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Tales of a Troubleshooter – the powerless

Marta/Martinis the name of that powerless employee who festers with anger and will perform various disruptive actions to make herself or himself feel ‘better’.

For example, at this particular business Marta has a menial job.  She might have grabbed it with some relish when she first took on the task, but over the years she has descended into a resentment that one can virtually smell.

Marta(or Martin)  will spread lies and rumours so as to cause distension.  S/he will make statements to various guests or clients which will cast ‘management’ in a particular unpleasant light.

Marta might tell a guest that ‘management’ says she can’t give another pillow, or that she was told not to make a cup of coffee.   These are lies, but the guest or the client, unless they personally confront management will not know.

The effect of this on the business is negative.   The guest may tell others,

‘Don’t stay at that hotel. They can’t even give you another pillow.”

The client may say,  “You can spend so much money at the place and they  won’t even give you a cup of coffee even if you beg.”

The management of the business has no idea that this is what Marta (or Martin) does.  To them, when they tell Marta to mop a floor or clean a window, she does it.   When they ask Martin to change a light bulb or get another chair, he does it.   As far as management is concerned, Marta or Martin is not a problem.

When informed of the behaviour of Marta (or Martin)  management often seeks to find some reason why this odd action was accomplished, for it is difficult for the boss to imagine that the employee would do this.

In reality, anyone who knows a bit of psychology would instantly comprehend that persons who feel powerless will resort to such actions to feel ‘in control’.

The pleasure Marta gets refusing to make that cup of coffee is equivalent to a day’s pay.

If you have a business and ever appreciate that an employee has this feeling of being powerless, you can be sure they will respond to it by either creating lies and rumours to cause dissension among the staff or punish those on whom the business relies.

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Written by jaylar

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