I got a call from a friend who lives in the Pacific North West. She worked in a senior marketing position for a mid-tier company and moved there about five years ago. When we spoke, she asked me for my advice. What do I do if the CEO sucks the energy out of business? What happens when he is the poison polluting your work environment?
CEO Poison
Her boss is a smart guy who worked at some impressive larger companies in essential roles. But in the last few years when he became the CEO, it felt like he was a negative drain on the emotion, the energy, and company at large. Each day, she drags herself home exhausted. It isn’t the work; it is the atmosphere that enervates her lifeforce.
She shared with me that the board loved the CEO because they liked the results he delivered, but the work environment was toxic. And, she doubted he was going anywhere anytime soon.
My Advice: Leave.
Someone with my friend’s talent can find another job. I asked her why not spend your energy finding something new that was a net positive to your life? Who wants to dread going to work each day? I shared with her a few work lessons I got over the last thirty plus years.
What I learned from Work
- It is a cliché, that life is short. But it is a cliché for a reason. Life is short. Stop wishing things will be better. Do something about it.
- If the board is happy with a bad boss, they’ll most likely care more about profits over people. Is this where you want to spend 50 hours a week?
- Not every CEO is a net negative in the energy they bring to a business. I have had several net positive energy-producing bosses who invigorated the workforce. You can find something better that can support and challenge you, but do it in a way that is professional and civil. People leave bosses, not jobs. I think that’s a healthy thing to do at work just like you don’t keep friends who are toxic in your inner circle.
- Backstabbing workplaces are like prisons. They add nothing of value to your work like and will only make you miserable. You hold the key to escape your work prison.
- The grass isn’t greener somewhere else, but it may have less poison and weeds. Any move is a tradeoff, but your health and well-being aren’t things you should compromise to get a W2 each week. Spend your free time finding something better and healthier.
- Research companies that get top scores are employee happiness. There are lots of ways to learn what it is like to be an employee somewhere else like GlassDoor and other online resources.
- Consider starting your own business where you offer your services to companies who need the kind of value you can bring, but who might need someone part-time. I reminded my friend that I built my consultancy business on this idea of a fractional CMO, she too might consider having multiple bosses by bringing her digital skills to several clients.
Each day is precious. Don’t waste your time investing in a sick culture.
Someday when you are retired and enjoying a slower pace of life, you don’t want to look back and feel burnt out by toxic people you endured at work. Sitting around bitching about a miserable boss who made everyone happy is like quicksand. It will only pull you down.
As I told my friend, she can find happiness at work. It can exist but not if you stand still in a toxic waste dump. My advice to my friend was why work at the toxic workplace when you can be somewhere else where without all that poison?
Find a healthier place to spend your day.
You can set up a time to chat with me about your marketing challenges using my calendar. Email me jeffslater@themarketingsage.com Call me. 919 720 0995. The conversation is free, and we can explore if working together makes sense. Try my new chat feature on my site if you have a quick question.
Photo by Matthew T Rader on Unsplash
