in a toxic work environment, where people are either delaying your progress by not dealing with their own work, OR they are actively working against you to make you look bad? This article looks at productivity hacks to deal with situations you may find in the toxic work environment.
The Assembly Line
Henry Ford brought the idea of “assembly line production” to the manufacturer of automobiles. In doing so, cars became affordable to middle class Americans this changed the nature of transportation throughout the world. It also set “assembly line production” as the new standard for mass production in every industry. This had an even broader impact on modern life and changed how we think about getting things done.
In an assembly plant, there is a very specific order of production. One person needs to finish their job before another person can start the next stage of assembly. If the preceding job hasn’t been done, then there is a hang up and subsequent workers are left twiddling their thumbs. When part of the process is slow, it is referred to as a “bottleneck.” One chief concern of modern management is to identify and fix bottle necks to optimize production.
An assembly line can work very well. Creativity and innovation are discouraged among workers, who focus on one specific job and nothing else. This is also the downside of an assembly line; people get used to not thinking. Labourers so focused on their one job, that everything “not their job” becomes somebody else’s problem. When a derailment happens, workers go on break until somebody comes along to fix it. Equipment breakdowns, quality of final product, and speed of production are all management issues and not the concern of any one worker. After all, why think if you don’t have to?
Assembly Line Thinking
When an assembly line works, it works well. Some people get so use to the assembly line they apply it to other areas of their lives. This is called “Assembly line thinking.”
For example, let’s say you are doing the laundry and you discover that there is no laundry detergent in the house. Your partner was supposed to buy it last night but forgot. Now you can’t do laundry, which is piling up, and it is your partner’s fault. What do you do next?
One choice is to get pissed off, yell at him or her, and proceed to not do the laundry. No detergent, not my fault, can’t do laundry. There are few procrastination excuses better than “It was his fault,” or “It wasn’t my fault,” or any other variation of “He didn’t do his job.” When the blame moves away from you, then you are no longer responsible for fixing the problem. At the same time, it also removes power from you to fix it as well.
When you adopt assembly line thinking, you take the role of the worker. When derailment happens, you expect someone else to fix the problem. In real life, you’re not just a worker; you’re the manager as well. And when processes get derailed, be aware there are other ways to get things done.
An Alternative Choice to being blocked by others
“Assembly line thinking” is only a metaphor. It is only one way of doing, but not the only way. You can always cultivate flexibility and creativity by asking yourself what else you can do in the same situation.
Separate out the laundry that absolutely needs to get done and use kitchen soap to get the wash going. Might not be perfect, but it will hold you over till next shopping trip.
You may decide that you are completely blocked on laundry. So what else can you do with the time that you would have been doing the laundry? Well, you never had time to clean out the closet, but not having soap gives you an opportunity to do so. So while you are blocked on one task another task is open for you to do instead.
Assembly line thinking has been so dominant in the modern work place that people often forget that home life is is NOT an assembly line. Just because you are blocked on one activity, doesn’t mean you have to sit around. Be flexible, be proactive, and do something else.
Being Cock Blocked in a toxic work environment
Negligence of others that affects your ability to do your job is annoying. But what about people who are actively working against your efforts? Is that really a different deal?
Very attractive young women get hit on by suitors a dozens of times per week, and this gets annoying very quickly. Often these young ladies surround themselves with friends to ward off such advances. In dating circles they call it “cock blocking.”
In recent years, “Cock blocking” has seen wider application to describe anyone actively trying to stop you from reaching a goal. Say your company just launched an expensive marketing campaign, and a few days later a competitor sent out a press release which slanders key elements in your campaign. Potential customers reading the press release first, then seeing your advertisement are left with the exact opposite impression you desired. This damages both your brand and sales. Your company was totally cock blocked.
Cock blocks are usually an attempt to intimidate. If the target is significantly intimidated, they give up the current attempt and won’t bother in the future. However, a weak cock block may inspire the target to look on it as a challenge and become more passionate in their resolve.
Whether the block is weak or strong is not as much about what the blocker does, but more about how the blocked person interprets it. Personality, experiences, skills and access to resources are all important factors in how a person evaluates their ability to get past an obstacle. The most important quality is a willingness to act. No matter how much someone tries to intimidate you, if you think you can get around it, then their block is weak.
But that comes back to our original point, is there any difference between a person who stops you from doing your job due to negligence, vs someone who is actively trying to stop you. The real answer is no. An obstacle is just an obstacle. A passive obstacle is usually easier to handle than an active one, but ultimately they amount to the same thing and have the same answer. If you decide you will find a way, then you will find a way.
Never Wait on Others
People sometimes do what you expect them to do, but often they don’t. Sometimes a job isn’t completed on time, and sometimes it isn’t done to the quality you expect. The big problem with assembly line thinking, is that you tie your source of motivation to the activities of others. Believing you can do nothing because of what someone else did or didn’t do is only an excuse that supports procrastination. The simple answer is this:
Don’t wait on others… ever.
News flash: Life is not an assembly production line. If you are blocked on one task that you are working on, there is no reason to bash your head on a window. Stop that job and work on a different section.
In chapter 7, we looked at setting up plans for a large project using milestones. Part of that process was to identify tasks which are dependent on other things and tasks which aren’t. These non-dependant activities, have to be done before the completion of the project, but they have no starting requirements. If someone is blocking your efforts, be like water and go around them. When they try to block your second effort, then they have to relax on the first.
The job of a soccer goalie is to thwart the scoring shots of the other team. They are professional cock blockers (sometimes literally). Yet even the best of goalies can’t be everywhere at all times. Getting past the goalie, requires flexibility, strategy and athleticism to out fox them. It is the challenge that makes the game fun. What would happen if you looked at the person blocking you as a “contestant” and the whole situation as a big “game?” Why be angry or annoyed? Games are fun. Seeing it as a challenge stimulates your creative mind to come up with more crafty plans.
Negligence is far more common that a cock blocker. Yet in either case there is no point in waiting on them. Change gears and do something else.
Self-Blocking: Don’t wait for yourself either
Sometimes the block may show up from yourself. In a large project (such as a book) you may find yourself in a situation of writer’s block. Your mind isn’t coming up with ideas to allow you to continue on the path you are on. The simple solution is not to fight it. Back off and work on a different part of the project.
I almost never get stuck with writer’s block, but there are days where I am uninspired to make progress on my current chapter. On such days, I accept that new material will not be forthcoming, and I go back and edit previous chapters or draft outlines for future material. All of which has to be done at some point, so why should I waste time banging my head on a glass wall when it’s not working?
The next day I spring out of bed inspired to do a section of the book that is scheduled about 5 chapters ahead of where I am now. Do I ignore inspiration because it didn’t show up on schedule? I’m not living on an assembly line, so I write in a passionate flurry for that day. When the fish are biting get your lines in the water! Don’t complain because it’s the wrong time to fish.
This attitude has allowed me far greater productivity with far less effort, in a variety of professional and personal situations. In fact, the only place where it doesn’t work is if you have an Assembly line job. Yet, even there, flexibility allows you to do maintenance activities when you can’t engage in your primary job. Personally, I find it easier and far less stressful to make progress on a lesser activity than try to grind away and make no progress on a primary one.
Lines and Circles
Most people think of a project like a line: A leads to B, which leads to C, which must be done before D. If someone throws a monkey wrench in the works and B is interrupted, everything is screwed and procrastination happens. You are not boundto doing things in A, B, C, D order. You can choose to do later functions first rather than waiting forever on other people. It may be more ideal to do things in order; but if you are really blocked on a B, why stress about it? Just get all the ducks lined up for C and D.
A river is impossible to stop. You can dam it up, you can redirect it, but that water is going to get to the ocean sooner or later. If you are the river, and your goal is the ocean, then there is no stopping you either. Always ask, “What else can I do?”
Think of a project like a circular fort. You can attack it from any direction you want, if one side is too well fortified then move to another. If you find yourself blocked from doing some aspect of a project then immediately switch gear and start making progress on another aspect. When you have a sequential plan, remember that it is only there to help you get to your goal. A good plan is flexible and bends as the situation does. However the ultimate goal, if it is very important, is persisted upon.
Task: What Else can I Do?
The next time you get pissed off because other people are stopping you from doing your job, take a moment to notice your options. Yes, you have a good excuse to procrastinate, however it is ultimately your decision if you are going to be blocked, or if you are going to find a way to succeed despite the idiots.
Meditate on lines and circles for a few moments and ask yourself what else can you do to move the project forward? Are the things you’re being blocked on part of a larger project or mission?
In the earlier example we talked about how you were impeded from doing the laundry because of your spouse forgetting to buy soap. He said he would do it, he didn’t, totally his fault. Bitching about it will accomplish nothing, and perhaps it is unresolvable at the present time. However “Laundry” isn’t the main project, it may be a sub activity of “Keeping the House Clean” (a never-ending quest). On that larger project there is still more to do. Do the dishes, put the children’s toys away, clean up the garden shed, find socks and old clothes that need to be tossed out and put them in a garbage bag. When an opportunity comes around to do Laundry, you can get back to it then.
I know this whole section is obvious. As soon as I suggest the idea, everyone says, “Well, of course, any sensible person would stop worrying about what they can’t do and focus on what they can.”
Why, why, why… do so many people allow themselves to be blocked by little things? I see people all the time complaining, “I can’t do anything” as they fume as if they were an imaginary worker in an imaginary derailed assembly line. People who get blocked never really wanted the job in the first place; they were looking for an excuse. Be honest with yourself and know your own motives. Are you looking for a way to get something done or are you looking for a way out of doing it? These two goals are mutually exclusive. If you don’t want to do something then just decline the activity. And if you are going to do something, obstacles don’t matter. You will blow through, jump over, or evade them all!
Procrastination as a Strategy to Resist Manipulation
No one likes to be used; even when it is a boss or authority in charge of giving orders. You may accept an assignment because direct refusal could have negative consequences. Even if a person says “Yes” to doing a despicable job, they may show dissatisfaction in other ways. They may do the work slowly, showing exaggerated effort. They complain and procrastinate. And after a lot of effort from management to get the work done, the results are substandard. Ideally, if they are enough of a pain in the ass about doing it, management won’t ask them to do it again.
Using passive-aggressive tactics are damaging to the person using them. Any behaviour that is repeated over and over influences the self-image of that person. This is a key premise behind brainwashing. If you procrastinate to get out of work you don’t want to do, then you may not start with a motivational problem, but you will develop one. As you remind others you have a problem with procrastination, you start to believe you have one yourself.
Task: Avoid being Blocked by Others by Focusing on Yourself
Rather than going down the passive aggressive route, it is better to clarify your own feelings to yourself.
Step 1) Be Honest
Recognize that your desire to procrastinate or do a shit job isn’t because you are a bad worker, but because you are rebelling. You don’t want to do the job because you don’t see the point of it. Acknowledge this to yourself.
Step 2) The Higher Goal
Ask yourself if rebellion is worth it in this circumstance. Is there a higher purpose for the task? For example: Why does Mom want me to have a clean room? What will I learn or improve about myself by doing the essay assigned by my teacher? How does doing this job assigned to me by my boss benefit the company? If you can figure out why the job is important, then you may have more motive to do it, more enjoyment while doing it, and the quality of your work will reflect your positive attitude toward the task.
Step 3) Is there a Better Way?
Ask yourself if there is a better way to achieve this positive objective. If you can see a better way that makes sense then try pitching it to your authority and see if they go for it.
Step 4) Make a Decision
If you are going to do it, then do it full gusto! Get it done ASAP. You don’t want the job so get it off your cue as fast as possible.
If you don’t want to do it, and you’re not going to do it, then make a solid, clear, conscious decision… “No bloody way!” Plan on taking the penalty for not doing it. Be honest and tell them no, and why. This is not about them, it is about how you respect yourself.
When you lie to others (aka saying you will do it, then procrastinate) it demeans you to yourself. And you are going to get punished anyway, best bite the bullet on your own terms than have a guillotine hang over your head for a month.
Three Options for Dealing with Your Boss
Many bosses believe money is the only requirement for leadership. They are paying you, therefore you should follow their orders. People will work for money, but loyalty, commitment, and devotion can only be purchased by the boss who takes the trouble to understand others. Sadly, this is rare, most bosses are ignorant of how to lead others and while they pay people, they create an atmosphere of passive defiance. Sometimes this relationship becomes so bad, workers feel they have to unionize just to be heard by management.
Motivation is linked to purpose. You will have an easier time doing a job if you know why it is important. Yet bosses with poor leadership skills are far more common. You may find yourself working for a boss who demands you to do something but can’t explain why it is important. As an intelligent, working professional, you have three options.
Option #1) Ask for Clarification
Think it through in terms of how your job adds value. All jobs should do something which either add profits or furthers the mission of the organization. You should always think it through for yourself before consulting your boss. Most employers expect you to know this information automatically, and can easily become annoyed at having to explain themselves to a subordinate; even when a quick explanation will allow workers to take the job more seriously and do better.
If you really thought it through and can’t see how the task is relevant to profitability or mission, ask your boss for clarification. It is better to ask in the frame that understanding will allow you better results than trying to guess. The boss may have some logic that wasn’t clear from the outset, but may be a valuable insight as to why your job is important.
Sometimes a boss can’t give any good reason why you are doing what you’re doing. They may realize it is a stupid, time-wasting task, which they are only giving you because they can’t think of anything else to do with you, and they don’t want to anger you by dismissing you early (costing you wages). You should always be ready to suggest a high value activity you can be assigned. There is a good chance that you will be reassigned to a more meaningful task and the useless one gets dropped. The idea is not to get out of work, but to be engaged in more meaningful work. In addition, you show yourself to be a more valuable, proactive employee.
Option #2) Find Your Own Meaning
There are many bosses that don’t like to think. They just want to be obeyed and feel no need to explain orders to their minions. They bluster out something like, “Because I said so,” or “You’re not paid to think,” or some other non-logical response. People usually take the easiest route and using the force of authority is far easier than thinking.
In large companies, with multiple levels of management, it is possible that your supervisor may also think the work he is tasking you with is stupid. Lower managers find their position because they are good at following orders. An executive gave him his assignment and never questioned it importance. Either he gets it done, or he is out of a job, he doesn’t consider why’s anymore. But that does leave him at a disadvantage when he hands out an assignment to you, and you ask him why. He may not know.
This leaves you with a second option: revamp the job in your mind so it has a positive purpose to you. If you have to do it, then it is up to you to have the most fun while doing it. So you make up your own positive purpose for doing an otherwise meaningless task. You could decide it is a good chance to brush up on some skill and use it as paid practice to do so. You could use it to try out a new procedure. You could do the job in such an exemplary way that you could use it to showcase your work for your next review. At very minimum, you can see the most meaningless job as a challenge to keep positive and motivated under the most boring of circumstances.
Option #3) Say No
There really are only two options, either do the job or don’t. In option 1 and 2, you are finding importance either from your boss or yourself. Either way, you agree to do the job. If the only reason you are being assigned a drudge job is to demean or degrade you, you may wish to refuse the assignment. People have power because they can activate a negative consequence at their discretion. When you refuse an assignment you risk getting fired (from a boss), failing a grade (from a teacher), or getting punished (from your parents).
The best way to refuse an undesirable assignment is to mention that you are busy working on a higher value assignment. In most cases higher value means it’s more profitable for the company than the useless assignment. Now the boss has a dilemma: assign punishment work, or allow you to keep working on something which makes his department look good and benefits his status. People usually operate in their own self-interest.
If you are proactive, you can usually assign yourself to higher value activities which makes your boss hesitant to non-essential activities. After all, if senior management asks why you are doing X (useless assignment) you can always say that you were working on something of higher value, but you were pulled because your supervisor ordered it. Now your supervisor is in the uncomfortable position of explaining themselves to their boss. This option will only work for you if you have a high-value activity to work on.
If they still insist you do a demeaning job, can’t explain its importance, and refuse to accept alternatives (which are of benefit to them)… you may be working for an asshole. No matter how much you are being paid, it isn’t worth sacrificing your self-worth as a human being. Bullies can only bully you if you submit to their will; if you simply and politely refuse to be intimidated, they usually back down and re-evaluate their relation to you.
Refusal to do work is quite serious. It should only be considered when the task is a form of harassment, ethically questionable, or drastically outside your job description. Ask yourself if not doing this assignment is worth losing your job over. If it is, then always be polite and professional. Formally refuse the assignment with an explanation using email; you want to keep documentation if it turns into a legal issue or if you talk to the labour regulation board. You may wish to CC others who you think should be witness to what’s going on.
It is also important to accept the idea that when you refuse an order from your boss, you may be working for a better boss next week.
