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Signs that Your Job May Be in Jeopardy
(Adapted
from Secrets to Winning at Office Politics by Marie G. McIntyre)
All material on Your
Office Coach is copyrighted to Marie G. McIntyre. All rights reserved.
May be reproduced
with copyright and attribution to
www.yourofficecoach.com.
When
someone is about to be fired, there are usually warning signs. However,
some people are so caught up in their own concerns or delusions that
when the ax falls, they are totally shocked. For these clueless folks,
the warning signs of political trouble are listed below, in order of
severity. Should you spot any of these signals, you have a problem that
needs to be addressed. And it needs to be addressed quickly.
Level 1:
Something is not quite right.
§
You
have been feeling increasingly uneasy, with frequent angry thoughts
about unfairness. Sometimes people feel like a victim because they are
actually about to become one.
§
Your
boss ignores you, fails to notify you of meetings, neglects to give you
information, or makes pointed remarks indicating that you are requiring
too much time and attention.
§
Your
boss has a “Serious Talk” with you about some aspect of your performance
or your personality. If your manager tends to be a little wimpy, this
talk may sound more like a chat than a reprimand. Consider your
manager’s style – anything out of the ordinary counts as a warning.
§
You
find yourself alone a lot. No one stops by your desk unless they have a
specific purpose. You don’t get invited to lunch, weddings, baby
showers, golf outings, baseball nights, or whatever. You seem to have
become a social outcast.
§
A
personal coach is hired to help you. The bad news is that you are seen
as having some “issues” that need to be addressed. The good news is
that someone is still willing to invest in your future success.
Executives seldom spend money on people they consider hopeless.
Level 2: The
future looks questionable.
§
An
important assignment that would logically be yours is given to someone
else. If that someone else has designs on your job or is a rival for
your next promotion, this is not a good sign.
§
You
are turned down for promotions more than once. The first time, they may
have just found a better applicant. But more than that, you’re starting
to see a pattern. And it’s not good.
§
After
acquiring a new boss, your leverage seems to be slipping away. You are
not consulted as frequently, given as much information, or included in
as many meetings as before. If you don’t take some action, you are
probably headed for that Serious Talk.
§
Someone from Human Resources initiates the Serious Talk. This is an
indication that management people have been thinking unkindly about you
for some time. You may already be considered The Problem.
Level 3: A sudden
career change may lie ahead.
§
Following a reorganization, you find that you have suffered a reduction
in staff, title, responsibilities, or reporting level. Or you’ve been
physically shuffled off to the hinterlands. They probably gave you some
lame excuse for this change. If believing it makes you feel better, go
ahead – but recognize that any kind of reduction is a bad sign.
§
Your
boss’s boss gets into the act, reinforcing a Serious Talk that you have
already had with someone else. This is not just a warning signal. It’s
a huge flashing neon sign that says you’re about to become roadkill on
the corporate highway.
§
Rumors of layoffs are going around and people are starting to avoid you
or look at you sadly. If these are Human Resources people, start
working on your resume.
Unless you’re prone to paranoid delusions, these warning signs clearly
indicate that something undesirable is going on. Correcting the
situation will require an objective and thorough self-assessment,
followed by an honest discussion with your boss. If you don’t develop a
corrective action plan quickly, you may suddenly find yourself out on
the street.
Copyright Marie G.
McIntyre. All rights reserved. May be reproduced with copyright and
attribution to
www.yourofficecoach.com
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