Discouraging-Feedback

Source: Newsletter from Marcus Blankenship

I asked my son, a Senior Marketing Writer for a SaaS company, "Have you ever thought of surveying your customers to see what they care about?"

Sadly, he replied, "Yes, but I wouldn't get anywhere. No good deed goes unpunished here."

Waaaaaht?

He continued:

"Oh, I could create the survey, but I'd have to send it to the whole team for approval before we sent it out. Then Sue and Jim would find eleven things wrong with it, and my boss, Janko, would want me to work in our new marketing strategy. Then the owner Bill would want us to do it like our biggest competitor and send me in a whole new direction. In the end, I'd not get anywhere, and nothing would get sent out. I used to suggest such ideas, but I've learned that it's painful and pointless."

My son has learned what he can, and cannot, affect at work.

Like any sane person, he puts forth effort in the areas he can effect change.

But his boss feels he should "be more innovative, and think outside the box, and propose more groundbreaking ideas." His boss feels he's not "working to his full potential."

Potential often isn't limited by individual traits, but by the working environment. Your challenge: In your next 1:1 or team meeting, ask "What good deeds might get punished here?"

Or, share this email with them to open up the discussion.

Write me back - I'd love to hear what happens.

Best, Marcus