Welcome back to another episode of the corporate Cowboys podcast my name is Alex I’ll be your host for the next one half hour consultation and this is for free I come across these questions I have come across these questions over the course of this podcasting project
And now I’ve got a bunch of them that I could just pull from sources like Reddit like quora like Google like yo what not you know now today’s question really goes to the heart of I think professionalism and what is the corporate culture really like you see
You [ __ ] around you [ __ ] around you wanted to sign up for the corporate War you sign on the dotted line you took the blue pill and now you’re in the [ __ ] now your knee dip now you’re knee-deep and [ __ ] and you’ve got to keep moving so what do you do
Well if you can’t figure it out yourself you could always hit folks like us up we’re professionals career Consultants we’re corporate Cowboys we could point you in the right direction but you’re the gun you’ve got to go off and get that you can hit us up via DM direct message
Us on Instagram that’s at corporates Cowboys with the Z at the end on patreon you can find us that’s the corporate Cowboys podcast there are multiple tiers some of the higher ones allow for a question and answer function you could also suggest questions and prompts for future episodes what not now
Today’s question comes from r slash career advice and here they’re asking the manager suddenly becomes too nice in quotes should I be worried I think if anything happens suddenly yeah it should be a cause for concern you should take it into consideration maybe some precautionary measures might have to be deployed
But worried just outright worried nah Maybe not maybe not take it I tend to take most things most all things at face value I think that really requires a a sense of Faith a sense of trust that you can imbue onto others right that you can impart onto others
Otherwise you’re going to go through life being a paranoid nervous wreck borderline schizophrenic right and it’s best to not be that way truthfully honestly it really is so the body of this says my company is going through layoffs my manager has previously assured my team that as far as they know we’re safe
That said I’m the youngest and least senior of the team so most at risk of being laid off yeah I mean I’ve got no I’ve got no comments thus far we always had a frenemy relationship a we as in me am I the team my manager has
Spoken very highly of my performance I’m going to say them and their managers so we always had a frenemy relationship my manager has spoken very highly of my performance in private while at the same time engages in sarcastic banter with me in public they would not say anything nice to me
When others are around ah that might be a potential red flag right if your manager isn’t building you up at the same time that they are giving you character you know like not knocking you down but like informing your character you know that’s questionable if in private they’re building you up and in
Public they’re knocking you down obviously what occurs in public is informing public opinion regardless of how you feel about or regardless of how they feel about you in private right within the last one to two days my manager suddenly becomes very nice they began praising me every chance they
Got and always make sure that others heard it saying things like in quotes you’re so productive and efficient or in quotes this is great work as usual something they never normally do you think this could be a sign that my manager is feeling guilty because they
Know something I don’t I.E I’m about to be laid off moreover at the weekly meeting my manager shared that they just got a 150 000 budget increase after having their proposal budget slashed in half and they have no idea and they had no idea why could this be a sign that
Someone the team would be laid off hence freeing up the 150k for something else I think that last sentence there is uh miswritten mistyped but I think we get the gist so the manager comes back to the team and says that a future budget a future budget has
Been improved has been approved with an increase of 150 000 dollars where previously they proposed a budget and they got smacked down and so they had to take a cut but now all of a sudden it’s being increased and this person is trying to put our our op this person is trying to
Put two and two together is attempting to put two and two together that’s because that manager has all of a sudden become too nice and this and this what would otherwise be good news of a budget’s increase those two items put together should amount to a cause for concern a
Cause for them to be worried should it I want to say no off top no but but approaching this as a corporate Cowboy from the outside you want to ask yourself being the least senior being the most Junior right what chances you stand of getting a piece of that 150k right
Why else would they be sharing this information are folks gonna start getting increases in salary is it 150k for the division to use on resources or will they be divvying it up amongst themselves in terms of salary now as as a junior associate want to ask yourself what the prospects look like
For your advancement for your continued development and whether or not that increase in budget will be involved right how that increased budget is going to be utilized because it’s obvious that you have a stake in the team you have a stake in the organization in the work that gets done
And so why wouldn’t they now if you do the math and I I would be asking these questions in person which if you would like to set up something in person or virtually right uh the rates are reasonable and our Associates would be more than happy to incorporate you
If what you need is guidance through orientation a second opinion you need somebody to look over an employment contract for you make sure you’re getting your times worth your money’s worth your development’s worth hit us up that’s what we’re here for it’s a corporate War baby and you need as many Associates
As possible ask yourself whether or not you see yourself moving up in the coming year and if you don’t start looking elsewhere how else are you going to move up from being the most Junior associate take the experience you have thus far refine those skills be the best at your job right
You can leave a job being the best so you enter into something better if you’re shooting out applications if you move as perfectionally as possible you could leave one position having done great work as usual right leaving from a place with a very nice manager potentially a recommendation letter is an order
You might have that bridge you can come back to later don’t burn it obviously but keep it moving send your application out to other organizations you want the salary increase or you’re worried about job security well don’t leave that in somebody else’s hands to be decided by somebody else that ain’t smart
That’s not logically sound it really isn’t you want to take your developments your personal and professional growth into your own hands something you can control and if it isn’t at the organization if it isn’t at the place you are at now that lets me know and it ought to let you know
That you should be looking you should be looking so either you meet with the manager go over what your professional development plans are I don’t mean go over in detail but as professionally as possible let them know that you’re interested in something more and something better more responsibilities equal more money
You have to learn how to speak with the manager you have in front of you you have to learn to hustle most every most every manager or individual in a supervisory position tends to stick to a script of sorts depending on whether they’re managing people managing products managing processes
There’s a script for these individuals these certain individuals because they are being reported to right as being supervisors they’re in charge of others so they’re being reported to but then they also have to report to somebody or something else they’re in the middle they’re in the
Middle so you’ve got to learn to work with them to navigate the corporate ladder to navigate the corporate hierarchy in a manner that allows you to move up where there isn’t a vacuum you create the vacuum I mean don’t hold on hold on let me retract that real quick let me
Walk that back don’t go creating vacuums you identify vacuums that exist already so nobody feels left out so nobody feels cut out right don’t go creating vacuums unless you know what the [ __ ] you’re doing and that’s a whole other level of corporate War which I’ve engaged in and
If you need help if you’re in the process of something hostile if you are strategizing we’re more than happy to help again the rates are reasonable work on what is it contingency or Commission percentages all that that being said If your manager is being too nice
And it’s causing you to worry I mean I’m not in your shoes I don’t know the full extent of the situation that you’re in but it’s causing you to worry it could be a gut instinct don’t don’t outright ignore it but at the same time don’t let it control you going forward
Move keep it moving you want to be a professional a constant professional and developer skill then do that do that on the back of your manager on the back of this 150 000 budget increase now as the most Junior associate is the time I mean what have you got to lose
Other than your [ __ ] job and you’re already worried about losing it as it is as it is so how do you stand out how do you stand out well have you thoughts about an improvements in the workplace and improvements in the workflow that hasn’t before this could be this could be that moment
In time where you propose it maybe not just to your manager but to their manager so you stand out now you may want to do that in writing you may you may want to do that verbally personally I would keep records I would create the evidence a paper trail so to speak
Send emails write the proposal again folks we don’t know the full extent of what industry they’re in what organization they’re in what the hierarchy looks like how many middle managers and the span of control those managers have we don’t know if the Departments are are isolated
Or are siled or if there is some some cross communication taking place we don’t know how deep in the [ __ ] this person is because they’re new they’re newbies they’re juniors it might not be their first year let’s take a look real quick is it their first year it says here
No they don’t know well we don’t know but they don’t list it it being their first year or them being on the job three months and then all of a sudden being worried that a layoff is imminent we don’t know that but they should be aware and they should take into account
That if they want to continue developing right they ought to turn this worry into motivation they ought to turn this worry into outright ambition you’re a junior what have you got to win right don’t worry about what you’ve got to lose if you’re already worried about losing your job you [ __ ] lost that
[ __ ] worry about moving up pretend you lost your Junior job and you won a senior job the opportunity is there it’s your duty to maximize it it’s your duty to take advantage of it foreign but then but the manager being nice or too nice one day I mean maybe
It was a 200 000 budget increase and they already kicked themselves 50 Grand and now they’re being really nice because [ __ ] they’re living on cloud nine right now they’re feeling euphoric they’re feeling that Euphoria haven’t haven’t skimmed that the top they’re living in cream land right now
Let’s take a look at some of these comments yeah I’ll say don’t read too deep into your manager being too nice all of a sudden being too happy don’t read too deep into it unless what they changed their medication and you ain’t gonna worry about that if you’re not aware of that
Why are you worried about it all right let’s take a look at some of these comments here and comment on them give a uh a brief opinion it’s not informed again it’s not fully informed so don’t take anything I say as legal advice you might as professional advice if the jacket
Fits wear that [ __ ] if the boot fits lace that [ __ ] up but just you still got work to do you can’t just wear the jacket wear the boots and half folks call you by a different name that’s not how it works you’ve got to put the work in
And that’s where the reputation comes in and that’s how you become known that’s how you move up as a corporate cowboy [ __ ] want to work with Alex they know Alex costs they know Alex has rates they’re reasonable but for some it might be out of somebody’s range
Right but if they want something done right they want a professional to be doing it they want a corporate Cowboy even if they don’t know the term they know that’s who they’re hiring I’m running and gunning the first comment here says maybe the manager has received feedback about
Their banter or lack of Praise in public and may be worrying about their own position so they are working on improvements you see there’s so many angles to this there’s so many angles to this that we haven’t considered whether the manager got feedback from a higher up on their own level
See I mentioned that we’ve got to take this into account how many middle managers there are how many rungs there are between you and the manager and how many rungs are between the manager and their manager we’re dealing with middle managers here and they’ve got their own metrics to
Satisfy they’ve got they get their own feedback they ought to be worried about their own development if they’re not if they’re just standing still if they’ve become complacent Sitting Ducks if you will that’s more opportunity that’s your opportunity to identify and maximize take advantage second comment here says if you are not
Generating money and aren’t essential I had to be worried okay yeah but that’s obvious right and it’s unfortunate that the obvious should be stated but if you’re just [ __ ] standing around if you’re the most Junior or the least senior it’s funny how they wrote it in the body I’m I’m the most
Junior and least senior okay so I suppose you could be both but that’s redundant so if you’re the most Junior if you’re if you’re fresh fresh on the team the freshie the Newbie not doing [ __ ] just standing around what waiting for orders waiting for work Matt taking the not taking the
Initiative you’re [ __ ] up already and if you’ve identified that and that’s what you’re worried about then you’re worrying for good reason you’ve got reason to worry this person continues yeah I’d be worried however if this manager is buttering you up then they are telegraphing their worries that you might leave
See that’s possible too if they’re being too nice if they’re being uh not excessive but but they’re being generous with their praise they’re being generous with the positive feedback right not so much criticizing anymore not so much being sarcastic anymore but but yeah they’ve flipped it could be that they’re worried you
Might recognize your value and leave the team they just got this increase in budget so they’re gonna need hands on deck and if you’re outside scope in the scene looking at organizations who might be hiring they might be worried and so now they have to play nice now now their
Hand has been forced they need to kiss up a little bit right foreign they say when they need you to keep their job so they can be a manager okay yeah that’s true without you they don’t have a job either without you who the [ __ ] are they managing
Your job security can go away but this reaction is crucial to figuring out what the job outlook is like it shows that the manager too is in a state of fear they don’t have a good outlook for what’s to come this next quarter or what 2023 will be like okay this sounds here
Like projection The Sounds here like uh speculation really so I’m not taking I’m not taking uh everything this commenter is saying as valid but you know going down a rabbit hole it’s possible I mean what’s what’s not possible Right but it is possible that the manager is worried about what the
Future quarter is bringing so now they’re playing nice cupcake in a little bit cupcaking with you in public saying what a great job what a great asset to the team you are not what you’ve become but you are and always have been right so they they they’re being really inclusive
Which again there isn’t anything wrong if they’re scared about keeping their job if they want to be keeping their job then they’re going to focus on their job and if their job if they’ve been slacking in the past bullshitting being sarcastic and and being more of a buddy than a
Manager now if they’re worried about keeping their job no they’re going to turn on the manager switch they’re going to become a manager managing they might even bump it up a notch and become a leader train you to become a manager lead you to become a leader
But again you see now I’m projecting I’m speculating about how it should be how it ought to be it’s not reality I mean it’s it’s not impossible either but just based off the context that we’ve been giving in the body it’s not reality right now the comment continues I’d disregard any
Layoff messaging since it’s all Bs you see how inconsistent it is already layoffs to save money yet 150k is freed up to spend suddenly that’s a distraction yeah as a distraction like I said in the beginning worrying about something you don’t have your hands on worried about something that
You cannot control other than your own professional growth and development it’s worrying for no reason it’s not it’s not a valid concern it might be something that you can take into consideration when making your professional decisions your your moves to develop further When approaching the manager right you could integrate that
Incorporate that into your um hustle somehow into your own proposal but if it’s not in writing if the names aren’t listed that are on the chopping block if it hasn’t turned into a [ __ ] Battle Royale uh type of competition where managers are now trying to decide
Who stays and who goes don’t worry about it just yet don’t worry about it just yet sure consider it but if you ain’t looking outside you really ain’t looking anywhere you have to start looking inside first right and if you definitely are not I mean if you’re done looking inside then
Start looking outside but if you haven’t started looking inside and you’re not looking outside you really ain’t worried dog you’re really not [ __ ] worried and it shows the heart of the matter is who is looking out for you that’s what the commenter says the heart of the matter
Is who is looking out for you I could answer that you’re supposed to be looking out for yourself you’re supposed to be looking out for your development it should be in your best interest to develop professionally your manager is more than happy to keep you a junior for the rest of your
[ __ ] life unless unless like I mentioned before they flip the switch they turn on that manager side of them to develop you and they become a leader themselves and lead you to be better lead you to get promoted lead you to your own professional development but that’s rare it’s not the norm
I mean it should be it ought to be right but again that’s me being idealistic for the matter is who is looking out for you the question you should have is if you should start looking while you have a job it could not hurt to apply to jobs then
See where you should gamble no then see where you should gamble when you have this yeah I guess but this is really weirdly worded it could not hurt to apply to jobs then see where you should gamble when you have this job and other offers the worst
You can do is to decline the offers and write it out that’s right that’s right the worst you can do is decline the offers and write it out if writing it out means that the fears or the threats the actual threat the imminence threats of layoffs
Is a reality is a reality but that’s not to say that you shouldn’t be applying you should be always be applying if you’re not happy if you’re not happy with the work that’s being done in your organization and you yourself have exhausted all opportunities internally inside of the organization then yeah you
Should be looking outside I want to say you should be looking outside always right but if you’re always looking outside what the [ __ ] is getting done inside right I get it maybe uh you’re applying off the clock and all that you’re not you’re not so much focused on your job while you’re
Off the clock so you can send out applications and whatnot but if it’s a position unless it’s a position where internal growth internal promotion advancement is not likely to happen I wouldn’t worry about shooting out applications just yet you’ve got opportunities internally that you haven’t explored that you haven’t even identified
You just seen 150k budget increase be floated across your desk your team right and you’re taking it as a bad sign maybe you ought to reevaluate how you see opportunity maybe you ought to reevaluate how you perceive threats because not everything that invokes a sense of change is a threat not everything
Change just means something different it doesn’t always mean something more or something less to something different and that change could be in the quality of work the form of work the manner the subject to something different and you’ve got to keep evolving with it you’ve got to keep moving with it
Otherwise you get left behind and you do that by slacking off by not focusing on your job not taking care of your business which should be personal it’s personal it always is you want you want to develop personally so you what you do professionally reverberates [ __ ] resonates throughout the organization they ought
To know damn Alex was here and that fool’s a junior apple is the most Junior the least senior guy here [ __ ] puts in work but you aren’t there yet you come into us with questions we’re more than happy to answer all we ask is that when the opinion is given
You don’t take what we’re saying as a criticism either just options it’s just options for you to exercise you’re the client in this instance right and I would have more than one at least 10 questions for you to really identify get to the root of your situation
Before I can give you a semi-informed opinion but this is a 30 minute free consultation you can share it with your Associates if they’re in the same position just know that every position is necessarily the same everybody should be moving up striving to move up every position is entry level forever
And like one of these commenters said if the manager is worried about their position what you think that [ __ ] isn’t feeling entry level you don’t think that [ __ ] is worried about getting laid off it’s not something that’s just kept for entry level positions you got this
Proof of life for this one is Friday December 30 2022. have yourselves a night we a nice weekend if I don’t get back to you I’ll catch you in 2023
source
