DR. LYNN FRIEDMAN'S BLOG, "ALL THINGS PSYCHOANALYTIC"

Corporate dysfunction: Assess & Address by Dr. Lynn Friedman

Tell any senior leader that you are a psychoanalyst to corporations, and the floodgates open.

No matter how high up they are in the food chain, no matter how profitable the corporation, they will regale you with tales of organizational dysfunction.

A hot-tempered chief executive officer with a serious drinking problem is legendary for his vituperative tirades.

A successful senior financial executive is notorious for sexual harassment.

The vice president of a nonprofit fails to back his manager even when this leaves the nonprofit vulnerable to a lawsuit.

A senior partner, a rainmaker, is renowned for hemorrhaging associates.

Ask when the problems began, and you will discover they existed in the culture for as long as anyone can remember. In fact, these behaviors often do not get recognized as problems until they pose a significant financial or legal threat.

What prevents us from stopping behaviors that are costly, obnoxious or even illegal? And what can be done about it?

The answer is as complex as the people within the companies.

A first step is to describe the organizational difficulty in detail.Continued on the Washington Business Journal website

This column was previously published at the Washington Business Journal. "Corporations on the Couch", is nationally-syndicated. If you'd like for it to appear in your local business paper please contact the editor.

Dr. Lynn Friedman is a clinical psychologist, psychoanalyst and executive coach. She is on the adjunct faculty at Johns Hopkins University. If you'd like to consult her, she can be reached at: 5480 Wisconsin Avenue, Chevy Chase, Maryland 20815, (301) 656-9650, drlynnfriedman@comcast.net. Website: <http://www.drlynnfriedman.com/worklife.html>

Turncoat boss requires special care by Lynn Friedman, Ph.D.

Your boss, John, has done it again. And once again you feel you've been had.

Dealing with a dicey internal political situation, you confided in him. You needed his sponsorship and told him so. You gave him a compelling rationale for your position and described how he could be helpful. His response came as a great relief.

Empathic, concerned, thoughtful, he assured you that you would have his total support. So you slept well and attended the meeting relaxed and confident. And John, in the loveliest, most gracious way -- acting as if he were giving you a gift -- torpedoed your request.

Still worse, afterward, he evinced no contrition, not even a twinge of discomfort. He offered no explanation and acted as though you should be happy with the outcome.

Aside from being furious, you're mystified. How could he be so seemingly compassionate, so reassuring -- and then do the exact opposite of what he promised? More puzzling, how could he act as if he had done nothing upsetting?

Most disconcerting, he has a reputation as a nice guy. You can see why. You thought so too!

So you meet with him privately and tell him how disappointed you were. After all, he gave you his word and then switched horses midstream. John acts as if he completely understands. He even apologizes.

But later you learn that behind your back, sitting with the corporate elders, he rewrites history and manages to convey that you have a problem. You're dismayed when you learn that he has done this to you more than once.Continued at Dr. Lynn Friedman's website

This column was previously published at the Washington Business Journal, Pacific Business News (Honolulu), Baltimore Business Journal and Business First of Columbus (Ohio). This column, Corporations on the Couch, is nationally-syndicated. If you'd like for it to appear in your local business paper please request it from your paper.

Dr. Lynn Friedman is a clinical psychologist, psychoanalyst and executive coach. She is on the adjunct faculty at Johns Hopkins University. If you'd like to consult her, she can be reached at: 5480 Wisconsin Avenue, Chevy Chase, Maryland 20815, (301) 656-9650, drlynnfriedman@comcast.net. Website: <http://www.drlynnfriedman.com/worklife.html>

Corporations on the Couch: 'Retiring in Place' may point to management issues, by clinical psychologist, psychoanalyst, organizational consultant, Dr. Lynn Friedman

'Retiring in place' may point to management issues, Washington Business Journal Column by Lynn Friedman, clinical psychologist, psychoanalyst, organizational consultant

Steve hasn't done his job for years. While at first this caused real difficulties, over time, superiors, co-workers and subordinates simply learned to work around him, completing his essential tasks themselves or persuading others to pick up his slack.

He is, as they say, "retired in place." No one counts on him, ever. Unless of course, you count not counting on him as a form of counting on him.

His boss, Ed, hasn't helped matters, either. Busy slaying his own dragons, he hasn't personally been troubled by Steve's sloth -- in fact, he's benefited from it. He's never had to worry that Steve might displace him. So, the setup has worked out pretty well, or at least adequately. Adequately for everyone except for Jane, the junior-level employee who has been informally carrying out Ed's managerial functions -- with neither recognition nor compensation -- for years.

As the senior executive, you were completely oblivious to the matter -- because it was occurring fairly far down the food chain until you needed something -- and Jane served it up with aplomb. Wanting to recognize her impressive performance, you discovered she was not actually doing her own job but rather was doing Steve's work. 'Retiring in Place' may point to management issues by Dr. Lynn Friedman, clinical psychologist, psychoanalyst and work-life consultant is republished with permission from the Washington Business Journal.  It is continued on Dr. Lynn Friedman's website.

Dr. Lynn Friedman is a clinical psychologist, psychoanalyst and work-life consultant. She can be reached at: (301) 656-9650.  5480 Wisconsin Avenue, Chevy Chase, MD 20815 (Friendship Heights, 1/2 block from the metro).

 

Corporations on the Couch: Don't let your subordinates delegate work to you

You are a high-ranking successful administrator in your organization, which often means you have taken on too many jobs and done them too well.

This, in turn, has led to more assignments.

However, you believe help is at hand because you've hired Jane, a terrific senior person, to lighten the load.

She is qualified to assume some high-level responsibilities and manage the detail work. Jane is personable and seems to be well-liked by her colleagues.

But soon you begin to notice that she is inattentive to detail and often displays questionable judgment.

Her reports are so full of misspellings and incomplete sentences that you feel compelled to review each one before it goes out.

Jane annoys clients with questions she should be able to answer.

After several snafus, you feel you must carefully monitor her work. Continued on Dr. Lynn Friedman's website. Dr. Lynn Friedman's, Washington Business Journal, Corporations on the Couch - Don't let your subordinates delegate work to you