When to Bypass an Inefficient Boss

Chain of command exists in most organizations to ensure accurate communication, proper allocation of time, and orderly business operations. The entire business can crumble when the chain of command is broken.

Ideally, everyone from the top down will adhere to the designated chain of command. However, there are instances when individuals will bypass the chain of command and initiate communications with people above or below them.

In recent years, the chain of command has been challenged by Tesla CEO Elon Musk who sent an e-mail to his workers. His email is as follows:

“There are two schools of thought about how information should flow. By far the most common way is chain of command, which means that you always flow communication through your manager. The problem with this approach is that, while it enhances the power of the manager, it fails to serve the company.

…Anyone at Tesla can and should email/talk to anyone else according to what they think is the fastest way to solve a problem for the benefit of the whole company. You can talk to your manager’s manager without his permission, you can talk directly to a VP in another dept, you can talk to me, you can talk to anyone without anyone else’s permission. Moreover, you should consider yourself obligated to do so until the right thing happens.”

This email challenges traditional organizations that rely on the chain of command to process information efficiently. Furthermore, it allows flexibility and creativity to flow, which intends to arrive at the best solution to the problem.

When there is a need to bypass your (inefficient) boss, here are some steps you may take:

#1: TALK TO YOUR BOSS

Give your immediate supervisor the opportunity to address your workplace concerns or issues before talking to the upper management. Your supervisor will appreciate the professional courtesy, which can help build a cohesive team. Ensure that all communication will be in the form of email or memo so that you can both be acknowledged and protected.

#2: DISCUSS POSSIBLE WORKPLACE ISSUES DURING ONBOARDING

During the onboarding process and periodically thereafter, you can discuss the workplace issues and concerns to the Human Resources Department and your immediate supervisor. This will help address the situation/s at hand.

#3: BROADEN YOUR NETWORK

Broaden your strategic alliances by seeking out the help of the organization’s “movers and shakers”. Shared collaborations can exist between you and them.

#4: BE MORE VISIBLE

Make an effort to get noticed in your organization. For instance, you may sign up for your office’s speaking engagements. Doing this will help create a raised profile for yourself, which can influence your credibility once there is a need to communicate a serious matter.

Image Credits: unsplash.com

If your boss is holding you back at work and is dominating your every move, you would want to speak up. Some bosses are ego-driven and like nothing better than to see their employees take the back seat to relish the rewards of other people’s achievements. However, taking the issue to the upper management can be considered as bypassing your boss.

Breaking the chain of command can create confusion, conflict, and chaos. Remember to handle everything respectfully and professionally to ensure that you are doing what is best for you and the company.

Sources: 1, 2, & 3

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3 critical characteristics why Elon Musk is where he is now

Elon Musk giving an OK sign

Do a quick search on Elon Musk, and you will find all his significant achievements:

  • Co-founder of PayPal
  • CEO, founder, and chief engineer at SpaceX
  • CEO, product architect, and early-stage investor of Tesla

The 49-year-old, who will turn 50 on 28 June, is one of the world’s wealthiest persons. Putting aside his settlement violations of tweets not yet approved by his company lawyers, there are good things we can learn from this man.

Here are the three critical characteristics of why Elon Musk is where he is now.

#1: Not taking “no” for an answer

Do you know that Musk once challenged his professor to change his score to 100 after receiving 98 for one of his tests? Most of us wouldn’t even bother doing so since 98 isn’t that bad a scorecard and wouldn’t make much of an overall difference.

But to Musk, it was all that mattered. To cut the long story short, he managed to convince his professor and got what he pursued. Not taking “no” for an answer was all that led him to get that perfect result.

Remember, ask, and you shall receive. Seek, and you will find.

#2: Having an undying focus

Cambridge dictionary defines focus as “careful attention that is given to something such as a task, or the ability to give your full attention to something”. The adjectives “careful” and “full” highlight what it means to focus.

Musk’s undying focus had him sleep under his desk and go through 75-hour work weeks just to solve a specific problem during Tesla’s founding stage. He placed distractions aside, gave his urgent tasks clear-cut attention, and we all get to see where Tesla is at right now.

#3: Allowing his passion to fuel

Have you ever walked into an interview where the interviewer told you that passion is everything? Yes, that could be a justification for the low starting salary they are offering. But there’s some truth to the interviewer’s statement.

Most of us will find it hard to sustain a project if we lack interest. Musk’s passion in his field was what fueled him to work late-night shifts and clock long work weeks. Think you can’t find a job that motivates you to wake up early each day? Think again.

Final thoughts
a stressed woman in front of her laptop

Image Credits: health.harvard.edu

We know success doesn’t come by easy. To be as triumphant as Elon Musk? Even way more challenging. If you’ve read the above vital characteristics, you will probably realise that they are pretty intense.

The last thing you want to do in your entrepreneurship journey is to suffer burnout and call it quits. Or worse still, force your team members to leave. Learn to find that right balance and co-live with stress and anxiety so you can continue running the race for a long time to come.

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4 Life Lessons From Tesla’s Elon Musk

Elon Musk became a household name in the contemporary years due to establishing both PayPal and Tesla Motors. It all began in 1971 when he was born in South Africa. After obtaining a Canadian passport in 1988, he left South Africa in search of greater economic opportunities available in the United States. He founded X.com in 1999. This website was later known as PayPal.

He also became the brainchild of both SpaceX (2002) and Tesla Motors (2003). He reaped the fruits of his labor as he became a multi-millionaire in his late 20s when he sold his start-up company – Zip2. With all these achievements on his belt, here are some life lessons that he shared during his past interviews.

#1: PERSISTENCE PAYS OFF

Persistence is very important to success. When he was asked what he was willing to give up towards realizing his dreams, he said: “I am willing to give up everything that others hold dear.” Elon Musk was in the journey for the long haul.

It is difficult for us to measure the limits of what we are capable of. For instance, he experienced serious challenges in 2008 when both SpaceX and Tesla were running out of money. He saw the circumstance as short-term set backs and focused on reducing the costs of launches in SpaceX. At a time when most people had given up in American automotive and aerospace industries, he showed foresight to stay on these industries. He looked to the future with hope and was overly optimistic in most cases.

#2: FOCUS ON THE IMPACT OF YOUR DREAMS

Zip2 was the first company he founded. When he sold it to Compaq, he poured his soul into PayPal. He had enough money to retire into wilderness when eBay bought PayPal. However, he had bigger dreams. He is not here for the quick route, he is here for the long haul. He put about $100 million in Tesla and $70 million in SpaceX. Other found him crazy at that time. He did not care! His vision was clear.

He wanted to prolong the lifespan of humanity by colonizing Mars. He aims to have weekly flights to space when he is in his 50’s. This propels all his enterprises to chase excellence and history. Our dreams may not be as grand as his, but having an end goal you strive for can help motivate you to work towards it.

#3: BECOME YOUR OWN CRITIQUE

“It’s very important to have a feedback loop, where you’re constantly thinking about what you’ve done and how you could be doing it better. I think that’s the single best piece of advice: constantly think about how you could be doing things better and questioning yourself,” he once said.

Despite accomplishing various things in different industries, he does not stop to reach excellence. He constantly strives to improve himself. This is something we can apply in our daily lives. Whether it be personal or professional life, improving your skills and knowledge can help you become the best version of yourself. Identify certain parts of yourself that you want to improve on and look for resources that can help you with that.

#4: TALENT BEATS NUMBERS

When it comes to hiring employees, talent beats numbers. Entrepreneurs may experience problems when they throw a lot of employees to one building. Not Musk.

Image Credits: pixabay.com

According to him: “It is a mistake to hire huge numbers of people to get a complicated job done. Numbers will never compensate for talent in getting the right answer.” Hiring two people who do not know anything about the job will slow down the progress and cost you more. Instead, hire a person best suited for the job. Do not forget about the person’s character too. It must go hand-in-hand with the talent.

Sources: 1, 2, & 3

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