Warning signs of a dysfunctional company
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Scenario: you are thrilled that you have a job offer and are excited to start your new position. What’s wrong with this picture? Nothing really, except that sometimes executives are so ready to jump into their new job, they may ignore the red flags that exist. Of course no company is perfect, but before you accept that job offer, look at these issues that could spell disaster.
Bad vibrations. You know when you walk into a building or approach a group of people what the energy level is by a feeling you get in your gut. You think you can overlook this because once you get on board you can change the work environment to one of high energy and productive employees. However, you may not be able to rescue the company from failure because of the existence of lack of confidence, mediocrity, fear of success and other factors that are beyond your control.
Drama queen mentality. Oh, you know who they are. You might have even worked for one in the past. Example: the CEO stomps into work each day overwhelmed by “whatever” and their crisis soon becomes everyone else’s. They may be known to make impulsive decisions or flirt with crucial deadlines. That’s because, in some cases, the CEO creates this drama, thrives on it in fact. Not always the best way to run a company.
Indifferent executive leadership. If you are an executive you know how important it is to be engaged with the company and employees on many levels. Without dedicated and consistent leadership, there can be frequent power struggles, which lead to employees feeling insecure about their roles and the company’s future. These are muddy waters for an executive stepping onto the executive team.
Secrets and mistrust. Right off the bat that should open your eyes to what may lie ahead working for this type organization. Companies that manage employees with intimidation, micro-managed authority, and rule “by the book” belong in another century. Sad thing is some do still exist today. Beware if the firm exhibits such constrictive control.
Obsessive-compulsive. Working for a company or executive team that is reluctant to delegate authority may be difficult to work with. Formal organizational procedures are certainly beneficial, but some companies just go overboard. These organizations often are not open to change or a different way of doing things, so creativity or innovative ideas may not be readily accepted.
Fortunately, most companies are not this dysfunctional, exhibiting all five of these characteristics. Troubled companies can be impossible to work for, no matter how great the job may seem at the time of the offer. Be careful to examine these issues before accepting that offer!
Article author
About the Author
With a combination of executive resume writing, career coaching, career transition/outplacement and recruitment experience, Louise has effectively guided and advanced the careers of thousands of professionals from diverse industries worldwide throughout a 20+year career.
Louise entered the careers field after progressive management experience in public relations, marketing communications and human resources in business environments.
With personal knowledge in successful transition to three different careers, Louise offers both master’s-level credentials in career development and management as well as the expertise that has propelled individuals to advance their career goals. Her success stories range from professionals to executives and entrepreneurs. With each one, she has provided the expertise in every stage of the career management process from career assessment and resume development through coaching in job search strategies, interviewing and negotiations to secure the right fit.
Additionally as a career transition consultant to corporations, nonprofit and other organizations, she has designed and delivered programs that resulted in the successful placement of executives, managers and other professionals in more rewarding careers in different industries. Her training and credentials include a postgraduate degree in Career Counseling, M.A. in Counseling Psychology and five Certifications as a Professional Resume Writer, Master Career Development Professional, International Job and Career Transition Coach, Career Management Practitioner and Employment Interview Professional.
She is active in several professional associations, is founder of the New England Chapter of the Association of Career Coaches and Resume Professionals and serves on the certification board of the Professional Association of Resume Writers and Career Coaches (PARWCC).
Featured as a guest executive coach on BlueSteps, ExecuNet, 6figurejobs.com, afponline.org, and several hundred professional association career sites, she is also quoted as a career expert online and in publications nationwide. Recognized by her peers “among the best in the industry,” Louise is a multiple award winner of the Annual Best Resume Competition sponsored by the Professional Association of Resume Writers & Career Coaches.
You will find samples of her work featured in numerous publications ranking among the top in the career field: Executive Job Search for $100,000 to $1 million+ Careers, Resume Winners From the Pros, Best Resumes and CVs for International Jobs, Expert Resumes for Managers and Executives, Best Resumes for College Students and Recent Grads, Expert Resumes for Healthcare Professionals, Gallery of Best Resumes For Tax and Accounting Occupations, Gallery of Best Cover Letters, Cover Letter Magic second edition, The Quick Resume and Cover Letter Book, PARWCC Training Manual For Resume Professionals, America’s Top Jobs for People Without a Four-Year Degree, America’s Top Jobs for College Graduates, America’s Fastest Growing Jobs, Martin Yate’s series: Cover Letters That Knock ‘Em Dead, Resumes That Knock ‘Em Dead; Expert Resumes for Manufacturing Jobs, 101 Ways to Recession-Proof Your Career and Excellence in Outplacement Practice, a primary reference manual representing the best practices in organizational / corporate outplacement and career management programs worldwide.
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