Consult a Coach: How do I deal with a disorganised employer?
Welcome to Consult a Coach, our regular careers clinic for Bazaar readers. Send us your work dilemma, and we’ll ask our career agony aunt – the industry professional, executive coach and motivational speaker Jo Glynn-Smith – to share her expert advice.
Here, Jo advises a reader who is struggling with the disorganised nature of her workplace.
Explore the Consult a Coach archive, full of careers-based advice. Got a question you'd like answered? Email us at consultacoach@harpersbazaar.co.uk
Dear Jo,
I work in an established business that behaves a bit like a start-up. I was excited by this 'un-corporate' way of working at first – it felt exciting. But the lack of process and structure means that things go wrong all the time and subsequently there’s a lot of stress and blame. My partner thinks I should look for a new job, but we live in a rural area, and jobs like mine are difficult to find. How can I learn to manage through the chaos until I find something else?
Clare, 39
Jo says...
Dear Clare,
It’s great to receive your email and thank you for sharing this dilemma. It makes complete sense as to why you were drawn to this type of entrepreneurial-style business on paper; agile, responsive, opportunistic and unencumbered by corporate process or red tape. As you quite rightly pointed out, a start-up behaves in a similar way, by trial-and-error at first, in the hope of finding some financial stability, structure, and eventually growth in the long term. It’s less common to find an established business that is still behaving like this. Would I be right in assuming that you work for an owner-operated business?
Small-to-medium sized businesses that are operated by the person or people who started them are often less conventional than larger, more corporate ones, where there is an appointed board of directors. This is because these businesses are run from a very personal perspective, with a vision that is rarely challenged. You are likely to find a lot of legacy behaviours, like ‘friends of the business’ employees who are committed, but often under-qualified, or out-dated processes that haven’t evolved with the growth or complexity of a larger organisation. Because success has been achieved over many years through blood, sweat and tears, there can be high levels of fear associated with new people, processes or decision-making, which can create a very untrusting environment. You may also find a leadership team that have earned their positions by way of family or loyalty, rather than skills or experience. This can be frustrating for any employee coming in from the outside, especially if they were employed because of what they can bring to the business but are now being largely overruled.
It’s worth acknowledging that some people love being in these types of surroundings and thrive despite the chaos. That said, it doesn’t sound like it’s working for you. So, what to do?
Firstly, for your own sanity and stress levels, I would try to let go a little. I’m not saying that you should lower your standards or not care, I just mean that by letting go of how you believe things ‘should’ happen, based on your logic or experience, you can consciously adopt a more open-minded approach to the day-to-day. That way you will remain present in each moment and deal with each issue as it comes up. Recognise that this business is unconventional and that the ‘how’ might be unexpected. Lean in to expecting the unexpected.
Managing the blame culture is more of a challenge, particularly if you are someone who values accountability and honesty. In this case, I would suggest sticking to your principles but try to understand why certain behaviours are taking place and, whatever you do, don’t take them personally. Then, actively avoid the drama where possible – it will be less draining energetically and give you more space to act.
Finally, try focusing on what this experience is teaching you, rather than what it’s taking away: skills like problem-solving, adaptation, change management, flexibility and stress management. So, despite the lack of process or structure, you can still come away with some useful skills to take into your next role.
Good luck!
Jo Glynn-Smith is a transformation coach, speaker and personal-brand expert from London who works with leaders, entrepreneurs and businesses to help maximise their team or individual potential. Before becoming a coach, she spent most of her career in the fashion industry working at the highest level with some of the biggest global brands. You can follow Jo for more coaching tips and advice on Instagram (@jojoglynnsmith) or visit her website, joglynnsmith.com.
You Might Also Like
