Thriving in a Dysfunctional Workplace

 

Credit: Due by Monday dot com

Have you found yourself in a dysfunctional work system that does not fit your well-crafted vision of what a workplace should look like? It is possible that everything at your workplace can be described with the word toxic.

Dysfunction reigns in toxic workplaces; meetings feel like a waste of time, and resolutions are never implemented; hence, nothing gets accomplished. Everyone seems to have a bad attitude; there is always office drama, poor communication patterns, and (drumroll) you have a tyrannical boss whose self-ego does not exist except to override work values and systems. In such environments, there is generally no growth—both professional and personal, and if that is not bad enough, you are always being told or made to feel that your job is a very precious gift you should feel lucky to have.

Here are some tips to thrive:

Give Your Best Irrespective of Others.

You cannot control what other people do, but you can control what you do and your reaction to such external stresses. Have a predisposed mindset anchored hinged on knowing you control who you are. This is difficult but possible. For you to be able to achieve this, you will need to learn how to master your temper, protect yourself, guard your peace, and make sure not to flip at the slightest provocation that comes to you. This way, you will maintain a good state of mind and composure, which will help you make good decisions and leave you open and willing to engage in new initiatives that will make your work life better.

Initiate New Things at Your Office

Your workplace might be facing a long list of diverse dysfunctionalities, such as miscommunication or no communication, use of out-of-date technology, poor standardization, inability to meet demands, and poor customer satisfaction. Since you now know who you are (check Point One above), you can begin finding new ways and initiatives to keep work ‘working’ for you and your organization. This is no mean feat! Beyond finding new ways, you will still need to develop strategic ways of harmonizing these initiatives with your co-workers.

Develop Your Capacity through Self-Learning

To develop capacity means to improve an individual or organization’s facility to produce, perform, or deploy. And self-learning is any education or learning that you initiate yourself, away from the setting of formal education, curriculums, or examinations. It is about being self-motivated, disciplined, and dedicated to improving yourself and your skill set. So, your work might not be motivating or even outright discouraging, but then it can be the motivation you need to move above the prevailing system.

Use the Spare Time for Side Gigs

Having an inefficient system at the workplace, in most cases, provides you with some spare time. You can utilize this spare time wisely by engaging in valuable ventures, running courses, developing skills, and earning some extra money. Who says you cannot develop some skillsets like social media marketing, online tutoring, blogging, selling products, or starting a podcast?

Disclaimer: It is not on this post that you read that you should steal from your work time.

Set Big Goals/Career Plan and Follow through

Lastly, working in a dysfunctional system can suck you in until you are caught in its black hole of demotivation. You can prevent this by setting big goals for yourself. Goals are more deliberate than desires and momentary intentions. Direct your goals toward the career path you intend to work, and strategically map out a plan to help you follow through. And make sure you keep tabs on your plan.

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Working in a dysfunctional system may be inevitable, but it must not be a death sentence. You can stay productive in a dysfunctional work system by giving your best irrespective of others, initiating new ways of doing things, developing capacity through self-learning, using your spare time to achieve personal goals, and setting big goals.

This article is a collaborative effort of the Leinge Consults team.