Usually, it is unsaid. Sometimes, a cover story is created with no one acknowledging that it is a cover story because, if there is a silent agreement, then certainly nothing will be said of its details. Nonetheless, it is mutually understood that the executive or manager is incompetent. No one wants to admit that because admission would trigger an obligation to take corrective action. No one wants an action on the table because no one is bold enough to take it. Who wants to admit that they are weak?
So they pretend that the performance is acceptable or that they are being reasonable or compassionate with their tolerance. The executive or manager continues in the job. His or her compensation may be generous. Their title may be impressive. A few practices may be quietly adopted to rein in the extent of the incompetence but aside from those, nothing will be done and little, if anything, will be said, at least at that level.
The victims of this practice are the co-workers and direct reports of the incompetent and anyone who depends upon the quality of work produced by the person.
The person's direct reports know about the performance problems. They frequently talk to one another about the situation and do their best to mitigate the damage. They tell themselves that since the incompetence is too obvious to hide, upper management will eventually learn of the problem and do what so clearly needs to be done.
After all, that's what good management is supposed to do. Right?
3 comments:
My biggest professional fear is that I am "that person" and no one will tell me. So I scout out feedback from the business units that I think have the worst things to say about me...and then I ask what I can do better. It is so hard to get honest feedback.
That is a wise practice.
On a related point, I've met many executives and managers who have told me that they believe that they somehow faked their way into their job and that some day they'll be uncovered. These are highly talented people with unquestionable achievements.
Michael
We just had a whole government do that. They still cannot work out how they got defeated. It's this and it's that, but the reality was it was they were not very good. That's why they got voted out of office....It's reflected in the fact that their party got the lowest vote in over 100 years....The people have spoken.
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