Why do we do it?
Go back again and again.
Our “gift” wasn’t appreciated the first time. Why do we so often insist on giving it repeatedly?
If you are the type who likes to help by informing others of company rules, boundaries and other policy restrictions, then you are probably no stranger to backlash, isolation, and other forms of resistance.
As we continue our discussion of this week’s podcast personality, “The Enforcer,” we need to think about the cost to ourselves of our noble advocacy on behalf of the firm.
While it may benefit the company to experience the one less violation that you just prevented, what has it cost you in the way of trust, credibility, and future communication effectiveness?
Generally, when it’s not your job to enforce, the information is seldom received well. You can criticize the reactions of those you confront until you’re blue in the face, but if you are chipping away at others’ willingness to listen when you speak, you may be undermining your own ability to be heard on issues more germane to your role and responsibilities.
The key is to be aware of the impact or effect our confrontations are having. If a particular issue of policy enforcement is neither our job nor likely to be valued by the recipient, we might be the wiser to leave well enough alone.
What do you think? How do you discern whether to get involved when company policy is being compromised?
