How Do I Handle Selfish Team Behavior and Unfair Workload in My Bank Job?

Dear seniors, I have some problems in my organization and seek your advice. I'm an MBA holder working as a junior executive for a leading private bank in Sri Lanka (just completed the MBA), handling a fairly responsible job in the branch. At the same time, I have contributed a lot to branch portfolio development up to this level. The problems lie in the behavior of the other team members. They behave selfishly, finishing their department jobs and trying to leave work early. However, I voluntarily contribute to all department works, and I always end up staying late (no overtime is allowed).

One of the officers is trying to put me on the cash counter, which is typically handled by the most junior member in the branch. It seems he wants to put me under his control. Everyone is behaving and talking selfishly. Please give me some advice on how to appropriately handle my behavior with these individuals.

Thank you.

Dear Pratapan,

For a person seeking help, one should have patience. Let me be frank and give you some advice. Long ago, a Director of a famous institute said, "If you can't finish your work in the given time, you are either overworked or inefficient. If it is the former, scream for help; and if it is the latter, do something about it yourself." If people finish their job and go home early, is it their fault? You have not mentioned what else they do that made you label them as "selfish."

Another thing, just because you have done an MBA does not mean you should not be given "counter work." It's only when we do the lowest job in any organization that we realize the importance of that work and also the difficulties faced by them.

Finally, let me ask you a few questions. When did you complete your MBA, and how long have you worked in this organization and in total? How long have other members been in the organization? How long has the officer that put you in the counter worked for the organization? What is his rank or seniority compared to yours?

The questions that I have raised should indicate to you the reason why others may not have responded so far.

Instead of showing your frustration about not getting replies, you need to learn how to tackle the problem or behave like a mature person. You said that you are an MBA, and do you really think that you have earned the management skills and what Masters/Higher education develops the skills in someone? I agree with every single word of Mr. Simhan above, who has very nicely expressed the things and advised you.

But I seriously don't like your second post and the style that you have expressed here. I wish you'll learn the same in your professional career, which requires education, learning skills, patience, a different style, and approaching skills, and many more...

I second Mr. Simhan and would like to tell you that you must not care about others but concentrate on your work. You need to learn as much as you can. It is appreciable that you have performed well, and this automatically speaks about your motivation and confidence in your work. However, by showing your frustration that others are selfish or anything, you are not even doing good to yourself.

Why are you thinking about others and taking care of what they do or don't instead of doing your work that you have been assigned? You have your work (KRA) and different responsibilities and must not perform the work for others like you have mentioned above. Just do the work asked by your boss.

This is life, where at every step, you will find these kinds of people who will try to compete and beat you, and this is the demand of time too. But you have to fight back and let them know what you can do to reach the top or your set targets of life instead of showing frustration or losing control.

Stop taking care of others and their work. Be smart and active. Life is so selfish, and people around have become so selfish, and you can't do anything with them except that you have to follow your rules.

[I can do everything that others can do and beat them in any way but would definitely not go wrong against “MY” (My Honesty, My Sincerity, My Work, My Career, My Rules), and I don't care about others but MYSELF.]

That's what I believe and always motivates me to perform my work and to fight with these kinds of things, and I would like to share this with you here today.

Thank you to both Mr. AK Arora and Mr. Simhan for your responses to my frustrated queries. First of all, I have to apologize for my second post. I was frustrated because of the lack of responses. Now I have realized the facts. Mr. Simhan, I have 3 years of experience in the organization, and this is my first job after completing my BBA. The officer has 6 years of experience. I have recently completed my MBA, and there are 10 members in our branch.

I have already worked at the counter during my probation period and am ready to work in any area. My problem is that I expect others to be as committed as I am. Seriously, I'm saying that I'm 100% dedicated and committed, and the organization thrives in the area because of me alone. I believe that others wrongly perceive each and every one of my activities.

Important Issue: Caste Discrimination

One more important issue is that I'm from a lower-caste community, and I believe others may be aware of this. They continuously irritate me by scolding the lower-caste customers behind their backs. I'm so frustrated. Please guide me on how to behave in the organization. Seniors, please help me.

Regards,

Okay, but first, you need to compose yourself and don't think too much about these things. The second thing is, Mr. Prathapan, that you must not think or feel like you are of lower caste or anything. Even I don't believe that an educated person who has an MBA is talking like a villager. Though, you actually don't know the reality behind it but just assuming the same.

So, please clear your illusions first, which is also a reason that you are getting too irritated with the things going on around you, and you need some time to recover from it, I believe. I understand that the things you are experiencing and have seen are not good for you, but it does not really mean that you should lose yourself in this running wave. Okay!

If you know your work, are confident about it, and are a skilled person, show them that you can beat the circumstances and treat them as your competitor.

"Critics and competition need to be taken as motivators, boosters, mentors to fight back."

Here are some tips that you need to adopt

I believe if you seriously want to fight your problem, and as you have expressed above, you need to promise yourself that you will be committed to them.

Here we go...

- Try taking things easily.

- Don't treat anyone as your enemy or be good to them in whatever situation.

- Concentrate on your work, and the important thing is that you try to enjoy it. The more you enjoy your work, the more you'll find yourself busy in it, which will never allow you to think much about other things.

- Do not react to everything, every comment, and don't take anything personally. Sometimes we feel that some people are talking about us or passing comments, but actually, our mind and perception about them make us feel that way, which never relates to reality.

- Do not think that you are of lower caste and they are treating you badly because of it.

- Do not try to differentiate things more easily because you are not in a situation to recognize good things these days, and this can only bother you. More often, people start to differentiate things and try to figure out what is good and what is wrong, but actually, this starts bothering and makes the situation worse, so please don't do that.

- Do not do any work yourself without it being assigned by your boss/superiors (like you mentioned above that you did).

- Do not expect anything from others. Every individual thinks differently, and you can't control them and their work. Your expectations from others and yourself are your real enemies actually. If you sincerely try to address them, you'll find that these two enemies were always with you. (That's something you have also accepted.)

- The last point you must keep in mind always is that YOU ARE JUST AN EMPLOYEE, and your company/organization is not yours. Do not think about your organization/company but focus on your work.

Dear Prathapan,

Did you do your MBA while working, as you say that this is your first job after BBA and you have only 3 years of experience?

You have hit the nail on the head. "My problem is I expect that others must also be committed like me." It's your unmet expectations that are causing the problem. If your organizational bosses do not care, why do you unnecessarily get worked up? Please watch the following video and digest the contents.

[Happiness is a creative force & bitterness is a destructive force @ Auckland 2009 - YouTube](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7EaJMxxcX8)

It will help you become less frustrated, like it has helped me.

You say "seriously I'm saying that I'm 100% dedicated and committed and the organization survives in the area because of me only." I can assure you no one is indispensable in any organization. Take, for example, Barclays Bank. Both the Chairman and CEO have left, and still, the bank will survive.

Finally, you say "one more important issue is I'm from a lower-caste community, and I believe others may have known that and continuously irritate me by scolding the low-caste customers behind their backs. I'm so frustrated."

You label yourself as lower caste; others may not know that. Even if they do, why should you care? It's your identification with the lower caste and reacting to how they treat customers that is the root cause. Suppose they scold "upper-caste" customers, would that be okay?

Rather than reacting to how people behave, try to analyze the situation rationally and respond to it. Take a cue from how some people have responded to your query and not reacted to it.

Hope this "sermon" helps you.