From doormat to boss – changing people.co.uk
Happy Wednesday!
You know Louise, right? Everybody knows Louise, she’s just so sweet! She’s the only one out of the entire department who will drop her to-do list to make stacks of copies for everyone, or gladly be volunteered to take the lunch orders for the team meeting. That’s just who she is, a genuinely nice person, who will most likely agree with everyone else, even when everyone else seems to be putting both their feet in their respective mouths. And it’s not even that Louise is not smart, she actually has a Masters, a certification and is an effective, very competent employee. She’s just…a really nice doormat!
As much as we may “like” the office doormat, we know deep inside it must suck. While there is no apparent reason why someone should be walked all over and treated less than par, no one really gets any long-term benefits from it, even if at first dumping all the copies on the smiling analyst is a temporary relief. Or manipulating the new manager into extending the project’s deadline sounds really cool. Yet no one really likes a doormat, or even worse, to feel like one. Hence the need to consider some serious change in attitude…
1. Start at the beginning…that is YOU! If you feel you are being treated unfairly, there’s a chance you are contributing to the problem. Are you being too nice and not firm enough? Are you not prioritizing yourself and your work? Take an honest, hard look in the mirror…
2. Walk the talk! It’s not enough to wish upon the stars that others would take you more seriously, and stop heaping their load of unwanted copying work! As Dr. Phil says (don’t you just love Dr. Phil?), “you teach others how to treat you!” Make friends with the word “NO”, keep your smile on while challenging others’ opinions, and if no one is going to act on your behalf, become your own best advocate. Now go on and preach with your actions, girl!
3. Climb up or get out! If all else fails, and things do not change even after you’ve adjusted your own behavior, consider getting out! Do not waste precious years at sub-par professional level. Get the job done, keep looking and asking for opportunities, and if your current place of employment is not the right fit, don’t be afraid to look for better!
Have you experienced being treated like a doormat at work? What steps have you taken?
The Corporate Sis.
