Navigating Challenges: Strategies for Effective Issue Resolution

Hi Seniors,

I am working in a private limited IT company as an HR personnel for 10 months. As an HR person, my responsibility is to introduce policies while considering organizational and employee growth. However, the issue is that during the initial 3 months, everything was perfect. After that, I realized the boss's dictatorial behavior. He wants to run the company as a one-man army. Every decision he makes must be implemented regardless of circumstances, without considering my suggestions. He treats IT engineers like factory laborers and enforces nonsensical policies without regard for repercussions. For instance, I proposed a communication training session to enhance engineer performance at client sites and improve rapport, but the boss rejected it, stating, "If they improve, they won't last in our company." Doesn't this reflect his mean and narrow-minded nature? This is just one example among many instances of exploitation.

The situation worsened as he started taunting and belittling me in the past 4-5 months, seizing every opportunity to put me down. Consequently, I feel this environment is unsuitable for personal growth. He assigns tasks with deadlines but fails to provide necessary resources. Consequently, I began attending interviews at other companies. However, during interviews, I struggle to answer questions like, "Why do you want to leave this company in just 10 months?" I find it challenging to convince interviewers.

Seniors, I seek your advice and assistance as I feel frustrated and see no growth potential in this company. I am eager for a change and cannot find a reason to stay here, despite my dedicated efforts towards organizational development. Please guide me! Thank you very much! (If any seniors are willing to provide their contact details, it would be greatly appreciated.)

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I have corrected the spelling, grammar, and formatting errors in the text while ensuring that the original meaning and tone are preserved. Let me know if you need any further assistance.

Dear Ram,

Reason for the move can be: looking for opportunities that can utilize your expertise. You can mention that though the current organization is good, it seems like there are fewer possibilities of using your skills, and you'd like to look for an opportunity that can make use of the available talent. You could let them know that the first few months seemed promising as far as utilizing skills is concerned, but then you later felt that the purpose of the role was lacking visibility. You could always state that money is not the reason - "job content" is the reason.

Hi Ash,

Trust me! I was expecting a nice solution from you as I always go through your solutions for different issues. I really appreciate your solutions. Thanks a million also for this time.

But, I would request you to go through my problem once again as I have edited something by giving some examples. Probably you would be able to understand the pain that I am going through.

Thanks Again!
Take care,
Ram
Sr. Executive-HR

Dear Ram,

All of us (including me) tend to not see the "actual problem" when we are deeply depressed.

I can mention a few of the emotional issues you are going through:

a) You hate getting up every morning and think that you are going to work.

b) You sit at your desk and sometimes glance through all the work you have done and feel like deleting it - because you feel there is no point in you having worked so hard.

c) You feel that you don't have anything to sell as far as skills are concerned because the last 10 months you have been hoping that things will take a fine shape at least later.

d) You tried showing facts and figures to prove that your efforts are really for the benefit of the company, but your boss cannot understand.

e) You discovered the true face of your company only after the initial honeymoon period.

f) This depression is getting on to your personal life as well - as you are not able to be a part of every other good thing since the career aspects have dominated you.

g) You feel you cannot convince prospective employers on the reason for change.

Let me tell you what's the actual problem here:

You have made up your mind to move, you only need a pat on your back to motivate you during interviews and not to give up any hopes.

Solution: Inventory your skills, highlight your contribution (irrespective of whether it has been implemented or not). If possible, take the sufficient material with you to prove your efforts. And please let the interviewers know your real need for change. It's not your boss that you should blame during interviews; it should be your "need" to improve and contribute and safeguard your skills and increase the skill set.

Also, tell them, if their fear is whether you will move out of the new job very soon, you can even agree to work for a specific number of months.

AND - please make sure that whatever profile you take, you are confident that it is a place that will "help in enhancing people's performance."

You might wonder why I did not suggest you to talk and convince your boss. Buddy, I have seen such people - I have also tried. But since I am very young in my profession, I cannot experiment and then "wait" for that success. Had I been a person with 20 years of successful HR career, I would have opted to convince that person and change his attitude because I have already achieved what I dreamt of; I would take this as a challenge.

But at this point when we are trying to develop our career, we need proper guidance and the scope for implementing our thoughts/efforts/work. So, don't waste your time by even worrying for this employer.

Hi Asha,

Hats off to you! It's a mature solution that you have given to me. You are absolutely correct as it's exactly the same thing happening with me, and both my personal and professional lives are being drastically affected.

It is an awesome solution and suggestion. I will really try to boost my motivational factors, and yes, I remember making some mistakes in my past interviews that I will not repeat.

I had started thinking of resigning from my current job without waiting for new opportunities. Anyways, I would like to appreciate you for your valuable solutions.

Thanks and Regards,
Ram
Sr. Executive-HR

Dear Ram,

Don't quit before getting a new job. Take it from me - one month - try hard for a job. Until then, just follow what your boss wants you to do. Because if you remain jobless, it will be difficult to convince any employer. They may think that you can't handle pressure - when the truth is something else.

I am happy you have been a bit relieved. We tend to be the victim of someone else's stupidity. Just make sure if you are depressed, there is a true reason for it. Keep looking! Leave in a cheerful manner, because reference checks matter. Your boss may refer you stating that "he quit because he could not handle the work here".

So - stay until you get a new job.

Dear Ram,

Management science, or no science for that matter, is above our good old proverbs. You are casting pearls before swine and getting stressed out because of this. Cast what a swine likes, or find someone who understands the value of your pearls. At the same time, make sure that you do not walk off in a huff! Preceding posts show you had a good amount of interaction with Ash that is well-founded.

Ok...

Dinesh V Divekar

Hi,

Hope you are reporting to the CEO or a person at the Director Level. My response is based on that only. In case you are reporting to the HR Head, this is not applicable.

I too have the same question "why do you want to leave this company in only 10 months."

Please don't act on the basis of sudden thoughts or better to avoid impulsive decisions. You need to understand the hardcore reality that in any industry, the ultimate decision-maker is the investor and not the HR Manager, HR Advisor, or VP HR. Who hired you? The investor, right? So, he/she has 100% authority to decide your 'job profile.' Your boss may allow you to provide strategic suggestions but never expect that you can run the show.

Also, please note that you can't practice all that you have learned in management books... the investor may publish HR philosophy in the corporate plan, speak for hours on Human Resources Development... but at the end of the day, the core objective would be 'to make the business more profitable,' and being in HR, your job is to support the investor to make more profit. Over time, you can become more powerful (e.g., if you can convince your boss that your suggestions can make more money or reduce wastage or improve quality...).

For example, your boss may not wish the engineers to be trained in communication because he/she fears that the engineers will quit the job if they improve communication skills. This can be a strategy of your boss. So being in HR, you are supposed to support it or come up with a better strategy (your boss may accept your suggestion if you work out a plan with solid financial advantage).

If you are experiencing ethical conflicts, when you move to another company "there will be no guarantee that you can work as you wish."

So relax and enjoy work... best of luck

Hello Ram,

Though your situation seems tough, I would suggest that you take some time to introspect yourself and the situation before reaching a decision. Is your manager generally like this with all employees, or is it just with you? This is to know if there is a personal angle to this. There is also a possibility that this could be the general attitude of the manager and that he has been a taskmaster all his life!

In that case, you would have to be manipulative (what I would call "street smart") until you get another job or are able to win him over by doing things the way he wants. Show him that you can stand up to the occasion and can deliver at the toughest of times. Do not accept defeat - I know it's tough, really tough, but you need to go through these things to make you stronger. Bombard him with your achievements, keep him aware of what you are doing every day, and take in the comments, no matter how sarcastic they might be, as a step towards self-improvement.

These things will keep you motivated and pumped up at all times and can surely help you put your best step forward in an interview. Remember, a dull face will do you no good. Besides, it will also buy you enough time to find a new job.

Good Luck!

Regards,
Girish S.

Check out my HR blog: The HR Knowledge Space

Hi there,

I am not a senior, but I still feel compelled to offer you some tips based on my knowledge. Never lose your job until you have another one in hand.

Always remain calm, very calm, when you feel neglected by your boss.

During an interview, never make negative comments about the company. Instead, you can acknowledge that there are some questionable practices that go against policies, and that's why you are seeking other job opportunities.

I hope these tips will be helpful to you in any way.

Take care and happy job seeking. Good luck.

Hi pratham,

Thanks for your suggestion. It's not about seniority; anyone can face frustration or depression and all they need is positive motivational support from anyone, regardless of their position relative to you.

I wish you all the best in your future endeavors, and thank you very much for your suggestions.

Take care.

Regards,
Ram

Hi,

Problems exist everywhere; well, every organization and boss have a certain style to operate to prioritize their work. Sometimes, you may encounter dictatorship, autocracy, diplomacy, and whatnot... the key is to try to accommodate change and be flexible, sometimes. We all face critical acclaim when it becomes personal and hurts (self-esteem); the prime reason our positive opinions turn negative when you are in bad books.

Look deeper within: Is there anything that I can do to help myself?
-Is there a way to mend my relationship?
-Is there something I need to compensate to re-bridge communication?
-Do I need to be obsessive or keep silent to help the other person understand?

Finally, set your own priorities and goals that you intend to achieve, which are not subject to dependencies and make you feel strong as you are bound to get what you planned and intended.

When going to interviews, where you need to find answers and justifiable responses, it's essential to be positive (never backbite about your boss) – this is the golden principle. Keep your tone and body language moderated; this will boost your priorities and lead you to do your best.

All the best

Dear Ram,

Indeed, nice talking to you and what I have understood from your points mentioned in this forum... you don't want to take pressure and want to be a cool person in the HR Dept. For example, when you tried to help your Engineers by providing them with communication training and your boss objected because of the risk of losing current employees and potential future problems after hiring new staff. As an HR professional, you should follow the rules and regulations of the organization. You mentioned that your boss started giving you more tasks with deadlines, making it challenging to deliver solutions on time. This could be a reason for considering a change.

I have around years of experience in HR as a Generalist and joined a company in June 2008. Before joining, the management informed me that I would be responsible for the entire HR spectrum. Things were smooth until my probation ended, and then the real pressure began from my two bosses. Initially, I also thought of switching to a different company that values ethics and culture. I took a couple of days off, reflected, and upon returning to the office, I understood what was expected of me. For a while, I acted similarly to how you mentioned, and then I gradually started comparing different companies and their cultures. Now, I can independently make decisions that benefit the organization, and I am a part of the Global HR Team.

The difference between the impossible and the possible lies in a person's determination. If you switch to another company, you may not have the same freedom to experiment. It might be better to stay with your current employer for some more time and try to influence your boss by showcasing organizational development and structure. You have been with the same employer for 10 months, so you have an idea about your boss and others. Act accordingly, take gradual actions, and implement them.

This is my advice to you. Be wise in your decision-making, and best of luck with the steps you take.

Hi Ram,
How Are You?
Yes, problem is serious bcz its directly affect to you future planning, goals and satisfaction. you have been that org. from last 10 months Why cant you continue for next two Months you will solve the problem of 10 Months and meanwhile look for better opportunity. Might be bcz of Hurry you will fall again under such types of bosses.
HR professional is nothing but dealing with PEOPLE sometime good and sometime like your BOSS. don't worry Keep it up and Best of luck.
Regards,
Chetan..

See dude, many times it happens to us. As you say, he is your boss, so rather than changing his attitude, it would be better for us to change our attitude. I know it's very difficult to do that. As HR professionals, we are known for our creativity and innovation. We are known for a "never say die attitude." Do your best; it doesn't matter if someone doesn't appreciate your skills and knowledge.

As far as interviews are concerned, you can tell them, "Sir/Madam, my boss is a very idle man; he is paying me for doing nothing. But it goes against my principles. I am someone who wants to expand my skills and knowledge. I think the position you have is best suited for me."

Hi,

The suggestions posted here are appreciable and carry deep meaning. However, I would not advise you to leave and go somewhere else. Quitting is not always the resort. I am also not asking you to fight, struggle, or make an attempt to change a person's (your boss's) behavior. Instead, you must introspect, take some time off, and step away from this scenario to think about it from a different perspective.

Remember, no corporate situation is ideal; problems, conflicts, agony, pain, and differences may prevail in all places. Don't search for a situation where your suggestions are always given the importance or respect that you expect. You may be thinking from your perspective, but the company head or your senior member has to think about the betterment of the entire organization. I don't know of any other suggestions you have made to your boss besides arranging training for the engineers. According to your boss, training may not be the solution to that problem or may not be required at all. Bosses have to consider many perspectives, including ROI and long-term returns for the company's betterment.

You may think your boss is an idiot and lacks long-term vision and the ability to implement new ideas. However, there are always two sides to consider, and I advise you to take a second look at the whole situation.

Remember, you have spent ten good months here. You are aware of the boss's temperament and other aspects here. However, a new company may present other challenges, and you may find yourself in a worse situation than the current one.

Think again...

All the best,

Amresh Mishra
Behavioral, Sales, Customer Care & Leadership Coach

Good Gal Ash has given you a very nice, detailed overview of the reality. A Bad Boss is very often the reason why employees tend to want to move on. Yes Son, the time has come for you to explore other avenues...there's no point in languishing in your present setup. Getting up with a lousy feeling, "Oh, Shit! I have to go to work," and you arrive there with a heavy crestfallen state...it's no use carrying on and damaging yourself in the bargain. Like Ash said, you are young and there's actually no point in even trying to persuade your boss to change...just look around, find another job, and move on.

Best Wishes, Vasant Nair

Hi Ram,

If things are indeed as bad as they seem, then consider exploring other options. However, do not leave your current job without securing another opportunity first. A compelling reason for seeking a change could be, "I want to utilize and enhance my skills within a new environment."

Furthermore, once you secure a new position, I recommend communicating this to the higher management. This doesn't imply disparaging your current boss but rather highlighting the challenges the company is facing and how it impacts the employees. There is still a long way to go, Ram, but I believe you will succeed. Take care.

Dear Ram,

Start looking for another job. Until then, handle your boss as practice to deal with difficult people. Every difficult behavior has motives and criteria. Understand those of your boss and manage him in the best possible way. Use this time before securing a new job to learn how to handle such a boss.

All the best for your new job; you will definitely find a better opportunity because everybody gets a chance.

Regards,
Pratap Kamble

Dear Ram,

I have read all the Sr. and Jr. feedback on your comment and just want to say to you that how many times do you make changes in your career.

The present boss with whom you are working may be wrong with you at this moment. Why don't you recollect the data of your past experience with the same boss? Was he behaved with you in the past as he is behaving now? If so, then try to handle and gain his attitude and stay with the same company. If he is not like that, then there is a problem with you. So, try to make changes in your attitude.

I don't want to discourage you or even encourage you to make a change with your present profile. You have worked with him for 10 months. What have you gained and what have you lost? Changing is not the solution to running away from hectic pressure. If so, what guarantee is there that in your future endeavors, you will not find such a boss again? What will be your approach towards this? Will you again look for a change? Hard work, have fun, and create history. Just follow this and rock yourself.