Having problems with authority at work?...

[paperoceans]

This has always been an issue... Even when I was in grade school; I would sometimes argue with my teachers when I thought they were teaching something that was inaccurate, etc. I'm pretty shameless when it comes to calling people out...

Anyway, I'm in my twenties now and I'm find my current job so hard to deal with. There are like several leads per day telling you what to do, breathing down everyone's neck, then there are the supervisors, and the manager who comes in sometimes (I work at a restaurant at an amusement park).

I'm really fed up and I'm kinda doing things to purposely piss off my leads.

If they tell me to do something, I take a long ass time if I don't want to do it or if I think it makes no sense and I have found myself provoking arguments with the leads when I think they're being stupid. I've had several jobs, and this is definitely my least favorite. I had an interview at a clothing store so I'm hoping I get hired there.

I used to work really hard when I noticed that most of the leads are lazy as fuck! Ever since some genus put me both on dishes and patio (by myself) when we had 20,000 guests, I've been pissed and doing my own thing. I don't like being taken advantage.

In the meantime, I need to figure out how I can peacefully work here without losing my shit. It would be better if they would just let us breathe and not walk up to all of us every 2 minutes to ask us what we're doing when it's obvious that we're working. It honestly makes me feel like a child! :steam:

BTW, I think they run the place pretty badly. It's disorganized and chaotic. I like to get my shit done so when closing, I do several things at once or while working. Everyone is doing one thing at a time which pisses me off or people standing there looking at the ceiling. I really hope I get hired!

I wrote this half awake so please excuse grammar. I need advice 'cause I know I'm going to keep running into this for the rest of my life.

 

[IZthe411]

You're INTJ, correct?

It sounds like that Ni/Te tendency to 'challenge' authority. Respect for authority isn't automatic, it has to be proven that this authority figure has the smarts and ability to be viewed as such. And Ni, while forward looking, can still be a stick in the mud when it's landed and settled on a particular viewpoint.

I was talking to an ENTJ buddy of mine, and he was saying he doesn't even realize he's doing this sometimes. I'm his teacher in a certain capacity, and I could tell it- and called him out on it. He'll just start shooting off questions, not because he really wants to know, but it appears he's just outwardly viewing it from different angles. He even gets this evil look in his face too. Good thing I understand type. I didn't feel challenged, and was able to answer his questions as well. I'm the one who introduced him to Typology, and when he read it, he had to laugh at how the description was calling him out. He told me he worked in this factory setting job, and would purposefully break machines and refuse to fix the machines because the boss was a 'know it all". The boss always thought he was right, and shot down my buddy's attempts to help. So my buddy let him have that thought, and made it so that he had to prove it each and every day.

My suggestion? Accept that your tendency is to feel that way towards authority, and take a few breaths before acting. While you are getting pleasure in being defiant (I agree that micromanaging is very stupid- but in some cases it's warranted- for every good worker like you there's probably 2 or 3 who could care less-esp in that kind of working environment. Understand that if something doesn't get done, it's on the supervisor, not you really), realize that long term, you are hurting yourself more than helping the sitaution. If you follow through on orders, the leads may recognize that you can work unsupervised and leave you alone. Learning this lesson now in your twenties will serve you well as life picks up in complexity and consequence.

 

[MacGuffin]

Sounds like you need a better job.

 

[paperoceans]

Sounds like you need a better job.

Ugh, I agree and I'm looking for one. Just today I got in trouble because a supervisor told me to go on my break and completely forgot about it. I come back and I get scolded like I'm a child for not telling anyone that I left and I was telling her that SHE was the one that told me to go on a break. She then mumbles and says something about me having to tell the lead that I am leaving. Which makes no sense and no one has been doing that since we've been working there. The supervisor has more power, so why do I have to tell the lead that I'm leaving (and when they're not even there in the first place), when YOU'RE the boss and TOLD me to do something. So fed up right now.

And I am a hard worker. I was doing three jobs at the same time since they are assholes and don't want to help me out. My team members keep telling me that they don't understand why they do that and how they want to help me. When a team member tries to help me, someone sends them away so I don't mean to be paranoid and shit, but I honestly think they're out to get me.

 

[CrystalViolet]

I don't know why but being efficent seems to set one up for being used and abused. I worked at one place where my manager seem to set up hurdle after hurdle, so much so, that people used to comment that it looked like she was setting me up for a fall. The last straw was when I did 5 night shifts/ week (and they were 13 hour shifts) for a month. I don't think that was even legal. The worst thing was every body was amazed I made it, without doing some thing stupid out of poor exhaustion. She didn't even think I should have time off to recover.(Luckily payroll twigged, and upper managment intervened).

I digress what I meant to say, is keep looking for a new job, because things don't change while you remain there.

 

[paperoceans]

^^

I really do not understand why I'm being treated this way though... I asked all my team members if I did something wrong and if I'm a bad worker, and they said I was not so IDK... I see more people not doing shit and no one saying anything.

 

[skylights]

honestly, they're probably getting on you because they know you are capable and you're an asset to them when you're working hard, so they notice more when you're not performing perfectly.

i'm in a similar job situation, and i want out too. completely disorganized supervisor, managers who breathe down your neck and interfere when you're in the middle of doing your job. recently i've taken to just being as efficient as possible, trying to ignore the shit, and doing my best to prove myself despite the incompetence of my supervisor. i'm just waiting for her to get fired, because she's so inefficient as to be counterproductive, and someone from management has got to realize that sooner or later - and probably sooner, because i have no qualms about calling her out. i don't suppose that's particularly healthy or positive but at least it keeps me entertained that i feel like i'm fighting the system. and i'm going to get a good recommendation from someone around there, goddammit.

i suppose in summary, i empathize, and good luck. it sounds like we both need jobs where we're allowed more autonomy and trust. i don't know about you, but i can't wait til i get a job where i'm really challenged and being forced to use my brain to solve external problems, instead of using it to figure out how to deal with the internal job situation. i had that once, and i was happy as a lark (even though i have always had minor authority issues, too).

 

[Sanctus Iacobus]

what concern is it to you how they run the business? what good is it to you if you do poorly?

if you want a good reputation then forget preserving your ego and be willing to learn about things like notifying your supervisor when you take a break. it doesn't mean it's your fault, but if that is the way they do it then you should be willing to learn and improve. with just a little wisdom and humility, your work will improve and you'll have lots of opportunities. don't expect people to share your belief in your talents, it'll never happen... take it from me.

 

[skylights]

what concern is it to you how they run the business?

for me, i find that whatever business i am a part of becomes a part of my identity. if it is run poorly, then i find myself frustrated and embarrassed. i'm also concerned with the overall goal of the company. if there are things i am being told to do that contradict the endgoals of the company, that is very annoying to me.

that, plus it has a major impact on day-to-day quality of life. if a business is run in a disorganized and chaotic fashion, then it's incredibly hard to even begin to figure out how best to achieve your goals.

if the rules keep changing without warning, how can you figure out how to win?