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Unions Love Abrasive/Toxic Managers? By Ed Yager If, like so many other organizations today, you are experiencing more than your share of turnover and attrition, of resistance and perhaps even sabotage or theft, of generally low morale and motivation, or of simple avoidance of initiative or risk, you may have a problem of leadership aggression. Despite what you or some of your managers might think, in today's super hot competitive environment no one needs to stay with you. There are plenty of jobs and companies who will pay more and promise more in order to get your experienced employees away from you. They are right down the street, closer to public transportation or closer to home. The once taboo practice of pirating competitive employees (i.e., yours) is now encouraged by a variety of internet bulletin board services. Not only are many executives experiencing increased problems, but more and more are running headlong into the resurgence of the unions. Utah provides pregnant territory for union organizing. Low pay, long hours, manipulation of schedules to avoid paying overtime, favoritism, rapid growth resulting in poorly administered and unfairly managed wage and salary programs, poor working conditions have all encouraged companies looking for a responsible work force and low wage rates to locate in the state. Contract employees and part time/lower paid employees taking work or opportunities from permanent employees makes this more so. These are all issues unions are familiar with. In most states they have already won the battles. Perhaps that explains why the unions are having such success in Utah in the past couple of years. Union membership has increased by a factor of 10 lately, from a few thousand to over 60,000. It is important to note that studies and research into union organizing activity demonstrate overwhelmingly that votes for a union are seldom what they seem. Most votes are actually being cast against management and managers, most often against "my boss". Joining a union is the ultimate demonstration of frustration and resentment, most often a result of a lack of management concern, a lack of listening or caring, and general misuse and abuse of employees. The demographics in the state have shifted dramatically, introducing more and more employees more likely to be persuaded by the appeal of the union. Professionals have been joining unions in record numbers in recent years. Doctors, engineers, designers, and other professionals are forming/joining unions in record numbers. The most pernicious behavior? Executives can be their own worst enemy. I see it in meeting after meeting - often in some of the executives I think have the most to contribute. It is the worst kind of management pathology - called the Abrasive Personality. You will need to ask others if you suffer from it, you will not know. An abrasive, and toxic, personality has a natural "knack" for cajoling, jabbing, irritating and intimidating behavior. It takes the form of unnecessary control, of distrust, of ineffective expressions of what might even be justified anger or frustration, or the creation of self destructing internal competition between people who should be cooperating. The Abrasive Manager enjoys publicly harassing others Perhaps you have an unrealistic need to be perfect, or at least to be competitive. You may need to be compared favorably to others. It may be an attempt to blame others, perhaps for your own failing or low self esteem. The abrasive person is often truly sincere and caring. They have a good "attitude" but they lack the ability to manage their anger. Entrepreneur feel they have invested their life in pursuit of a goal, and now they feel they are -- after all -- paying these people out of their own hard earned money and success. It is easy to become frustrated and angered at their lack of commitment or effort. You may feel they are ungrateful. But the abrasive's tools, coercion, force, intimidation, embarrassment, criticism never works. It wears others down. They predictably move from withdrawal in the face of brutality to frustration, resentment, passive resistance and finally to active resistance and sabotage. Abrasive does not have to be loud, harsh, or strident. It can be soft and quiet, but still cutting, insulting or bitter. Enter the unions. The field is ready for harvest. If you are an abrasive personality yourself you probably underestimate the impact your behavior is having. In your own mind you feel " they know I don't mean the things I said in anger". Out of guilt you try to reenergize the troops with a party or a pizza. But that gets old with each repetition of poor treatment. Many abrasives do not believe their behavior is out of the ordinary. They deny the interpretation by saying, "That is not my comment!". "That is not what I said!" "Why do you always over react to what I say?" "If you would listen and get done what you said you would do I would not have to get so angry!" and the classic, "There are alot of people out there who would give anything to have your job!" To those who do accept and understand feedback which alludes to their abrasive behavior, who are willing to process and confront and eliminate the behavior and the demoralizing damage it causes are to be congratulated. We have found tremendous success in coaching abrasive managers or executives through the use of some insightful testing and simulations we use for this purpose. Once abrasive behaviors are pointed out the offending executive is able to catch himself or herself as even his or their own words are being spoken. Abrasive personalities are almost always passionate, determined, persistent, committed, and bright. It would be a crime to lose those positive traits simply because we are unwilling, or find it difficult,t to stand up to and confront the negative behavior and provide coaching that would lead to change. Jack Welch, the wildly successful and respected CEO of General Electric, talks freely about his transformation from what people called "Neutron Jack" to the consummate professional he is today through the coaching of consultant Noel Tichy. Likewise, it will pay you to invest in your talented people who may lack the interpersonal skill necessary to continue to grow.
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