The Schmuck in My Office: How to Deal Effectively with Difficult People at Work by Jody Foster & Michelle Joy

Author:Jody Foster & Michelle Joy [Foster, Jody]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Published: 2017-04-04T07:00:00+00:00

WHEN THE SCHMUCK IN THE OFFICE IS A BEAN COUNTER

Because many of their characteristics—in moderation—are seen as desirable to the workplace, so too are Bean Counters often initially valued. These individuals frequently pursue jobs in law, accounting, computer programming, or other rule-based fields where they can feel in control of the algorithms (Curtis 1991). They appear organized and dedicated, responsible and detail-oriented. Who wouldn’t want an employee that seemed to adhere to standards and want to work hard? In the workplace, Bean Counters are usually seen as workaholics (Mudrack 2004) or the so-called “type A” personalities.

However, as they begin to take on more tasks and responsibilities, coworkers become aware that these same tendencies interfere with getting the job done. As the individual has more group projects and interactions, they have significant difficulty sharing tasks with others. The data shows that despite their often intense dedication to work, they underperform compared to their abilities (Furnham 2007). Further, regardless of their seeming desire to work long and hard, they often do not seem to enjoy their work. The Bean Counter may spend significant amounts of time making lists, categorizing, and organizing without actually accomplishing much at all. The Bean Counter may have a neatly arranged workspace, but he also may have difficulty throwing things out such that the desk is covered with piles. He is likely seen as extremely indecisive when it comes to making and enacting plans. Others at work also perceive the Bean Counter to be formal, moral, and respectful when not angry.

Bean Counters often have difficulty taking time off from work and may even not use their allotted vacation days. If and when they do, they feel extremely guilty. This blurring of the office into other aspects of life is particularly prominent in contemporary society with constant access to work e-mails and conference calls on phones and laptops. For Bean Counters, workaholic tendencies lead to stress, burnout, and job turnover. Because they place so much value on mastering their work, any small change in their role or the office can overwhelm them. For this reason, they have particular difficulty with quick-paced environments or may demonstrate more difficulty during periods of growth or transition for the company. The Bean Counter often has difficulty with tasks requiring creativity, spontaneity, or flexibility, such as speaking in meetings or on-the-spot problem solving. They frequently have difficulty turning tasks in on time and can seem to procrastinate despite working long hours. The common pattern is that a need for control actually interferes with the desired outcome for the office.

Bean Counter leaders also have the effect of increasing a general sense of mistrust and conflict in the workplace. Even with a position of authority, they have difficulty delegating tasks to others. At the same time, he might set impossible standards, which in effect dooms other employees to failure. Despite the focus on organization, the Bean Counter boss often has difficulty scheduling, structuring, and planning. As subordinates, Bean Counters can be competitive with their bosses (Stern, Rosenbaum, et al.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.