Subordination at work: what are the basic rules for building relationships

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In a business environment, communication is very important, since the effectiveness and efficiency of all parts depends on its quality. The rules of interaction between superiors and subordinates, as well as within the team, are called subordination. It is based on respect for management, adherence to business etiquette and performing one's work tasks without conflicts.

Typical situations of interaction between a boss and an employee

Below, we present some situations that may arise when establishing personal relationships. Perhaps most managers are able to adequately assess their behavior and character flaws. Therefore, if an overly hot temper is affecting your relationships with people, try to get rid of them, or follow these rules:

• Observe when communicating with whom and in what situations negative character traits appear;
• Avoid such situations and minimize your time communicating with such people;
• Warn people in advance about existing shortcomings;
• Apologize immediately if you had to lose your temper or offend someone.

It happens that among subordinates there are people with complex characters or negative behavior. It is difficult to communicate with them and almost impossible to find a common language. In such cases, an effective and competent leader can:

• Call your subordinate for a conversation and find out the reasons for his behavior. This may be enough for a person to reconsider his actions;
• If the employee’s character significantly affects the performance of job duties, it is worth warning him about sanctions for poor results;
• To consider the situation as a whole, you need to solve the issue not alone, but with the involvement of experienced employees and authoritative colleagues to influence the “problem” employee.

The manager was faced with the fact that he had established personal friendly relations with some employee. In this case, there are pros and cons of close communication:

• The positive side is formed by the fact that there is trust between the subordinate and the boss, transparency on both sides and open dialogue;
• Negative factors include the manager’s inability to objectively evaluate the employee, his dependence on his subordinates, and the derogation of the boss’s respect.

The etiquette of a leader and a subordinate plays a big role today. Good manners are based on the principle of the golden rule of morality: “Treat others the way you want to be treated.” Relations between colleagues should be based on mutual respect, subordination and responsible attitude towards the common cause.

Consequences of non-compliance with subordination

If at least one employee does not comply with subordination, he brings disorder and confusion to the team, breaks the clear delineation of responsibilities, undermines labor discipline, and discredits his boss in the eyes of his subordinates and senior management. The same applies to managers who allow themselves to insult subordinates or bully them in other ways.

At work, work should come first, not a showdown. Violation of subordination may lead to punishment of negligent employees. The legislation provides for exacting measures to call violators to order: verbal reprimand and reprimand. These types of punishment may be accompanied by deprivation of bonuses or a fine. And the worst violators, those who have committed an administrative or even criminal violation in the form of gross actions, will face dismissal.

Compliance with the rules of subordination is mandatory in any enterprise. This is an effective way to create a healthy atmosphere and coordinated actions in a team.

Be wise

In any case, if your employee does not respect the chain of command, you will need patience, restraint and wisdom. After all, from wisdom, as Democritus said, the following characteristics flow: the ability to make excellent decisions, as well as the ability to accurately speak and do what should be done. Understanding, making the right decision and saying what needs to be said is the way out of a situation where your employee does not respect the chain of command.

Chief - subordinate

Attitude towards a supervisor depends on a number of factors, including established work process standards and maintaining the authority of the supervisor. For correct subordination, it is necessary to correctly determine the company’s service discipline, the ethics of communication with the manager, and establish the framework of orders for its employees. When staff are not informed about the procedures and norms of business communication, discomfort appears in the team, people feel uncomfortable when communicating with the boss, do not know how to perceive his words (as a request or order), and do not show initiative. That is why every employee from the moment of arrival must be familiar with the norms of business and working relations.

Pay attention to the selection of tips on business relations between a manager and an employee:

• If an employee fails to comply with your order, you need to remind him that you are waiting for the result, otherwise he will decide that the task has been forgotten and will not carry it out. Such comments make it clear to the employee the seriousness of the order given to him and the possible consequences of failure to fulfill his duties.
• Criticism of an employee should concern his actions and actions at work. Personal insults and humiliation should not be present in a conversation with a subordinate.

A manager should not insult or humiliate his subordinate

• It is unacceptable to give personal advice to your subordinates. Do not forget that responsibility for the result will be on you.
• Whatever happens, subordinates should not notice fear and panic in the actions and words of the leader. Otherwise, authority will be seriously undermined.

Employees shouldn't see fear in their boss's eyes.

• Appreciate the work of your employees. The reward for a completed task should correspond to the amount of effort and time expended.
• Do not skimp on praising an employee. If he has done a good job, he should receive not only financial, but also moral reward. The employee must understand that his work was appreciated by management.

An employee must understand that his work is appreciated, so do not forget to express gratitude and praise employees

• Give orders based on two factors: the specific situation at hand and the character of the subordinate. Some employees immediately begin to carry out assignments and approach their work responsibly, while others need to be supervised and monitored for results.

When communicating with subordinates, you initially need to choose the form of instructions, be it an order, a request, a recommendation, or a question for thought. Orders are issued either in the event of a critical situation requiring immediate execution, or when communicating with an unscrupulous employee who does not understand other forms of instructions. The request is used in a standard situation and is expressed in the manager’s goodwill and trust. In the case of a request, the employee can offer his own options for solving the problem and express his opinion on the current situation. Such behavior by an employee is unacceptable when receiving an order that cannot be discussed and is executed without delay. A request differs from an order in its emotional presentation and sternness in the voice.

If a manager raises a question for consideration, it means he is waiting for feedback and wants to create a discussion of the problem. In this way, managers identify proactive employees who will subsequently solve the stated task or problem. Recommendations are given by the manager in order to help the subordinate quickly find a solution to the problem, but they may not be implemented by the employees.

The boss should not allow familiar relations with the team. Its employees perform functions in the same way as people outside the company whom we pay for the work done. If relationships are built on the principle “I pay money - you do your job,” then the business usually moves forward.

The manager should not stand in the shoes of his subordinates, delve into their problems and get away with violations, otherwise the staff will simply sit on his head.

Subordinate - leader

You also need to be able to build relationships with your boss, just like relationships between a boss and a subordinate. After all, his future career will depend on how correctly an employee adheres to the norms of business relations. Inept actions and ingratiation with the manager can push him away from his subordinate and force him to draw negative conclusions about the employee. Therefore, we will give several examples showing correct and incorrect behavior in communication between an employee and his boss.

• Try to help create a positive atmosphere among the team, because the manager strives to unite the staff and set up teamwork in the company.
• You must express your position and work proposals tactfully and politely; the manager will not tolerate impudent comments in his direction. Use phrases: “Excuse me, “Could we try this option...”.

Employees should voice their suggestions delicately and tactfully

• You cannot give monosyllabic answers and talk to your boss in a categorical tone. The manager may consider that the employee has a negative attitude towards him, and such people do not stay in the team. The first to be laid off are the taciturn and eternally dissatisfied subordinates.
• It is necessary to avoid jumping “over the head” of the immediate supervisor, except in urgent and emergency cases. Such behavior will be regarded by the immediate superior as disrespect and doubt in his professionalism. In this way, the employee undermines the authority of the boss in front of the entire team, which can serve as a reason for a reprimand and a fine.
• You cannot enter the boss’s office without knocking, and also not visit it if the boss is communicating with someone. This conversation can be important, and you can interfere.

Between managers

Business relationships can also be built horizontally, for example between two managers. At a business meeting, you must adhere to the following rules.

• Speak clearly and to the point; there is no need to start the conversation with jokes and unnecessary expressions of interest in your partner’s health and affairs. In Russia, meetings can last several hours due to the incorrectness of the stated purpose of the conversation. Many business people have a negative attitude towards empty dialogues because they value their time.
• Use facts and figures in your conversation; this will attract your partner’s attention and concentrate his attention on the dialogue.
• If the interlocutor begins to behave aggressively, remain calm, this will reduce the degree of dissatisfaction.
• Offer prepared ways to solve the problem; your initiative can be appreciated by your partner. This way you can show your level of knowledge and competence in the matter.

Offer your ways to solve the problem, your partner will definitely appreciate the initiative

• Try not to answer phone calls; this may seem disrespectful on the part of the interlocutor.
• Exchange business cards; this emphasizes your status and allows you to maintain contact with the right person.
• In a telephone conversation, be sure to ask the other person if he can talk at the moment.
• Do not use swear words in a business conversation; this characterizes the manager as an uncultured and poorly educated person. They try not to have anything in common with such a contingent of people in business.

Between colleagues

Finding contact and building proper communication with colleagues is also an important task. There are employees who, thanks to good relationships, shift their responsibilities to their comrades, or try to show others in an unfavorable light in front of their superiors. To avoid problems, you need to properly communicate with your colleagues.

• When performing a common task, divide the responsibilities in equal parts if the supervisor has not done so. This will help avoid the appearance of “drones” that will not be useful in your work.

Divide responsibilities equally between the team so that no one shirks about work

• Try to avoid crossing work contacts and intercepting clients of your colleagues. This will definitely lead to conflict and ruin your relationship with colleagues. It will be difficult to work in a tense environment in the future.

Poaching clients will definitely lead to conflict within the team

• Don't promise what you can't deliver. If a colleague asks you for something (replace me tomorrow, help me solve a problem), then first make sure that you can help him, and only then give an answer.
• Try to avoid personal topics; work is not the place for intimate conversations.

Subordination what is it

Service relationships are built according to a certain written or unwritten code, which includes the interaction between:

• managers and subordinates
• by the subordinates themselves
• by the leaders themselves

An important part of such a code is the rules of subordination and business etiquette. The proverb that a fish rots from the head perfectly reflects the importance of a leader’s authority

Here it is appropriate to recall army discipline, where orders are given clearly, understandably and not discussed. In addition to the high position that a leader occupies, he also bears high responsibility for his decisions and their consequences. A strict hierarchy in the team is necessary to maintain labor discipline

The proverb that a fish rots from the head perfectly reflects the importance of a leader's authority. Here it is appropriate to recall army discipline, where orders are given clearly, understandably and not discussed

In addition to the high position that a leader occupies, he also bears high responsibility for his decisions and their consequences. A strict hierarchy in the team is necessary to maintain labor discipline.

The principle of subordination corresponds to the principle of the hierarchical ladder:

• Junior employees must recognize the authority of senior employees, unquestioningly follow their instructions, take initiative within their competence and report results on time.
• Superior employees must respect their subordinates, adhere to ethical behavior and find the correct wording for issuing instructions or criticism.

For subordination, you can choose a very approximate definition, since this concept is more ethical than legal.

Subordination is a set of rules regulating official relations at all levels and aimed at conflict-free solution of common tasks.

Find a solution

It’s another matter if, upon joining the employee, he was familiarized with the norms of corporate behavior in your company, where your accepted procedure for interaction – norms, standards, rules – was outlined in black and white, clearly, clearly and understandably. However, he allows himself to break these rules. The reasons for this behavior are worth thinking about.

Perhaps you yourself did not strictly adhere to the “manager-subordinate” framework. Your employee’s behavior in this case is just a logical response step. Return to the role of a leader, eliminating the options “the leader is your boyfriend,” “the leader is a soul-man,” etc. Be a leader in its purest form, so that an employee can be a pure employee, and not “an employee is a joker,” “an employee is also a person,” etc. If the manager himself adheres to the established standards, this will most likely help avoid unpleasant proceedings regarding non-compliance with subordination. It is more difficult to stop violations of subordination if there seem to be no visible reasons for non-compliance. You do not allow yourself to become familiar with an employee, but he goes beyond the boundaries.

On the one hand (if we are talking, for example, about jokes addressed to you), it may be a matter of the subordinate’s desire to win your favor and sympathy in this way. And here, as in the case of an unintentional violation, a direct conversation will help resolve the issue.

On the other hand (if we are talking, for example, about aggression or rudeness of an employee towards you), the behavior of your subordinate may be the result of contradictions that have accumulated between you. Understand the situation. Find out the reasons for the sharp attacks against you. It is not so easy to listen to someone else’s point of view; it is even more difficult to understand and accept it. But without this, the situation can hardly be resolved constructively. After listening to your specialist, tell him that you value and respect him as a professional, but ask him to control himself in the future.

Rules of conduct for a leader

You should always remember that relationships are influenced by the personal, cultural, and social characteristics of individuals. The microclimate in the office and the relationships between employees of the organization depend on these and many other factors. Patience and endurance are needed for success in any business; these factors, together with correctness, create a favorable business atmosphere in the team. That is why you need to remember a few simple rules for building adequate relationships between your boss and your subordinates.

• The manager must treat all employees equally and impartially, regardless of likes or dislikes.
• In case of questions and initiatives, it is necessary to provide free access to the general manager to discuss any problems and criticism from management.
• The head of an organization has the right to independently make responsible decisions, demand their execution and delegate his responsibilities to subordinates.
• If a manager wants to improve the work of employees, he needs to constantly demand that current tasks be completed.
• Another rule is the use of profanity in the presence of subordinates. Unfortunately, not everyone has a good upbringing. The use of strong expressions is regarded by some as gaining authority. We hasten to dissuade you - this is not so. A person who allows himself to speak swear words in the office does not deserve any respect. This applies equally to management and acting employees.
• The next rule of etiquette for a leader is intransigence to flattering remarks and compliments. There is no better way to control a person and lull his vigilance than using flattery. Sometimes it can be difficult to distinguish between showing respect and praising human dignity from overt and rude flattery. An experienced leader always stops this kind of talk and remarks.

The irresponsibility of management disorganizes the work of the office and leads to low productivity of subordinates.

Maintain subordination common mistakes

To maintain a fruitful working atmosphere, you should not make common mistakes that lead to failure to comply with subordination:

• When giving an order to a subordinate, the boss must himself monitor execution. You cannot delegate control to another subordinate.
• The subordinate must report for the completed task to the superior from whom it was received.
• The manager should not give instructions to employees without the knowledge of their immediate superior. This will lead to discrediting the latter in front of his subordinates.
• You cannot punish a subordinate bypassing his immediate supervisor.
• You should not reprimand or punish an employee in front of his colleagues.
• If a subordinate makes mistakes, you should talk to him in a correct manner, without showing aggression.
• The priority of tasks should be clearly communicated to subordinates. They must understand which work is more urgent and which can be postponed and for how long.
• It is rude to criticize colleagues behind their backs, especially in the presence of subordinates. Likewise, subordinates should not publicly discuss the leader, undermining his authority.
• Compliance with business etiquette always benefits common goals. Blurring the lines between a boss and his subordinates and addressing them on a first-name basis leads to a decrease in his authority, slackness among employees, and irresponsibility.

You can learn more about how to properly give orders to subordinates.

A brief excursion into the world of formal relations in the workplace

You and colleagues

1. Everyone needs to be greeted - from the janitor or security guard to the president of the company - regardless of rank and official position.
2. You shouldn’t realize yourself at the expense of your colleagues. The boss may not appreciate this, and relationships with colleagues will be ruined forever. Therefore, taking clients away and blaming all the troubles on your roommate is the last thing.
3. If you are performing a common task, then try to divide it among yourself in equal parts, unless, of course, the manager has done this. This will help avoid the appearance of “drones” who will not be useful in the work, but will receive a bonus.
4. Don't provoke your colleagues with personal questions in the middle of working hours. Not everyone comes to the workplace to sharpen their lasses. If you see that a colleague is immersed in the work process, do not distract him, even if you are on friendly terms. All personal questions - only after the factory call about the end of work. If you see that a person is not particularly busy and is happy to make contact, then why not talk?
5. It is impossible to answer unequivocally how to address employees: “you” or “you”. If this is a small company with close relationships, when communication is not limited to working hours and boundaries, then it’s possible on a first-name basis. But if there is a division of responsibility, a division of functionality, then it is better to respect the chain of command. And remember, you have to respect the person who does the more difficult work. In companies with many levels of hierarchy, the ability to maintain a “you” position is necessary. At least in front of colleagues and superiors. Even if you are close friends who work in different departments, or he is your boss, then in public - only on “you”. The rest of the time - as you please.
6. The most important thing is not to make trouble and maintain an atmosphere of friendliness. And then everyone, from heaven to management, will thank you.

You and the boss

1. Leadership is a sacred matter, but not so sacred that at the sight of it you fall into sacred awe and remain silent, like Gerasim from Turgenev’s story. Don’t be shy about expressing your position and work proposals, but do it tactfully and politely, because the manager will not tolerate impudent comments in his direction. Use phrases like “What do you think if...” and other cautious expressions at the “please-let me” level to carefully hint to your superiors that there are bright ideas in your head.
2. You need to talk to your boss as if you were at a social event. You cannot speak in a categorical tone. The manager may think that you have a negative attitude towards him, and such people do not stay in the team. The first to be laid off are the taciturn and eternally dissatisfied subordinates.
3. It is necessary to avoid jumping “over the head” of the immediate manager, with the exception of urgent and emergency cases when there is simply no time left for a meeting. Such behavior will be regarded by the immediate superior as disrespect and doubt in his professionalism. You undermine his authority in front of the entire team, you despise him, disgrace him... Then try to explain that you are not out of malice.
4. Next is the topic of closed doors, eternal and relevant. For example, you cannot enter the boss’s office without knocking, and you also cannot visit it if the boss is communicating with someone. This conversation can be important, but here you are with your most important matters. Although if you work at a nuclear power plant and an explosion occurs, then to hell with it, you can kick the door and scream about what happened to the entire affected area.
5. Of course, we cannot help but touch on the topic of familiarity. If it’s customary in your office to address each other as “you,” then for God’s sake. But in this case, there is no need to stand out and call your superiors “you” (don’t be a black sheep, they don’t like people like that), and in other cases, publicly “poking”, even if you are friends, is strictly prohibited. This undermines the image of the boss.

You and your subordinates

1. When you communicate with a subordinate, there are only two forms of communication - an order and a request. An order is given in an emergency situation, while in a standard situation go to a request. It is expressed in the friendliness and trust of the leader. In the case of a request, the employee can offer you his options for solving the problem, express his opinion on the current situation, and you have no right to interrupt him. But in the case of an order - no demagoguery.
2. Familiarity from the boss is also not always welcome. Walking up to your subordinates, clapping them on the shoulder and saying: “What a piece of crap you did, Valerka,” is not very good. In any case, psychologists do not advise. In a personal conversation, you can allow something like this to cheer up a tired employee who has worked for a year without rest, but not in public.
3. But praising employees is highly recommended. If he has done a good job, he should receive not only financial but also moral reward. The employee must understand that his work was appreciated by you.
4. There is no need to stand in the shoes of your subordinates, delve into their problems and get away with violations, otherwise the staff will simply sit on their heads. Praise is one thing, but you can't do it without an iron hand. Remember, the carrot and stick method has been proven for centuries. But do not stoop to humiliation based on personal qualities. Aren't you disgusted? By the way, you shouldn’t get into their souls, it’s at least indecent, you shouldn’t tease them or joke about them.
5. If the employee does not comply with your order, you need to remind him that you have a large collection of torture instruments. These are extreme measures, just remind him that you are waiting for the result, otherwise he will decide that the task need not be completed. And the comments make it clear to the employee the seriousness of the order given to him and eloquently remind him of the possible consequences.
6. Remember the names of your employees and study their performance. You just need to know what kind of people are working for you, what tasks can be entrusted to them and what not. Sometimes recommendations need to be let go. Don’t forget to publicly report to you for everything they do!

2Subordination in culture and life situations

If we do not take into account the military chain of command, which is the same in all countries, it will be interesting to consider its role in other aspects. Below are some examples that will help you understand how closely subordination and other aspects of life are connected:

Corporate chain of command

Corporate subordination is a system of subordination within a company. It is based on the fact that an official is obliged to carry out the instructions and tasks of a person who is at the top level of the management system. In simple terms, this can be interpreted as follows: ordinary workers carry out the orders of department managers, department managers are responsible to the department director, who, in turn, carries out the strategic tasks set by top management.

Despite corporate subordination, the role of the lower-level employee in the business process may vary from country to country. For example, in most Asian countries, small workers do not have the initiative. Thus, they are limited only to their work and, in most cases, do not participate in the management of the company. In Asian countries, it is believed that the higher a person’s position in a company, the more valuable his word is when making any decisions. This Asian system of corporate chain of command is radically different from the Western (European and American) system.

The Western system of corporate subordination is softer and involves decision-making not only by a superior person, but also by ordinary employees of the department. People in these countries believe that the success of a corporation depends on the success of every person working in it.

Subordination and plane crashes

You can give a very interesting example that happened in real life. It will reveal the full significance of subordination between officials.

As mentioned above, Asians tend to believe that the decision of a senior official is always infallible. Let's imagine a situation: a passenger plane is controlled by two people - a senior and a junior captain. Of course, the senior captain has more authority, he is more experienced and his position is higher. Thus, the junior captain is obliged to obey him.

Korean airliners at the end of the 20th century were considered the most dangerous due to the huge number of plane crashes. Many of them were due to the fact that junior captains did not dare to object to the opinion of the senior captain. For example, here is the cause of one of the plane crashes: the junior captain noticed an icy wing of the plane and reported it to the senior captain, to which he replied that everything was in order.

In fact, even minor wing icing can lead to a plane crash. Despite this, the junior captain did not insist on his opinion, which led to the accident. Western pilots, on the contrary, are accustomed to freely expressing their thoughts and insisting on their own if they are sure of something. This speaks of the individualism of the people, which is so necessary in this case.

From the above you can draw your own conclusions about subordination. Is it good or bad? If you are the owner of a company, then it is worth considering what type of corporate chain of command is most suitable for you and your employees. All cases are individual and ambiguous.

Types of subordination

There are two models of service relationships: vertical and horizontal.

Vertical service relationships

The vertical line of behavior concerns the relationship between the boss and the subordinate not only from top to bottom, but also vice versa.

A person holding a leadership position will achieve great heights if he has basic knowledge of psychology and sociology in the business field. Thus, an arrogant authoritarian management style leads to narrow-mindedness of subordinates, blind submission, and reluctance to take initiative.

Partnerships with subordinates that are devoid of familiarity are more productive. Business meetings, joint decision-making, and encouragement of initiative lead to coherence of work and creative output from each employee.

On the part of subordinates, proper relationships with managers create psychological comfort for all employees. A clear, understandable hierarchy eliminates any envy of colleagues, showdowns, discussing superiors behind their backs, and fighting for the manager’s favorable attitude.

Horizontal relationships

A horizontal line of behavior in the workplace is built with work colleagues. Usually these are people occupying an equal position in the service hierarchy.

Equality, mutual assistance, mutual respect and at least partial interchangeability are encouraged between lower-level employees. You need to behave smoothly and with dignity with other employees, clearly understanding the limits of personal responsibility and keeping your distance in everything related to work matters.

The line of horizontal relationships between managers of the same rank is a little more complicated to build. Here it is necessary to take into account the personal ambitions of colleagues, as well as their management style. Giving orders to someone else's subordinates means the likelihood of a conflict situation with their immediate superior. On the other hand, if a colleague is a democratic person, then he may even thank you for your help and participation. All the details of such a plan are decided between the leaders orally.

Tips from netizens

Denis Perepelkin

subordination, crap - no way, this doesn’t work anywhere in most cases. Rules and life are diametrically opposed things. If the team knows where it is going, the chain of command will flow on its own, there will be no need to explain anything to anyone, because everyone will know their role and respect others. And if it’s fear and the letter of the law, then you can dig yourself into a post. The old army saying: “If you don’t want it the bad way, the good way it will be worse” is true in such cases.

Natulix

Define the “work scope” exclusively in writing. After completion, for each written task there is a memo from the manager about the quality of execution and the violations committed, which led, for example, to some consequences. Remark order against signature. Then the second one. Look, it will “fit into the frame.”

Alexandra Postovan

I believe that the biggest mistake of a manager at all times is familiarity; even in small companies such relationships should not be allowed. Subordinates, for their part, must always be clearly aware of the burden of responsibility that lies on the leader (accordingly, that’s why the boss is always “senior”, even if this is not the case by age).

By the way, in medicine this issue has been resolved since ancient times. Most of the responsibility always lies with the doctor, so nurses strictly observe the chain of command. And the better they realize this, the more and better they help. Such nurses are highly valued by doctors themselves. There can be no familiarity.

Sov

If he doesn’t follow orders, bring him to the disciplinary center. Look at the job description, check the instructions and here you go. A remark, a reprimand, a severe reprimand - goodbye.

Karlygash

Write a memo, add witness signatures. Collect these papers. monitor how the person copes with his responsibilities. if there are such facts, then draw up a report, then if the violation occurs again, you can be fired under the article.

Andrey Osintsev

If he is a subordinate, put him in his place, you have endless administrative resources for this. If he is a colleague, respond in kind or set up a work team after him. Complain about him to the manager, let him educate him.

single***

If you have a higher status, then threaten with dismissal. If you don’t understand, then excuse me and let this be a lesson for him and for the rest.

Snow White Queen

The grave corrects such people! You can write a report for rudeness to your superiors, but it’s useless to deal with people like that anymore—if you start being rude in response, they’ll crap even more, and you won’t hear them answer politely at all.

Natali

Well, I think, for starters, it’s correct to ask for subordination at work. Well, if he doesn’t understand, make it clear that you categorically don’t like it. but under no circumstances should you enter into an altercation with him, and the final option is to inform management about the ethics of communication….

Maggie

Complaining to your superiors is the last thing to do and means an inability to resolve conflicts peacefully. You need to be able to talk to people, as my senior work colleague said.

Video

When the deputy director is out of work

What are the most common mistakes that can be cited as typical examples of violation of the principles of subordination? One of them, the most common, is the submission of orders to a subordinate by superior management, bypassing the person who is the latter’s immediate superior. For example, the shop manager tries to give instructions to the workers, bypassing the foreman or foreman. Thus, the authority of the head of the department can be significantly reduced, and employees cease to take him seriously.

Such an error leads to an imbalance in the controllability of the entire corporate system. The director should not include in his many responsibilities the additional burden of managing staff. The task of monitoring the execution of his instructions is the job of another employee.

Another danger is that the very controlling link (immediate supervisor or deputy director) sometimes sins of arbitrariness and demands that the work process be organized to its own taste. To avoid misunderstandings, his powers should be immediately clearly defined. The danger is that the main leader may not know all the intricacies of the situation. In the above-mentioned example, the workshop manager entrusts the site foreman with only clearly defined functionality that is specified in the service instructions.

The third point is that two different people are appointed as executors of the same order. In this case, the work process can be disoriented, since there is a serious risk of the performers shifting responsibility to each other.

Very often there are cases of appealing to senior management, bypassing the immediate superior. It is customary first of all to notify the head of the department directly about a problem that has arisen.

The inability to set priorities also refers to manifestations of broken subordination at work. The performer’s task is to clearly understand what of the planned needs to be completed immediately, and what can be postponed for the coming days.

If you criticize your boss behind his back, such behavior not only violates the chain of command, but is also downright unethical. Such criticism will sooner or later reach the ears of management. And the biggest risks are those who are “smart enough” to highlight the incompetence of their boss in the event of a public conflict. Management, as a rule, does not forgive anyone for undermining their own authority.

Among the most tactless and gross violations of subordination are attempts to criticize not the official, but the personal qualities of employees. There is also a rude tone in the negative assessments of the work done, which in all cases without exception makes a painful impression.

When criticizing an employee or subordinate, it is important to maintain the desire to improve the work of both him personally and the entire organization. Attempts to discuss behavior should not be intended to humiliate or demonstrate power.

Sometimes in large and small teams, subordination at work, as well as the ethics of business communication, are completely absent. Small structures where everyone knows each other quite well are especially guilty of this. Addressing “you” is not always appropriate in a business environment; it blurs the lines between superiors and subordinates, and in such an atmosphere it is difficult for a junior in position to perceive management in its true light. His motivation to unconditionally follow instructions decreases.

What are the consequences of non-compliance with subordination at work? All manifestations of familiar relations with management, failure to follow his instructions, and incorrect criticism, one way or another, affect the business foundations of the enterprise and significantly reduce the authority of management. As consequences in such corporations, one can observe rampant disciplinary measures in the form of reprimands, comments, deprivation of bonuses, etc. Well, the extreme measure of retribution for errors against subordination is dismissal.

How is it regulated?

If there are no established rules at the enterprise, this introduces confusion into the work process. Each employee should know which colleagues he can turn to for advice, who can demand subordination, and who is obliged to carry out his orders. Large structures usually indicate which units are subordinate to others.

Subordination is regulated by certain orders, instructions, and the organization’s charter . The following documents are also used to define the service hierarchy:

In some structures, for example, in the army, wearing insignia (uniform, shoulder straps) is implied. However, in small companies, subordination is most often based only on the authority of the manager.

A new team member should be introduced to corporate ethics immediately upon hiring, when his job responsibilities and powers are specified.

You can learn about the basic rules of business relationships from the following video: