A meme appeared on my Facebook feed with the following text:
Always remember:
- The Squeaky wheel gets outsourced
- High achievers end up working unpaid overtime
- No good deed goes unpunished
- Dare to be adequate!
True? False? There is absolutely some truth to those principles. If you annoy the boss enough, she won’t fight to save your job–but it’s pretty rare that a company decides to outsource a function based on one annoying employee. There are absolutely employees who bust their buns and work all kinds of crazy hours, only to be rewarded with more work, no praise and no promotion. So, do you want to be “adequate?” Think about these 5 reasons.
To keep reading, click here: 5 Reasons You Should Strive for Mediocrity
I don’t think this was meant to describe whether one should embrace their own mediocrity, but rather the mindset required to survive in certain cultures. For some places, these is actually really really good advice. For anyone that has worked first-hand in one of these places, I am sure they are nodding their head in agreement. You can’t change the culture of an organization, but you can be smart enough to know how to work with it in these tough economic times when getting a better job may not be an option.
Perhaps retitle: “5 Ways to Survive in a Culture that Rewards Mediocrity”
I agree. It was obviously written by someone who has experienced this kind of environment.
Spot on, Evil HR Lady. I am inclined to share this with those who visit my office for the purpose of conducting another “woe is me” session.
Be grateful that people actually speak to you. In almost every company I worked at it was common knowledge to avoid HR at all costs. Perhaps because their concerns would just be deflected as a “woe is me” session đ
It is known in my organization that I will advise/try to assist anyone who is prepared to be advised/assisted. Those who are not prepared to be advised/assisted are not allowed to sit in my office. That is not a function of me, it is a function of them.
Ok, so you only speak to people that are prepared to be advised/assisted, yet they are still categorized as just wanting a âwoe is meâ session? Is there ever a scenario where an individual’s concerns are not categorized as a function of their shortcomings, and actually are related to a real tangible problem in the company? Even if there was though, it’s not really something that HR is given the authority to change and perhaps this is what causes your frustration?
Another name for mediocrity is slow. At one of many software firms by boss du jour (had 8 bosses in 5 years) was asked to convert a 350 page manual from MS Word into FrameMaker. He proposed a 2 week wait before he could do the estimate, a week to do the estimate, and at least two months uninterrupted to finish the project. Another boss asked me to see what I could do. Two days later he got the finished project. He could never reveal that the rest of the department worked that slowly. And yes I did quit shortly after finishing that project.
I had an amazing boss and mentor for years – we had a great relationship even in tension or disappointment.
She’d always say to me, “7 or 8 out of 10 is good enough.” We couldn’t have raises (“economy”… For several years) and worked with several “the sky is falling” departments. My boss was essentially a meat shield who spared us insanity and encouraged us not to freak out. Actually.. I’ve had s few bosses tell me the same sort of thing now that I think about it. I’m a high anxiety, type A, with a perfectionist problem. So yea! It’s better to be average I have a much more fulfilling life when I’m reminded being intense isn’t always the best route.
I’ve worked in places with no upward track, where being proactive got you nowhere. In those places, you were better off just producing in a dependable fashion instead of trying to be a rock star. And some people were very happy with that, because their five-to-nine was more important to them than their nine-to-five.
“Strive for Mediocrity” strikes me as appallingly stupid. One of the ways I grew my career was to always ensure I was delivering measurable value at least five times greater than my annual salary and benefits. Contributing in this way to the bottom line helps in a few ways. First, bigger salary increases and bonuses. Second, faster promotions. Third, further down on the list of people who might be laid off or their jobs outsourced.
Do you mind if I ask what year you began working?
Why?
Many companies have been stifled from giving big raises/bonuses for many years now. Additionally, the high income earners are typically the first to be outsourced. Your experience seems indicative of a time and economy long past. You’re well over 30 years old, correct?
Economies go in cycles. Bottoms of cycles are outstanding opportunities for perspicacious employees to demonstrate their mettle. As economies recover, the best earn quick promotions to lead the others who had less foresight.
I hope not, but if you have already surrendered to current reality and accept mediocrity as the objective, the you need to be prepared for decades of cycles of unemployment and under-employment.
I started my career at a time of high unemployment, high inflation, and tremendous migration from high unemployment geographies to relatively low unemployment locations. I am grateful to my bosses who artfully encouraged me to develop additional excellent professional work habits. These sustained me in later times of economic drought.
Let me introduce you to the harsh illogical reality that perspicacious employees have had to resort to demonstrate their mettle in 2015 that didnât start working in the early 80s (I estimated this from your high inflation and unemployment statement) and who also recognize the sarcasm of the meme that many folks on here appear to have missed. It is not telling people to embrace their own mediocrity, but rather the mindset required to survive in certain company cultures that have since developed.
THE SQUEAKY WHEEL GETS OUTSOURCED
Hooray for computers and the internet so that jobs can now be outsourced to individuals willing to work for $1 an hour. Want to suggest improvements to your boss to increase the efficiency of your department? Better to stay quiet and not highlight that thereâs anything inefficient going on because the better solution may just be to outsource it to New Dehli.
HIGH ACHIEVERS END UP WORKING UNPAID OVERTIME
In 1975, more than 65 percent of salaried American workers were paid overtime and now it is just 11%. The best and the brightest carry the departments, get the most workloads, and they get to do it all for FREE. Google the historical stagnation of wages to see that any reward of large promotions and bonuses just isnât there to give.
NO GOOD DEAD GOES UNPUNISHED
You ever find yourself in a situation where you know it is wise to âmind your own businessâ? This usually applies to places like bad neighborhoods or prison, but it can also occur when something big is about to go down in a companyâmass layoffs, acquisitions, etc. Your goal here is to be anonymous and not draw attention to yourself because when it comes time for the sh*t show itâs the ones that act like they care about the future of their jobs that are often the first to go. Ironically, if you can put on an air of being brain dead, it gives the appearance that you will not react to the insanity of upcoming said sh*t show and buy you some additional time to find alternative employment while you work through the transition and train your replacementâŠremotely from their location in New Dehli.
DARE TO BE ADEQUATE
I worked at a company once that was acquired. My colleague completed his transition tasks as quickly as possible hoping to get hired by the new company by showing his worth. He was promptly laid offâthe goal simply was to phase out any old staff regardless of their skill set. I, on the other hand, recognized this early on and dragged out my work. I reveled in all the mediocrity I could muster and wrapped myself in a blanket of adequacyâŠand was able to squeak out another two months of employment.
We are in Wonderland now, where up is down and left is right. Are you familiar with Maslowâs hierarchy of needs? Sometimes before advancement, the corporate culture is one that relocates oneâs focus towards survival. What you have described is a rare event in the course of human history and itâs called the American Dreamâupward social mobility achieved through hard work in a society with few barriers. Despite our own efforts, many of these opportunities were GIVEN to us. But can this last forever? Has any empire ever maintained permanent dominance? Many economists predict that our economy wonât return back to the height of where it previously was within our lifetimes, if ever. When that path to the pursuit of happiness becomes less paved, it is not so simple as just relying on hard work to get you where you need to go. And this is the gist of that meme. Itâs not meant to be taken literally, which is ironic given all the effort many people have devoted to this. It is a sarcastic summary of what the reality has become in some organizations (perhaps due to industry and/or size) and the clarity of seeing it for what it is so you can properly navigate it. I would love to see the article rewritten from this perspective.
Let me introduce you to the harsh illogical reality that perspicacious employees have had to resort to demonstrate their mettle in 2015 that didnât start working in the early 80s (I estimated this from your high inflation and unemployment statement) and who also recognize the sarcasm of the meme that many folks on here appear to have missed. It is not telling people to embrace their own mediocrity, but rather the mindset required to survive in certain company cultures that have since developed.
THE SQUEAKY WHEEL GETS OUTSOURCED
Hooray for computers and the internet so that jobs can now be outsourced to individuals willing to work for $1 an hour. Want to suggest improvements to your boss to increase the efficiency of your department? Better to stay quiet and not highlight that thereâs anything inefficient going on because the better solution may just be to outsource it to New Dehli.
HIGH ACHIEVERS END UP WORKING UNPAID OVERTIME
In 1975, more than 65 percent of salaried American workers were paid overtime and now it is just 11%. The best and the brightest carry the departments, get the most workloads, and they get to do it all for FREE. Google the historical stagnation of wages to see that any reward of large promotions and bonuses just isnât there to give.
NO GOOD DEAD GOES UNPUNISHED
You ever find yourself in a situation where you know it is wise to âmind your own businessâ? This usually applies to places like bad neighborhoods or prison, but it can also occur when something big is about to go down in a companyâmass layoffs, acquisitions, etc. Your goal here is to be anonymous and not draw attention to yourself because when it comes time for the sh*t show itâs the ones that act like they care about the future of their jobs that are often the first to go. Ironically, if you can put on an air of being brain dead, it gives the appearance that you will not react to the insanity of upcoming said sh*t show and buy you some additional time to find alternative employment while you work through the transition and train your replacementâŠremotely from their location in New Dehli.
DARE TO BE ADEQUATE
I worked at a company once that was acquired. My colleague completed his transition tasks as quickly as possible hoping to get hired by the new company by showing his worth. He was promptly laid offâthe goal simply was to phase out any old staff regardless of their skill set. I, on the other hand, recognized this early on and dragged out my work. I reveled in all the mediocrity I could muster and wrapped myself in a blanket of adequacyâŠand was able to squeak out another two months of employment.
We are in Wonderland now, where up is down and left is right. Are you familiar with Maslow’s hierarchy of needs? Sometimes before advancement, the corporate culture is one that relocates oneâs focus towards survival. What you have described is a rare event in the course of human history and itâs called the American Dreamâupward social mobility achieved through hard work in a society with few barriers. Despite our own efforts, many of these opportunities were GIVEN to us. But can this last forever? Has any empire ever maintained permanent dominance? Many economists predict that our economy wonât return back to the height of where it previously was within our lifetimes, if ever. When that path to the pursuit of happiness becomes less paved, it is not so simple as just relying on hard work to get you where you need to go. And this is the gist of that meme. Itâs not meant to be taken literally, which is ironic given all the effort many people have devoted to this. It is a sarcastic summary of what the reality has become in some organizations (perhaps due to industry and/or size) and the clarity of seeing it for what it is so you can properly navigate it. I would love to see the article rewritten from this perspective.
Squeaky Wheel… It’s not only about efficiency, it’s about being an exceptionally effective employee. There’s a difference.
High Achievers… No, we don’t work overtime for free. We are making an investment in our professional futures.
No Good Deed… Keeping one’s head below the parapet certainly provides short-term security. In general, though, “nothing ventured, nothing gained” is apt.
Dare To Be… If you ask her, I authorize Suzanne Lucas to give you my e-mail address. I’d be very happy to provide you with considerable coaching at no cost. I’m experienced at this. From what and how you write, you are worth the investment of my time to see if by working together we can help you leap to new professional levels, if you are motivated to do that. What’s in it for me? Only the satisfaction of doing this, which is enough.
Well that is a very kind, generous and provoking offer. At the very least, perhaps we can co-author a book about my experiences that will perhaps become a best seller. I shall write to Suzanne now.
You’re not a threat to bad managers — bad managers cannot be avoided (sometimes it’s the luck of the draw) and mediocrity may be the only way to survive. When your manager feels threaten by you such that any activity on your part is met with an iron fist one learns to keep ones head low. Very low. So low one essentially does nothing and with the passage of time, the bad manager forgets about you. Again, two possible paths (1) seek a new job, or (2) wait it out until you are re-assigned or your bad manager is fired. Thankfully, karma is a bitch.
Aiyee yaiee, that last one is exactly the situation my significant other is in. S/he is an incredibly bright, creative person stuck in a job where all they want is mediocrity and have shot down every single suggestion s/he has ever made, every initiative s/he ever tried. S/he says that s/he has a fine life outside of work with plenty to do and see, but *I* certainly see that s/he’s a little depressed and not at all happy.