[NT] NTs, what would you do in this situation?

[iHeartCats]

I am interested in how an NT would approach this problem.

Imagine yourself in the following situation.

You are relatively new at your workplace and the policy of the workplace is that you formally work in one department, but the head of your sector politely orders you to help out in other services whenever they think that it will help other services to get their current task done faster and more efficiently.

The senior coworkers from other services in your sector are aware of this policy and they try to take advantage of it by not doing their work and procrastinating with urgent tasks until the last minute, and then they ask the head of the sector to send you to "help them out", which the head of the sector does every time, as they just want the job done on time.

When you arrive to help out, you get a shitload of other people's work that they were supposed to do but didn't, and you are expected to do that shitload of work and finish it in 1-2 days max, while their whole service had at least 1 week to do it, and they didn't .

Note: You are NOT in a position to complain to head of your sector about this, since many of the coworkers from another services have political connections and you don't. The head of your sector also doesn't have connections and they let those of their subordinates who have connections get away with everything, because they are protected by "important" and influential people.

What would you do if you frequently found yourself in such situations at work? How would you solve this problem?

Note: This thread is not about seeking personal advice, please consider it a theoretical problem.
I am interested in how the NT mindset would approach this kind of problem.

 

[johnnyyukon]

I am interested in how an NT would approach this problem.

Imagine yourself in the following situation.

You are relatively new at your workplace and the policy of the workplace is that you formally work in one department, but the head of your sector politely orders you to help out in other services whenever they think that it will help other services to get their current task done faster and more efficiently.

The senior coworkers from other services in your sector are aware of this policy and they try to take advantage of it by not doing their work and procrastinating with urgent tasks until the last minute, and then they ask the head of the sector to send you to "help them out", which the head of the sector does every time, as they just want the job done on time.

When you arrive to help out, you get a shitload of other people's work that they were supposed to do but didn't, and you are expected to do that shitload of work and finish it in 1-2 days max, while their whole service had at least 1 week to do it, and they didn't .

Note: You are NOT in a position to complain to head of your sector about this, since many of the coworkers from another services have political connections and you don't. The head of your sector also doesn't have connections and they let those of their subordinates who have connections get away with everything, because they are protected by "important" and influential people.

What would you do if you frequently found yourself in such situations at work? How would you solve this problem?

You're new and sounds like you don't have the political clout to do much of anything. Sounds like you're stuck doing rookie grunt work for a while until you have some pull. Suck it up.

Though if there's someone you trust to talk to, maybe they can give you advice on how the politics of your office breaks down.

 

[Chthonic]

What would you do if you frequently found yourself in such situations at work? How would you solve this problem?

Write a banging resume and look for a new job.

 

[iHeartCats]

You're new and sounds like you don't have the political clout to do much of anything. Sounds like you're stuck doing rookie grunt work for a while until you have some pull. Suck it up.

Though if there's someone you trust to talk to, maybe they can give you advice on how the politics of your office breaks down.

This thread is not so much about seeking advice (I added a note in the OP), I am more interested in how the NT mindset would handle such a situation if they found themselves in it.

 

[Chthonic]

This thread is not so much about seeking advice, I am more interested in how the NT mindset would handle such a situation if they found themselves in it.

Then allow me to elaborate. The situation presented is a no/win one. You've walked into a political shit storm in which others will use you as a pawn for their own ends. Killing any enjoyment you might actually have in the job you were hired for. At any moment you can be ordered from your bonafide job to do someone else's. I cannot see any end to that situation in the short term. I would look for a job where I can actually do the tasks I am hired for.

The only exception would be if the other dept was a place I wanted to work. In which case I would suck up as many of these extra tasks as humanly possible then use it as 'experience' when a position in that dept came up. Hell, if I'd done enough of their work I may even be able to leapfrog one of the existing employees to gain a promotion over them. Now wouldn't that suck (for them)?

NT Mindset - cut losses as soon as they are identified. Or leverage shit situation to get what I want.

 

[johnnyyukon]

This thread is not so much about seeking advice (I added a note in the OP), I am more interested in how the NT mindset would handle such a situation if they found themselves in it.

haha, my bad. but most of that advice is what I would do.

I would access who is REALLY in charge or at least who has influence up the ladder on that issue, become chummy with them, build some rapport THEN subtly express my issue, probably in an offhand way. And not sound whiny.

But really, some situations, you DON'T have leverage, or have it yet until you put your time in, and like I said, I would just suck it up. Every time you join ANY new group, company, freaking bowling team, you're the "new guy" or "rookie" and you have to earn some respect.

I worked in a much smaller company and the boss wasn't really the boss. His wife was. And the receptionist. He was a technical nerdy type but his wife was the business brain that helped start this company, with people savvy and could sell anything. Charming. Me and her would complete each other's sentences sometimes, we were very similar.

So just about everything I tried to communicate to the boss went in one ear and out the other. Communication skills, social skills-retard.

So I just talked to his wife or the receptionist. And it would filter down to him, and I would get what I wanted (more flexible hours, for example).

 

[Rasofy]

I'd either take it or leave it.

Ideally, I'd try to take credit for the job done, in order to be considered for future promotions.

Complaining about the workload is not an option though.

 

[Nicodemus]

Ideally, I'd try to take credit for the job done, in order to be considered for future promotions.

Same here.

 

[doppelganger]

The first consideration is time. Is this a temporary situation? If so, how long? If you can bear it, do it.

If it's not temporary but indefinite, then you have to consider power. What power do you have? Your labor. That's what they need you for. How do you apply this power? The same way you apply your sex appeal: you threaten to withhold it. One way to do this is to start looking for another job so you can use another offer as leverage to improve your present job or work conditions. The advantage of this approach is you might actually find a better job you want to jump to. Another way to threaten to withhold your labor is to actually do so: work to rule, don't complete all the work assigned to you so the other services get the point that they can't dump all that work on you or they ask someone to help. The risk of this approach is that you might be blamed for not doing the work and earn a bad reputation. So you have to do it skillfully--you have to sell it. Shouldn't be hard for an ESFP.

work to rule
Definition
Industrial action where, in contrast to a strike, workers do not withdraw their labor. Instead, they stay on their jobs but drastically slow down the operations by punctilious adherence to a narrow interpretation of work rules included in the collective bargaining agreement.

What other powers do you have? You're an ESFP, outgoing, friendly, a performer, a people pleaser. You are working in different services, have the chance to meet different people, to smooze, get to know, befriend: in a word, network. Plug yourself in to the office grapevine and find out where the levers of power are. Get close to those ppl and try to put yourself in a position to influence them. Then start applying pressure. This is the best way to find another position in the same company.

That's all I got for now. But it comes down to power: use what you have and try to get more.

 

[digesthisickness]

I wouldn't jump through hoops or play office politics with this one. Once you start, that's where it'll stay. Sounds like it's just how they run that crap outfit.

I'd work there while looking for a job that didn't make me want to pull all my hair out. Life's too short.

 

[Glint]

I wouldn't see myself as being willing/suited for a job in that sort of environment at all.
I despise politics and would not be able to tolerate being on the fail end of favoritism.

I would soon quit and find a more appropriate job. (I don't think I would have sought out a job with this sort of environment in the first place.)

 

[doppelganger]

The first consideration is time. Is this a temporary situation? If so, how long? If you can bear it, do it.

If it's not temporary but indefinite, then you have to consider power. What power do you have? Your labor. That's what they need you for. How do you apply this power? The same way you apply your sex appeal: you threaten to withhold it. One way to do this is to start looking for another job so you can use another offer as leverage to improve your present job or work conditions. The advantage of this approach is you might actually find a better job you want to jump to. Another way to threaten to withhold your labor is to actually do so: work to rule, don't complete all the work assigned to you so the other services get the point that they can't dump all that work on you or they ask someone to help. The risk of this approach is that you might be blamed for not doing the work and earn a bad reputation. So you have to do it skillfully--you have to sell it. Shouldn't be hard for an ESFP.



What other powers do you have? You're an ESFP, outgoing, friendly, a performer, a people pleaser. You are working in different services, have the chance to meet different people, to smooze, get to know, befriend: in a word, network. Plug yourself in to the office grapevine and find out where the levers of power are. Get close to those ppl and try to put yourself in a position to influence them. Then start applying pressure. This is the best way to find another position in the same company.

That's all I got for now. But it comes down to power: use what you have and try to get more.

Another way you can leverage your labor power is to increase it by making yourself more important in your own service so they have to send someone else instead. I don't know what you do but if you can find a way to make yourself indispensable then you won't be the extra hand sent to help.

 

[RedAmazoneFriendZone]

No sad goodbyes...

 

[johnnyyukon]

I wouldn't jump through hoops or play office politics with this one. Once you start, that's where it'll stay. Sounds like it's just how they run that crap outfit.

I'd work there while looking for a job that didn't make me want to pull all my hair out. Life's too short.

Spoken like a true ENTP.

I mean, I'm the same way. I've worked office jobs, and dealt with politics, and sat behind a computer for 8 hours at a time. I'd rather be dead. lol.

BUT, lil ENTP, some people ARE cut out for that.

"Jail? You ever seen the place?
Kinda look like yo office space."

 

[digesthisickness]

Spoken like a true ENTP.

I mean, I'm the same way. I've worked office jobs, and dealt with politics, and sat behind a computer for 8 hours at a time. I'd rather be dead. lol.

BUT, lil ENTP, some people ARE cut out for that.

"Jail? You ever seen the place?
Kinda look like yo office space."

*nod*

Many are ran this way and it's sad as it's a total waste of resources and so inefficient it hurts to think about it.

It would be different if, say, I married the owner's son or something and was being 'groomed'. Then it would be worth it to deal with it and absorb everything, learn all of its workings and politics, etc. because eventually you can see the light at the end of the tunnel where you take control and fix it. Fixing something like that would be easiest if you first learned all of this.

But, starting as a grunt with no leverage in a place where you clearly won't ever get leverage (without having to always fall back on that leverage with constant shmoozing) just seems like too much stress with not enough pay off and certainly not enough guarantee of a change.

So much less stressful to just work where at least most people look at the product you create instead of who you know. Unless you actually do know someone, of course.

 

[Chthonic]

So much less stressful to just work where at least most people look at the product you create instead of who you know.

If only such places existed... After 20yrs in corporate I've come to the conclusion that most people couldn't care less about productivity and competence. It's all about who brings in the tea cake for the weekly meeting and whether or not you go for afterwork drinks at the local bar. I've never seen a greater waste of money and resources anywhere else, it surprises me corporates produce anything at all.

 

[johnnyyukon]

*nod*

Many are ran this way and it's sad as it's a total waste of resources and so inefficient it hurts to think about it.

It would be different if, say, I married the owner's son or something and was being 'groomed'. Then it would be worth it to deal with it and absorb everything, learn all of its workings and politics, etc. because eventually you can see the light at the end of the tunnel where you take control and fix it. Fixing something like that would be easiest if you first learned all of this.

But, starting as a grunt with no leverage in a place where you clearly won't ever get leverage (without having to always fall back on that leverage with constant shmoozing) just seems like too much stress with not enough pay off and certainly not enough guarantee of a change.

So much less stressful to just work where at least most people look at the product you create instead of who you know. Unless you actually do know someone, of course.

Some people are ok starting off as grunts, cuz they were already grunts to begin with. It wasn't a step back.

My homie from back in the day was poor as FUCK growing up and now he works for General Mills, owns 3 houses, one of which he bought for his broke ass parents, 4 cars, and has all kinds of nice shit.

He did confess to me he was pretty miserable though, haha. BUT that could have been venting, I dunno, he does work a lot, and even on Saturdays sometimes (just kill me now). Happy or not, that's his path. At least he doesn't live in this shack in the woods his dad literally built. From the looks of it, I'm pretty sure his dad didn't know much about house building.

I told him he should fucking quit, liquidize his assests, and retire in South America (he's from Chile anyway). But he was like "Naahhh, gotta pay dem bilzz" except he actually talks like a white dude.

Anyway, I hope this anecdote helps [MENTION=22723]iHeartCats[/MENTION] with her question, haha

 

[digesthisickness]

Some people are ok starting off as grunts, cuz they were already grunts to begin with. It wasn't a step back.

My homie from back in the day was poor as FUCK growing up and now he works for General Mills, owns 3 houses, one of which he bought for his broke ass parents, 4 cars, and has all kinds of nice shit.

He did confess to me he was pretty miserable though, haha. BUT that could have been venting, I dunno, he does work a lot, and even on Saturdays sometimes (just kill me now). Happy or not, that's his path. At least he doesn't live in this shack in the woods his dad literally built. From the looks of it, I'm pretty sure his dad didn't know much about house building.

I told him he should fucking quit, liquidize his assests, and retire in South America (he's from Chile anyway). But he was like "Naahhh, gotta pay dem bilzz" except he actually talks like a white dude.

Anyway, I hope this anecdote helps [MENTION=22723]iHeartCats[/MENTION] with her question, haha

Oh, I agree that there's nothing wrong at all with starting as a grunt. Just in that particular situation, it was more about who-you-know than what-you-know. So.

 

[digesthisickness]

If only such places existed... After 20yrs in corporate I've come to the conclusion that most people couldn't care less about productivity and competence. It's all about who brings in the tea cake for the weekly meeting and whether or not you go for afterwork drinks at the local bar. I've never seen a greater waste of money and resources anywhere else, it surprises me corporates produce anything at all.

That's... terrifying.

 

[Chthonic]

That's... terrifying.

Yes it is. But the flipside is that a lot of people who would otherwise be unemployed have an income. So I suppose if nothing else corporates provide a living to many regardless of what they contribute.