Opinion
I can’t stand the way my new boss speaks. Should I leave?
Jonathan Rivett
Careers contributorOur new boss uses words like “ninjas”, “superheroes” and “rock stars” to describe us. They also force words onto the front of “entrepreneur” to make new, stupid versions of the word.
At first, I thought this was annoying but harmless. But now I’m starting to think about leaving the organisation. I can’t put my finger on why it gets me so much, but I can’t stand it. Am I throwing the baby out with the bathwater?
Feeling frustrated with your boss’ useless corporate lingo is valid, and might mean a new start could be your best move.Credit: John Shakespeare
When I first received your email I wondered whether I should remove the specific words themselves before publishing your email to protect everyone’s anonymity. But it occurred to me that “ninjas”, “superhero” and “rock stars”, along with various other names that were once the exclusive domain of comic books, kids’ TV shows and action movies, are now so ubiquitous in corporate environments that I was fussing over nothing.
The number of questions I’ve received in the past five years about silly names specifically, and contrived zaniness generally, has shocked me, to be honest. And the number of people who use such words to describe themselves in a professional setting is similarly eye-opening.
I saw an accountant on LinkedIn refer to themselves recently as a “warrior”, prompting the obvious question: what precisely are they at war with? Unbalanced ledgers? Arithmetic? Excel? (I mean, we’re all at war with Excel – you’re not special, pal.)
Are you overreacting? Well, of course, when we put this kind of management-imposed “fun” side-by-side with any number of objectively awful workplace situations, or for that matter, atrocities currently taking place in the world, it can seem trifling.
If this is just one of many new ‘policies’ in a new regime that you’re not a fan of, maybe a new start could be best.
But just because something isn’t causing you acute distress doesn’t mean it’s inconsequential.
Nobody wants to be infantilised at work. Nobody wants to dress up as farmyard animals as a way of learning corporate values. Nobody wants to feel that because they’re not smiling or laughing about some inane attempt at workplace enlivenment they’re letting the team down.
Also, most people hope to feel that their work is, if not vitally important to the world, at least meaningful. I wonder if this could be what’s turned your annoyance into disaffection. I know from your longer email that your work is far from frivolous; “rock star” and “ninja” are just that, however.
Because just about every job in the entire world has absolutely nothing in common with feudal era Japanese espionage, the word ninja is, almost by definition, ironic. Or ironically hyperbolic. And irony is great. But as a wise primary school teacher used to tell us, “There’s a time and a place ...”
The odd whimsical euphemism or synonym might be tolerable – amusing even. But I can easily see how, after constant repetition, it could begin to seem demeaning.
It’s unlikely your boss is deliberately, insidiously attempting to undermine your credibility and confidence; they might be well-meaning. However, good intentions don’t change the fact that the joke, already overused and uncreative, doesn’t get funnier the more you tell it.
On their own, the ludicrous words may not merit your resignation. Nevertheless, if this is just one of many new ‘policies’ in a new regime that you’re not a fan of, maybe a new start could be best.
The fact you can’t quite put your finger on what frustrates you so much doesn’t mean its source doesn’t exist. Once you get a better idea of just why you’re so put off, reassess and see if your desire to exit remains as strong as it did before.
Send your Work Therapy questions to jonathan@theinkbureau.com.au
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