Caring about the boss LO18654

Thomas Benjamin (benjamin@fac.irm.ernet.in)
Thu, 16 Jul 1998 19:57:59 +0530

Replying to LO18632 --

Brock Vodden had asked what would be the response to the boss lying about
an employee in the situation he had described?

I think such situations keep many factors unsaid. Therefore difficult to
answer directly. Questions I would ask before taking the action the
employee did are:

Did the boss's action save the day?

The boss lied. Was the lie neccessary? Would he have achieved the same
result if he had told the truth? Did the boss mean to harm his employee?

Was the employee's reputation tarnished by the lie? Did it diffuse the
situation? If the employee's action was acceptable, was it the ego of the
other senior bosses that was being soothed by the lie? Is it a displaced
conflict? Should the boss have confronted the real issue? Was he aware
that it would not have produced results even if he had confronted the real
issue?

Would the employee have corrected his boss if he had confronted him and
sorted out his boss's action? Would he feel small? Was he ready to take
the correction? Would the employee lose his job, prestige if he confronted
his boss?

Was the employee the best candidate for the post irrespective of the
incident and his feelings? Did the organisation lose the opportunity to
have the right man on the job?

I don't know if I answered or further confused the readers of this reply.
If so sorrry.

Thomas P Benjamin
benjamin@fac.irm.ernet.in

Thomas P Benjamin
Institute of Rural Management, Anand
PB No. 60, Anand 388 001 India
E-Mail: benjamin@fac.irm.ernet.in
Voice:02692 40186/40181(o) 40603(R)
Fax: 02692 40188
Telex: 0172-242 IRMA IN
visit:http://irma.irm.ernet.in

-- 

"Thomas Benjamin" <benjamin@fac.irm.ernet.in>

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