Yahoo Image Search. I think they’re from Monster Hunter Video Games.
It only takes one
To make a mess of all that is
A solitary being
Not always with a malice core
Who knocks the whole world down
So all must suffer full
Fingers of fire point around
Anger rising beyond reason
The righteous stand within shadows
Though they watched it all ensue
Finding it easier
To whine when the end can true
So now everyone has lost
Wrapped in chains and whipped
Spitting blame
As if only one can be the cause
When any could have stepped within
Guess it is easier to complain
I had an interesting email conversation with a friend over the weekend. He does office work and loves his job as much as one would expect from someone who is not a morning person. Basically, a coworker was doing something that took advantage of a loophole in the rules. Keep in mind that it was nothing truly against the rules. The bosses found out and made a stricter rule that stole some freedom away from everyone. Now the office is riled up and hating the person that ’caused’ this.
Yet, I heard something else that was strange in this conversation. Everyone knew what this person was doing. They didn’t try to stop this person or talk to them about stopping the activity. All they did was complain about it until somebody went to the bosses to mention it. I’m not saying this was a terrible idea, but many bosses will take action to prevent the activity from happening again. They’ll also assume that everyone knew and this is the one guy that got caught.
So, is it really one person that caused this or is there some blame that should be held by those who stood idle?
Legends of Windemere 
So unfair! So, no one talked to the person at all? It’s sad that everyone has to suffer because of it. Sometimes you can talk to a person and be ignored.
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One person tried early on, but was passive aggressive about it. Either everyone thought someone else would do it or they felt that one person was responsible. It’s a strange mentality in some offices. I saw it in my cubicle days where people will see the issue and not do anything. Then they lose a benefit because of it and suddenly they’re mad at the person who used the loophole. Most times it’s not even one person doing it. Glad I’m out of those places.
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Management also has responsibility. It doesn’t sound like they’re fostering the most productive ambiance. Getting everyone riled up instead of focusing on their jobs, and having them hate one person instead of smoothly coordinating as a team…
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I agree to a point, but I don’t think it was an intentional riling up. The mentality is probably that this one person simply did it and got caught. Who knows how many are using the loophole and not getting caught? I’ve worked for a boss who thought that the silence of the other workers was a sign that everyone was bending the rule. If nobody speaks up until it’s gone on for far too long then assumptions get made.
I know when I was a manager, I purposely left a few benefits open to promote a happy workforce. I did have someone who abused one of these benefits, which put me in a bad position. That balance between lenient and cruel is hard to maintain in the eyes of employees, especially retail..I took the benefit away from that one employee, who then started ratting out everyone else. So, I took away the perk and it cost me.
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Definitely, this is a tough challenge for managers.
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This is one of the big reasons I left the office environment. There was so much childish mentality that I felt like it was high school.
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I can relate. We’re battling this at work. The director hasn’t and the rest of us suffer. I guess I need to say something to the trouble maker. Its been on my mind to do so. Your post, simply another whisper.
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Good luck. At the very least you’ll know you tried to fix it. I think that’s really all one can do in the situation because you can’t control the actions of someone else. Still I’m always amazed at how that works in an office setting.
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Yes. It’s actally very interesting to watch everyone just skirt the subject. Messy stuff.
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The skirting of the subject was always the most cringe-worthy part of the event. I used to sit there listening and wondering if I should blurt out what everyone wanted to talk about.
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It’s fun to be a fly on the wall in situations like that…! 🙂
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Oh yeah. Nice break from work. 🙂
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Management does have the responsibility. The proper thing would be to approach the person first, and if it is not resolved, then go to management/supervisor. A shame the supervisor did not deal directly with that individual instead of a sweeping change that affected everyone. That’s management style though.
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Sad, but true. I know a lot of managers prefer that the employees keep each other in check, so they don’t have to worry about it. While it sounds lazy, I would go that route because I wouldn’t want to be a manager/babysitter for adults.
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I gets tough being in the supervisor role, because no matter how nice of a person you are…you are always the bad guy.
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Yeah. You even get the heat for what the employees do and it still earns you no points.
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Unfortunately, management has to take a one size fits all approach due to the current litigious atmosphere we live in now. If I were to discipline someone over something, and did not discipline someone else(even though I was not aware of it) I would be opening both myself and the company up to discrimination lawsuits. Whether frivolous and wrong or not, the company and I would still be tarred and feathered in the court of public opinion and we would have to shoulder the cost of defending ourselves.
There are also a tremendous amount of incompetent managers out there. Most people in management roles do not belong in them.
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Very true. There’s also no way to win in the situation. Punish everyone then they hate the manager and the person who caused the issue. Punish the single person and they get angry at any coworkers who are still doing the ‘bad’ act that they got nailed for. Punish nobody and you lose your power. The lawsuits and the loss of respect make it a tightrope act.
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Yup. Being in management sucks. It is now a tightrope coated in Vaseline and you are wearing non stick spray covered shoes.
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With a flaming tiger pit below. 😉
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Its everyone’s blame, don’t stand by and complain about something and not be willing to do anything about it. Then when you all suffer the consequences the persons actions, complain about that as well. You can’t have it both ways.
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Very well said. I think many people find it easier to complain after the fact than get involved.
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