How Not to Run a Company

This email was received by a friend of mine today from her boss:

Since we seem to have some misunderstandings in how things are working right now, I thought I would document the new rules.

Until we have generated revenue all work is going to be done in the office.  If you have to make up hours then come into the office.  If you have late interviews then stay late or don’t schedule it for evening or weekends. (and I’m sorry *name changed*, I know how hard you are working but I can’t do this for everyone but you)  From now on if you work at home it doesn’t count.

If you don’t work 45 hours a week you are fired.

Everyone needs to come up with suggestions for how we are going to save money and we will discuss in on Monday afternoon.  There needs to be some major changes and everyone is going to have to pitch in.

I’m sick of the excuses, the attitudes, and feeling like I’m being taken advantage of.

If anyone doesn’t like this, I suggest you leave and find alternative employment.

I don't care how tough times are. There is no excuse for poor leadership. 

Comments

[Bill]

I had a boss like this once, every week it was the same ole threats. After a while, his threats were like background noise. Now that wouldn't be so bad, but his behavior really did drive the company into the ground. The more he threatened the less people worked.

After he was fired, people were happy, productivity increased, a spirit of creativity filled the halls, and the company rebounded nicely. Too bad he destroyed spirits and fired many good people before the owners caught on.

[Larry Boatright]

Nice. Makes me really think about the communication I'm putting out. Does it reflect stress or grace?

Thanks for posting, hope your friend finds a better environment soon!

[Jim Gray]

Wow...I don't miss working for the machine. I heard so much of this garbage when I was in outside sales. Even when my numbers were good and I was doing well they kept the heat on. There's nothing like working solo.

[@mknisely]

This doesn't shock me either, but really angers me when something like this happens. I have weather numerous corporate restructuring initiatives. I can tell you first hand the way I handled things were implemented corporate wide because of the "revolutionary results" I received in my own implementations. I believe in an employer of choice approach, pie in the sky idea, but it works and is attainable.

[editors note: those were other exec's words and not mine. I stole everything I know from a simple book Bible, and in it's own right it's revolutionary. ]

First of all in times of crisis, over communication is mission critical and you've got to take care of your best people and you want to remove the uncertainty for them.
Secondly you want to get creative. While i don't know all the details I'm going to make some assumptions so don't kill me. At the level this seems the employees see they are salary-based and/or commission based, in that regard forcing work to be conducted during certain hours and to be done in one place does not further revenue or reach; rather it would cause a counter productive culture.

Difficult times mean creative an unique thinking and approach. Working at home or creating interviews over dinners, and or off hours shows clients and others how your willing to accomplish goals. During these times the weak will parish and the strong will rise, because with a lack of a vision you will start to fulfill needs from the past and not the hear and now. You have to evolve without compromising your values.

[Cathy]

I'm not surprised by this kind of email at all. It's the typical narcissistic personality type that ends up as a manager.

My last boss said this kind of stuff all the time. He once called our IT guy (who had a 3-month-old baby) at 2 am to come to his house to fix his computer. He also called another of my co-workers at 11 pm on a Friday night to come in to the office to spiral bind documents because he couldn't figure it out.

Ah, good times. I'm SO glad I don't work there anymore.

[Chris Queen]

I love how the boss singled out one person.

[Linda Stanley]

What a jerk! As if being physically present in an office means an individual is working harder (or working at all). Whoever the boss is, he or she need not threaten the staff with my way or the highway. Looks like the org is already on the way to closing its doors. After reading a memo like this, the staff probably tuned up their resumes and starting looking immediately.

[Mark Bennardo]

I think the only thing he forgot to say was, "The floggings will continue until company morale increases."

Unbelievable.

Thanks for posting.