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The Downward Spiral:Don't Set Yourself up for Failure with Your Boss (or Your Client!)

Presented by:Rob Orr, SPHRHR Consultant

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“We’re running as an economy at 30% efficiency”

Curt CoffmanEmployee Engagement Global Practice Leader,The Gallup Organization

HRMagazine, February 2004

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When people need help getting a job done, they will choose a ‘lovable fool’ over a ‘competent jerk’.

Tiziana Casciaro & Miguel Sousa LoboCompetent Jerks, Lovable Fools, and the Formation of Social Networks

Harvard Business Review, June 2005

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The environment has changed

1. Technical skills not as critical for executives

2. Actuarial integrity less valued– Focus on profitability– Capitalism demutualization, non-paternalistic

Source: Sim Segal, FSA, MAAA Deloitte Consulting, LLP - used with permission

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Session Objectives

• Identify the specific problems Actuaries face • Identify cues to watch out for• Recognize how Actuaries might contribute

to the problem• Identify steps to take to turn the situation

around

By the end of the session, you will be able to:

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Agenda

• Review purpose and desired outcomes

• Difficult Bosses – Difficult Clients

• The Set-Up-To-Fail Syndrome

• How Individuals Contribute

• Taking Responsibility

• Summary

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Your Difficult Boss / Difficult Client

Use the worksheet to describe a difficult boss (or client) that you have known.

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The Difficult Boss / Difficult Client

1. Negative, mean spirited

2. Autocratic

3. ______________________________

4. ______________________________

5. ______________________________

6. ______________________________

7. ______________________________

8. ______________________________

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The Set-Up-To Fail Syndrome

• Widespread

• Insidious & Pernicious

• Based on “Common Wisdom”

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Common Wisdom

Three Groups

• Stronger Performers

• Weaker Performers

• Deadwood

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Different Strokes for Different Folks…

Bosses consciously treat stronger and weaker performers differently

– Stronger performers get autonomy– Weaker performers get help– Deadwood gets ignored (or an

invitation to leave)

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The Downward Spiral

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General Session: Actuarial Communication-Is Anyone Listening? If They Are, What Do They Hear?

• Communication (how to deliver the tough messages)

• Opinion changes (are they effective enough?)• Actuaries' images and roles in organizations• Peer reviews• Actuarial standards• Professionalism• Backbone

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Labels, Biases, & MisperceptionsHaving formed an opinion, our minds draw on all possible evidence to support it. When confronted with evidence that contradicts our viewpoint, we overlook it or denigrate it, or find some other way of writing it off. That way we can cling to our original opinion as though it were a universal truth.

Francis Bacon, 1620(updated language byManzoni & Barsoux.)

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How does this start?Loss of Confidence in Subordinates

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Triggers of Lost Confidence

What would you say?

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Triggers of Lost Confidence• Disloyalty

• Complaining

• Negative attitude

• Low engagement or energy

• Low-self-confidence

• Insensitivity to signals

• Know-it-all

• Disrespect for Boss’s time

• Blatantly political

• Extrinsic motivation

• Trying too hard

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Perceiving Performance

What about objective performance measures ?

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Perceiving Performance

Goal Commitment and Sales Performance

0.7 In-GroupStronger Perf.

-0.83

-0.19

- 0.26 Out -Group

Weaker Perf. -

-1

-0.8

-0.6

-0.4

-0.2

0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1

Low High

Goal Commitment

Sta

ndar

dize

d S

ales

Per

form

ance

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Source: Sim Segal, FSA, MAAA, Deloitte Consulting, LLP- used with permission

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Actuaries have lost industry dominance

• Fewer actuaries in C-Level positions• Highly-technical actuaries not fast-tracked

– Reserved for those presentable to C-suite

• Fewer automatic promotions upon ASA, FSA

• Narrower roles, fewer opportunities

Source: Sim Segal, FSA, MAAA, Deloitte Consulting, LLP- used with permission

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In-Groups and Out-Groups

• 80-90% of managers have sharply differentiated relationships with subordinates.

• In-Group members have close partnerships as “trusted assistants.”

• Out-Group members have low-quality relationships as “hired-hands.”

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Performance Perceptions• No correlation between objective

performance & relationship quality:1993 – Duarte, Goodson, & Klich

• Very high correlation between “liking” and in-group status:1990 – Wayne & Ferris

• Boss expectation in 1st week a better predictor of “in-group status” than actual performance at end of 2nd week1993 – Liden, Wayne, & Stilwell

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The Self-Reinforcing Dynamic Boss’s behavior toward

“weaker” performers

Boss is increasingly impatient pushy or intense during

contacts

Subordinate progressively disconnects

Subordinate looks for excuses

Boss is not well informed

Boss is less able to make useful suggestions

Boss‘s anxiety increasesProblem

recognition is delayed

More problems arise

Subordinate performs less well overall

Subordinate spends time on excuses (rather than problem solving)

Boss loses faith in Subordinate's excuses

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Reality

“Good people can quickly end up with bad labels. That needn’t be a problem. The boss’s inaccurate label becomes a problem because it is so hard to change.”

Jean-François Manzoni & Jean-Louis BarsouxThe Set-Up-To-Fail Syndrome

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Are You in the Out-Group?

Let’s take a look!

Refer to the answers on Your Difficult Boss worksheet

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Your Difficult Boss

In small groups, share:– the situations you described on page 5– the factors that contributed to the situation

Agree on the common factors( Write on page 20.)

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“What is there in your approach or way of managing the situation that might be contributing to the problem or getting in the way of its resolution?”

Peter BlockFlawless Consulting, Second Edition2000, Jossey-Bass/Pfeiffer

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Cues for Subordinates• Attribution of negative personal characteristics • Tendency to reduce contact with Boss• Diminished self-confidence• Hyper vigilance of Boss behavior• Takes feedback with “a grain of salt”• Tendency to bring up the past• Reputation as “the person most likely to disagree

with the boss”• Tendency to engage in covert lobbying

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The Difficult Boss1. Negative, mean spirited

2. Autocratic

3. Stickler for details, intolerant, impossible to please

4. Intimidating, treats people as resources

5. Unrealistic

6. Stubborn; impossible to influence

7. Manipulative

8. Meddlesome; untrusting

9. Control freak; micro manager; evaluative

10.Uncommunicative; aloof; unsupportive

11.Weak, prone to favoritism; low performance standards

12. Impatient; temperamental; unpredictable

13. Ignorant bureaucrat; clueless; defensive

14.Stifling my development

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The “Great Boss”

1. Development-oriented2. Intuitive; decisive3. Has high expectations and

aspirations4. Driven5. Demanding; has high

aspirations6. Single-minded; focused7. Politically astute8. Helpful; caring9. Encouraging; coaching;

informed; close to the pulse

10.Thoughtful, busy

11.Allows self-discovery

12.Passionate; incisive; mercurial; (at worst) impulsive

13.Realistic; better judge; aware of interdependencies; victim of a poorly sold change

14.Considerate; letting me recover

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The Observed Behaviors1. Giving critical feedback

2. Making a unilateral decision

3. Instructing work to be redone

4. Imposing discipline

5. Setting stretch targets

6. Sticking with a doubtful course of action

7. Sending mixed signals

8. Giving unsolicited advice

9. Asking specific questions

10.Delaying response to proposal/ request

11.Not condemning a big mistake

12.Losing temper in public

13.Resisting a proposed change

14.Giving a routine assignment

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Perception is RealityAction Intent Boss sees Boss infers

Discounting feedback

Effectiveness Ignored feedback

Anti-learning, lacks potential & respect

Bringing up the past

Avoid repetition

Water under the bridge

Lacks judgment & maturity

Holding ground with Boss

To be heard Challenging, foolish resistance

Lacks judgment, self-control & discipline

Covert lobbying

To make things better

Personal betrayal

Lacks loyalty and integrity

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Cues for Subordinates

• Attribution of negative personal characteristics • Tendency to reduce contact with Boss• Diminished self-confidence• Hyper vigilance of Boss behavior• Takes feedback with “a grain of salt”• Tendency to bring up the past• Reputation as “the person most likely to disagree

with the boss”• Tendency to engage in covert lobbying

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Taking Responsibility

• Stop digging

• Start talking

• Accomplish some tasks

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Taking Responsibility

• Stop digging– Get your job in order

– Get your head in order

– Don’t rush it

• Start talking

• Accomplish some tasks

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Taking Responsibility

• Stop digging

• Start talking– Increase contact with boss

– Make it easy for the boss

– Invite your boss to a meeting

– Have a new conversation

• Accomplish some tasks

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Taking Responsibility

• Stop digging

• Start talking

• Accomplish some tasks– Maintain your own self-

confidence

– Fight the urge to withdraw

– Don’t overreach

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Things to Remember• Know when to hold ‘em,

know when to fold ‘em.

• There is no one to blame.

• Let go of expectations of your boss.

• Offer the benefit of the doubt.

• Produce hope, rather than pursue it.

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The Set-Up-To Fail Syndrome

Loss of Confidence

• WidespreadWidespread

• Insidious & Insidious & PerniciousPernicious

• Based on Based on “Common “Common Wisdom”Wisdom”

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The Downward Spiral:Don't Set Yourself up for Failure with Your Boss

Presented by:Rob Orr, SPHRHR Consultant