In my family of comedians, What About Bob? is a classic. Richard Dreyfuss plays the role of psychologist, Dr. Leo Marvin, who meets Bob (played by Bill Murray) after other counselors have thrown in the towel. Bob suffers from obsessive-compulsive disorder, and develops an extreme attachment to Dr. Marvin.
Dr. Marvin has some major character flaws, including an inflated sense of his importance. He has an awkward relationship with his son, is overly formal with his family, and is focused on his stature in the field. His family members embrace the impossibly paranoid Bob, who puts the fun in dysfunctional, and Dr. Marvin slowly descends into madness.
This film illustrates the functionality of a workplace, and it may even resonate with you. . . At the helm we have a puffed-up and detached leader who is failing in relational areas and missing out on life-giving communication and connection opportunities. As things spin out of control, there is little hope of repair and healing because the foundation of the family is weak. Even in heavy storms, structures with a good foundation will survive considerable damage.
A few years ago, I (Karla) recruited an administrator with a new IT client. The candidate was hired to support a couple of VPs, in an open office setting. After week two, she advised that since her first day, the President of the firm had walked past her without so much as a hello, let alone acknowledging her as a new staff addition. Disheartened by the atmosphere, she soon made the decision to leave.
Is the culture in your organization a healthy one? Has management shifted away from a people-first focus? Or was it ever there? Is there a clique culture where certain staff feel excluded from decision making or meaningful conversations? Do leaders exhibit a sense of superiority over support staff?
Dr. Marvin has some major character flaws, including an inflated sense of his importance. He has an awkward relationship with his son, is overly formal with his family, and is focused on his stature in the field. His family members embrace the impossibly paranoid Bob, who puts the fun in dysfunctional, and Dr. Marvin slowly descends into madness.
This film illustrates the functionality of a workplace, and it may even resonate with you. . . At the helm we have a puffed-up and detached leader who is failing in relational areas and missing out on life-giving communication and connection opportunities. As things spin out of control, there is little hope of repair and healing because the foundation of the family is weak. Even in heavy storms, structures with a good foundation will survive considerable damage.
A few years ago, I (Karla) recruited an administrator with a new IT client. The candidate was hired to support a couple of VPs, in an open office setting. After week two, she advised that since her first day, the President of the firm had walked past her without so much as a hello, let alone acknowledging her as a new staff addition. Disheartened by the atmosphere, she soon made the decision to leave.
Is the culture in your organization a healthy one? Has management shifted away from a people-first focus? Or was it ever there? Is there a clique culture where certain staff feel excluded from decision making or meaningful conversations? Do leaders exhibit a sense of superiority over support staff?
The quality of relationships that criss-cross hierarchies affect how employees perceive their value within the big picture. Where there are healthy relationships and communications modeled by leaders, more people will stay put and grow their potential. Where disunity is vertical, lateral (or viral!), it must be addressed or people will vote with their feet!
Is there a guy in your organization named Bob? Say hello to him today!
Is there a guy in your organization named Bob? Say hello to him today!
