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I'd put it in the category of "Will no one rid me of this meddlesome priest?" [0]. There is no way for somebody with authority to express a preference without
by MereInterest 4y ago
I'd put it in the category of "Will no one rid me of this meddlesome priest?" [0]. There is no way for somebody with authority to express a preference without it coming across as a request. The same words that from a trusted coworker would be advice to keep your head down become an implied threat when given from an executive.
[0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Will_no_one_rid_me_of_this_turbulent_priest%3F https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Will_no_one_rid_me_of_this_tur...
- NikolaNovak 4y agoYeah, that's fair enough. I have been lucky to have had some managers in the past who were great mentors, very transparent, and have several times during my career actively coached me on what are "Career limiting moves". It is a phrase I have heard without it being sent or received as a threat. I have over-extrapolated and under-empathized though, and realize that in majority of situations for majority of involved folks, that would not be the case. (relatedly, I've also tried to internalize and implement the notion that I can no longer joke with any variation of "don't you know that's a fireable offence? :D" etc. )
- MereInterest 4y agoGood point, and it very much depends on the pre-existing relationship with a manager, along with the context where a statement is given. I could imagine pulling aside a coworker and quietly telling them that they're about to hear about a new project, but that volunteering to work on it would be a dead-end and a career-limiting move. Something in private, informative for an upcoming choice, not a judgment of ongoing projects. That said, the context of the article, calling somebody out in a public setting based on a large amount of work that they just presented on, is very much the opposite of that hypothetical context.