Perception

[Arcades]

Perception, I HATE perception. At my job I am easily one of if not the best at what I do. I complete all that is possible in the 8 to 10 hours a day that im there. I have the knowledge base and the intelligence to work faster and more effectively than most of my co-workers. The problem that I have run into recently is that I am perceived to be lazy. PRECEIVED!!! Somehow the people above me have skipped all the numbers and facts that show that I accomplish more in half a day then my peers do all day. I rarely get any breaks at all due to the needs of my job and I never leave anything done for the next shift unless I run out of time trying to take care of something more important. There perception comes from the fact that I take about an hour at the start of the day to check all my email and other work related items because I never get to it later. Also I never look like im rushing to do something. THAT’S because I know what I need to do when I need to do it and how it needs to be done, eliminating the need to rush unless I don’t have enough time to complete something that is extremely important. Even though I am able to pull off miracles that have saved where I work from unacceptable delays.

I have always seemed to be lazy when im doing something. I don’t know how I SEEM lazy!!! When the FACTS show that I am on par or better than my peers then HOW AM I THE LAZY ONE!!!!!

This is why I hate being around people! It all started with one of my many bosses who used to do my job and quite frankly is an idiot. BUT he’s a boss. NOW about half my bosses believe that I am lazy and I have no clue what to do about it. These fools who should be flipping burgers because of there incompetence somehow are able to completely over look data and start to bad mouth me behind my back!!!!! The worst part is I am under contract with HUGE pullout penalties.

Anyone have any advice. I will admit Im only 24 and some of you have many more years working than I. Im sure someone has run into this before.

[Hawkon]

hmm, I know what you mean, even though I've experienced the oposite of the case.

I was told I was the perfect successor at this job because I have competence, I know how it works. I _think_ outside the box and I can stay CALM in situations where others would rush and fail. That's a strong INTP factor, isn't it? We can stay cold even if the situation is over hand.

Too bad your boss doesn't see that in you. You should call a meeting with him/them and ask for a reason behind the accusations.

I think it's just a way for me at least to show that I'm handling the job. When I'm doing things (>) perfect, I'm calm. Same with school stuff. The better I do the job, the better I feel, and the more I relax. And this doesn't harm the work - it really makes it better.

[mgb]

I have a hunch that the reason your boss thinks you are lazy is because he is. They probably don't see you rushing around and asking stupid questions (like everyone else) and think that because you aren't doing those things you aren't doing anything.

Also, you boss knows the numbers. If they are better than everyone else's they are probably better than his too. If that's true then he is going to do everything he can to squash you.

I would stop checking your email first thing, I know how important some of the stuff can be, but put it off, take away the "appearence" of laziness.

I've had jobs like that too. In one sales job, the training booklet said that we shouldn't put our own financial shortfalls on our customers when selling them something, because a lot of money for us, may not be a lot for them. I found that the managers at that company put a lot of their intelligence shortfalls on me.

[Dman]

Wow, I could have written that. At my last job, I realized the CEO was singling me out but I didn’t know why. I asked for a meeting with him, and he basically said the same thing. When I explained to him that it was simply my personality (I don’t run around like my head is on fire when I’m under pressure, I remain calm & relaxed), and he knew I excelled at the position, he agreed. But he said regardless of whether I really was a slacker or not, the * appearance * was that I was slacking. And he said yes, perceptions matter, whether we like it or not. I was pissed. I decided right then that I was going to find another job ASAP and quit. So I did – but you know what – I came to realize that like it or not, perceptions do matter.

It’s the whole schmoozing thing that’s been mentioned in other threads. In the vast majority of cases, appearing like a hotshot is more important than being a hotshot. It’s no wonder so many INTPs are cynical.

Oh, so my advice would be to start “appearing” to be a real hard working guy. That’s what I did for the remaining couple of months at that job. My bosses backed off & seemed content, although I was absolutely miserable. Ironically my quality of work was diminishing since I hated every minute. Look for another job as soon as you can to make a fresh start, and always remember that perceptions matter.

[Zero Angel]

Have you tried walking faster?

[Arcades]

My rant stems from today one of my immediate bosses lost his friggn mind for 10 min and began to yell at me, then treat me like a intern of the age of 12 telling me to work UNDER a person attached to me for training. Saying that I couldn’t seem to start a job so I needed to be working with someone who seemed to be able to. I tried to reason with him calmly about what was happening but he stopped me cold and said that this was a warning and began to walk off. I am a Very Violent person and have learned to crush my need to break stuff and hurt people by becoming very cold when I want to scream and rage. As he was walking away from me I Icily said loud enough for a few people to hear that we WERE having a meeting tomorrow about what was happening with our main boss and discussing what he evidently was to busy for today.

Later he came to find me. Doing as he said, working under the trainee. To say that he gets to angry sometimes and he started sensibly to tell me how I was lazy and how I could fix the problem. I was prepared by now and began to smash all his arguments with the simple resounding fact of my numbers. I finally ended all his arguments but one. The management (after talking to the Idiot I was talking to earlier) perceived that I was lazy and the simple fact that they held control made there views reality. My immediate bosses I can make feel insecure and smash there irrational argument with ease. The problem stems from the main bosses and there complete lack of understanding of reality.

I’m contracted to troubleshoot. I wont go into anything ells because I am starting to hate my job. I can do that. I can do that WELL. But its like running a race. I could run a mile in 4 min if it were my job. But my job is never that easy so I would be forced by sheer will to run that mile in 3 min. The problem is that because I was able to almost break myself in that 3 min mile then why cant I do that all the time. So then not only am I running 3 min miles but because I can force myself to, they start to believe that 3 min must be average and if need be I can run faster. There numbers start to reflect my 3 min miles. So because of there numbers There bosses look down on them and smile. So like the dumb puppies they are they want more smiles and pats and believe that if they were able to cause me to make the numbers for the pats and smiles the first time. Then they MUST be smart enough to come up with a way for me to run faster. Not noting that im about to die. This has gone on so long that im running 2 min miles with the odd days of 1 min miles. Carrying a car and filling out forms every 10 steps.

The whole time there saying that They Know Its Harder Elsewhere and that im complaining about little things. Then just because I have figured out some way to push through all there stupid rules and road blocks to make there numbers look good without running around acting like the world is going to fall apart like everyone ells. I AM LAZY. I EVEDENTLY NEED MORE MOTOVATION. I NEED TO GET MY HEAD ON STRAIT. !!! I want to crack there collective heads on there desks like eggs and find out what really is in there !!!

[jimkopelli]

Go watch Office Space.

[Division56]

I can identify with the enger management... I have the same problem.

[Geoff]

I am reminded of two things.

1) That any office structure like this is like a tree full of monkeys. At every level of the tree the monkeys looking down can see smiling faces. At every level of the tree the monkeys looking up can see a bunch of assholes.

and no 2)

An appraisal of mine which said "I *know* you are not disorganised, I *know* everything is under control. It just doesnt look like it. If you want people to accept your leadership then you must appear to be professional."

Hehe.

-Geoff

[SensEye]

The worst part is I am under contract with HUGE pullout penalties. I don't quite understand this concept. If you have been contracted to do a job, and the numbers and facts show you are doing the job, who cares how you are percieved? If they don't like you and try to terminate your contract I assume the penalties would not apply. On the downside this leaves you unemployed, but if you really hate the job... (I assume you could challenge a dismissal successfully if it came to that. Get a labor lawyer if the money is significant.)

Or you could adjust your work ethic to match their perception, since the numbers don't have appear to have any influence. It won't make them appreciate you any better, but at least you won't be stressed. :)And for god's sake man, take your breaks!

You could also jerk your trainee "supervisor" around a bit for fun. Insist that all his instructions to you be in writing. Especially if he doesn't really know what he is doing. Offer no advice, just follow orders no matter how inane. He'll get super paranoid, watch and see.:devil:

[Clara]

:)And for god's sake man, take your breaks!

Offer no advice, just follow orders no matter how inane. He'll get super paranoid, watch and see.:devil:You're doing something - for them - that they don't appreciate because they should be doing it for themselves : connecting the dots in a rational way. If you're like some of us, it's hard to not do this in your thoughts, at least. You don't have to say it out loud, though. Letting people do what they say will be better... well, let them. Make your own well-being a higher priority. Bring leftovers for lunches and find somewhere outside to eat it.

SensEye is *right.*

[Miss Anthropic]

ARRGHHH!!! I feel your pain. And I'm not being sarcastic. Employment and management woes I've experienced. I liked the monkey tree example! I don't have anything to add to what's been said, except I hope you are able to keep your sanity, because the fact is most managers are idiots and there just isn't anything you can do about it except modify yourself. :(

[Sureshot]

Reading this, I can understand why some people just snap.