How to Coach Yourself and Others Essential Knowledge For Coaching | Page 521

Mushroom managers may also have their favorites on whom they lavish
attention and the plum jobs. Others are swept away and given the dross.
Managers may take the mushroom route is that they just do not care
about some or all of their people. Sometimes mushroom managers are
just incompetent and know no better.
What to do about it
If you are a quiet mouse who likes to keep your head down and avoid
other people, then you may like a mushroom manager, just so long as
they do not over-do it. Somebody has to handle the unpopular work
which may make you feel safe and comfortable. Staying away from
other work is fine as it lets you go home at a regular hour. Not everyone
needs high ambition.
On the other hand, a mushroom manager may annoy you as they hold
back your career and give you little opportunity to shine. Be assertive.
Talk to them about what they are doing and the effect they are having.
Do not lie down and be the doormat who says 'thank you' for any scraps
they care to throw you. Remember that you always have more power
than you think you have.
Kipper Management
Description
Fish might unfairly be accused of being two-faced, as you only get to see
one side at once. This principle is also applicable to the two-faced
manager who has different faces and styles depending on the situation.
When they are with more senior managers they are typically model
employees, putting business first and themselves last. Yet with their
subordinates, the reverse is often true, with the individuals carrying the
can for both pulling out the stops to get things done in time and then
blame when things go wrong through no fault of their own.
The kipper will change with the wind as the need arises. They are
chums when things need doing and backstabbers when there is glory or
reward to be gained. The kipper's hero is probably Machiavelli.
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