THERE IS A HELL! - - - IT IS CALLED RETAIL LIFE SUCKS – LIFE IS NOT FAIR GET OVER IT | Page 3
LIFE SUCKS – LIFE IS NOT FAIR
GET OVER IT
beginning of a pattern in which they make you false promises in order to string you
along, ultimately keeping you at your current position for as long as they possibly can.
Does your boss cut your salary in order to increases his/her own or meet his
targets? If you are being asked to forgo your bonus or take a pay cut, watch
carefully and listen closely to see if you boss is doing likewise. One of my favourite
story related to this behaviour involves a seasoned attorney at a law firm who was
told that she needed to take a pay cut despite her performance and years of service
to the firm. It was explained to her that the economy had taken a significant toll on
the firm’s overall book of business. Reasonable enough, right? A few days later she
noticed that the firm’s admin inadvertently left copies of the partners’ bonus checks
next to the copier. She quickly found out where her pay cut went. Don’t just assume
the boss is reciprocating your sacrifice. You should have the courage to ask.
So what can you do? This is a potentially sticky situation that
we need to address carefully and discretely. I never
recommend getting into a bar fight with an unethical boss.
They play dirty. However, there are two good steps you can
take:
Step 1: Document everything. If you notice your boss has
the propensity to slip on promises or make sneaky dealings,
make sure you are documenting EVERYTHING. How you
might ask? Put everything in e-mail and save it all. Confirm
promotion schedules in e-mail. Confirm salary cuts/increases
in e-mail. Even include your recommendations on vendor choices in e-mail. This serves two
purposes. First, it helps to keep your boss in line and second, it protects you in the event
your boss gets caught and an internal investigation ensues. You don’t want to be mistaken
for crew on his or her sinking ship.
Step 2: Develop an exit strategy. As my friends in the entrepreneurial world say, “you
should always have an exit strategy.” Do you have one? If not then get one. The odds of
making an unethical person change their stripes are virtually non-existent. You may be
wonderful in your own right, but if you think you can help your boss “see the light,” you may
be just as delusional as they are. More importantly, depending on the degree of unethical
behaviour, you may be putting yourself and your career at serious risk by sticking around.
Not simply because your boss could continue to hurt you by limiting your opportunities
and/or stealing from you, but more importantly because you are under their reputational
umbrella. If they go down, your reputation could be stained… permanently. You could be
one of those unfortunate individuals who have Arthur Andersen or Enron on their resumes
and forever are defending their reputation and arguing their innocence.
Dealing with an unethical boss is no laughing matter. It won’t go away easily and likely
won’t get better. Just be sure to take the necessary steps to ensure that you have some
distance and adequate cover from their eventual implosion. Trust me, it won’t be pretty.
dodie ste®eo p®odu©tion ™
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