If you have ever worked in a workplace, big or small, you have witnessed how ego can make things difficult. In fact, it would be right to say that the biggest source of drama in workplaces is ego. We all have egos, some manage their egos better, while others become an emotional burden.
According to the research shared in the book, a manager spends 2.5 hours a day on workplace drama. For example, resistance to change, not getting feedback, workplace gossip create such emotional burdens.
For example, change management is often one of the most difficult areas. Even a simple change in procedure will cause voices to be raised, objections to be raised. And there are always those who will not speak out but will not actually implement the innovation. Cy Wakeman says:
In this way, we focus on productivity, not emotional burdens. Therefore, a mindset should be provided to be prepared for change to occur at any time and in any subject.
On the one hand, Cy Wakeman has a strict view. He ignores the human aspects and seems to become robotic in some pages. On the other hand, I have seen many times that it is impossible to please everyone.
Once, a manager from an automotive company that is our customer told a story. At the end of a year, they organized a New Year's Eve dinner with a huge expense that had never been done before.
In one of the most luxurious hotels, employees were invited with their families, a shuttle was organized for transportation, there was only one bird's milk on the table and one sausage bread. They ate, drank and had fun all evening, and when they were leaving, during the "good night, goodbye" part, a few employees complained "Why wasn't there sausage bread?"
A different version of this happened at a company we went to do laughter yoga. We entered the hall at the time we agreed to do yoga and started making preparations.
At that moment, the company's Human Resources specialists started bringing baskets of plums to the hall. It was their custom during the event, they would offer some kind of fruit.
From the moment the employees entered the hall, they started saying "Oh, why aren't there any figs?" Then, while they were eating plums during the break, we heard them complaining about the lack of figs.
When the event was over, our young intern complained, "What a fig!" It turned out that figs were also starting to appear in greengrocers at that time, so everyone was expecting figs. But since figs couldn't be found, plums came.
In short, it is impossible to try to please everyone at the same time with the same method. Because our egos come into play. While one person asks why there is no sausage and bread, if there was sausage, someone else would definitely talk about the necessity of a vegan diet, and someone else would not like the spice of sausage.