So, communicate? But it's surprising how many people do not do this. I think as a teal leader, you should take care to repeat these points to every new person joining the team.
* Asking is regarded as an admission of failure (and failure is regarded as a bad thing). Asking more questions (or even worse, clarification on an answer) can jeopardize your standing among your bosses, and, by virtue of the culture they cultivate, among your peers.
* Missing a deadline for any reason is a permanent mark against you, to be trotted out on every review and used as a reason to keep your salary low (I actually had a boss LOWER my salary, at which point I left in disgust)
* Reporting something done is an invitation for a dressing-down, where your boss humiliates you for everything not done to his satisfaction.
And so, with a culture of fear firmly in place, the standard operating procedure is:
1. Never ask questions. Do a shitty job if you can't do a good job and try to cover it up as best you can, or better yet, unload the project onto someone else.
2. Never report something "done" if you can avoid it. This gives you some "wiggle room" when the boss comes down on you over everything that's wrong with it.
3. Never say that you'll miss a deadline. Cut corners if you have to. Miracles sometimes happen. Maybe this time you'll win the lottery.
Now that I'm a founder, I'm working hard to undo that culture, keep fear out of the equation, and encourage communication and experimentation (along with the possibility of failure). It's amazing to watch someone go at it when they're uninhibited by fear.
In many organizations I've been a part of:
* Asking is regarded as an admission of failure (and failure is regarded as a bad thing). Asking more questions (or even worse, clarification on an answer) can jeopardize your standing among your bosses, and, by virtue of the culture they cultivate, among your peers.
* Missing a deadline for any reason is a permanent mark against you, to be trotted out on every review and used as a reason to keep your salary low (I actually had a boss LOWER my salary, at which point I left in disgust)
* Reporting something done is an invitation for a dressing-down, where your boss humiliates you for everything not done to his satisfaction.
And so, with a culture of fear firmly in place, the standard operating procedure is:
1. Never ask questions. Do a shitty job if you can't do a good job and try to cover it up as best you can, or better yet, unload the project onto someone else.
2. Never report something "done" if you can avoid it. This gives you some "wiggle room" when the boss comes down on you over everything that's wrong with it.
3. Never say that you'll miss a deadline. Cut corners if you have to. Miracles sometimes happen. Maybe this time you'll win the lottery.
Now that I'm a founder, I'm working hard to undo that culture, keep fear out of the equation, and encourage communication and experimentation (along with the possibility of failure). It's amazing to watch someone go at it when they're uninhibited by fear.