Ask Not What Your Company Can Do For You

A bit ago, when Scott and I were busy pointing out the disgusting nastiness that we’d put up with the day before to Kathleen in our second day of the MS Project class, the organization that our department falls under was busy having an “all hands” meeting to discuss some organizational changes.
Because we weren’t in attendance, Scott and I failed to receive our special gifts that served as mementos of the meeting, so they had to be sent to us where we work.
Or rather, sent to me, as, for whatever reason, Scott didn’t get one.
In any case, the gift package consisted of an uglyish half-zip fleece featuring our company’s logo paired with the name of our organization and a book.
The book is one of those little guides to being a more effective drone that are dropped on employees like confetti and which sit unread and gathering dust after being received.
I, however, have actually been reading mine, though as near as I can determine I’m only doing so in an effort to infuriate myself, because clearly there just isn’t enough crap in the world that pisses me off.
The whole point of the book is an emphasis on “personal accountability.” It tells you not to ask questions like, “Why can’t management get its act together?” and instead ask yourself “What can I do to make things work more smoothly?”
The biggest problem I have is that so far he doesn’t seem to realize that it’s entirely possible that the answer might be “There’s not a goddamn thing that I can do that will change anything,” other then to make a rather flippant observation that if you don’t like the way things are you can always leave. Because, you know, it’s always just that easy. I guess that, like questions that start with “Why” or include “them,” a question like “How will I pay my mortgage if I just walk away?” would fall into the category of “Incorrect Questions.”
If the answer is that you are unable to change a situation, then the next step is to simply change your thinking about it. If something pissed you off and you found that there was nothing that you could do to change it, just accept it. Change your way of thinking about it. Again, just that easy.
Beyond that is the rather naïve attitude that if you just concentrate on doing the best job you can others will follow your example and all the way up the chain people will emulate your behavior and everything will be perfect.
Honestly, I can see his point to a certain extent. Sure, it’s true that you can’t really control anyone but yourself, and yes, even in the face of adversity and managerial incompetence your best bet is to just do your job, but he just doesn’t recognize that his idealized version of a workplace – complete with his heart-warming, but ultimately meaningless examples of people he’s seen taking personal accountability to heart – just does not reflect the reality of work life in most organizations. The fact of the matter is that there are going to come times when you have to cover your ass, engage in blame deflection, and just shake your head in helpless wonder at some of the mind-numbingly stupid decisions that are made way above your pay grade. And whatever his intentions in writing this book it’s clear that he didn’t consider – even though he makes reference to this effect to some extent – that the message that the management of most companies will use it to convey is that if you have a problem with the way management is handling things, it’s your problem and you need to learn to accept it and just do your job without complaining.
Speaking of management saying screw you to its employees, the latest accepted word is that the last round of layoffs for the year will occur on December 15th. That it’s so close to Christmas is bad enough, though it is SOP, as pretty much every year some lucky employees get severance packages from their Secret Santas, but the kicker is that our company holiday party is scheduled for the very next day.
That’s just cold-blooded.
Of course, I shouldn't complain. I should make sure to ask the correct question, like,
"What can I do to make it seem like it’s not in poor taste?"
Hmm....I can't seem to think of a good answer. I must still be asking an incorrect question.