Organizational Communication

Bosses, coworkers, supervisors, and subordinates are people that are gonna fill your work life with happiness and harmony or make it a "hell on earth". It all depends on how you communicate with them in the office. Speaking of communicating, does everyone in the office communicate like you do? Well, of course not. Every single individual has their own communicating styles and everyone has to adapt everyone else's communicating style. Therefore, each individual has to make an effort to communicate with one another.

When I was working at Starbucks at KLCC, my manager was a freaking nut job. She would give one order and when I have completed the task, she tells me that I was not supposed to do that and scolds me right in front of everyone. Everyone meaning the customers, coworkers and anyone that was passing through the cafe. Every single day I had to deal with this crap and I just had to take it because she's the boss. My friends and coworkers would remind me to keep calm and that she is that type of person and to deal with her gently. After awhile, I was just immune to her meaning whatever she tells me, I just do it and shut up and if she screams at me in the end, which she will and does, I just walk away. At first it was ok but after that she gave a letter stating that I was being fired for insubordination. I was confused but at the same time, I was delighted cause I don’t have to her face anymore. Still, I inquired about what she means by insubordination. She said that I never did anything right and always disrespected her by walking away while she was talking (actually shouting at me) and she felt disheartened by my actions. I thought I wanted to let out everything at her but I just asked her why does she tell me one thing and shout at me later for doing it later. She said she never told me to do those stuffs and her response completely enraged me. I told her that she gave me those orders and then scolded me for doing the job. She asked me why I never talked to her about it or other stuff. I just answered that she would shut me down before I can say anything and of course she denied it. I just told her that she does not let anyone talk back to her and she hates listening to her subordinates complain, suggestions or ideas. I admit that she’s a good manager in many aspects but as a leader, she’s a control freak. In the end, the conversation didn’t end well and I just took my salary and left Starbucks and took a job at Chili’s.

The morale of the story is that I was at fault for not trying to talk to her and walking away every time she scolded me. I believe as a subordinate, you have to please the upper heads in every way but in this case, those at the top also need to be considerate of the feelings of their employees because communications goes both ways and respect is the key in this case. When both parties don’t respect the other, miscommunication happens and fights break out which causes bonds to be damaged. Communicating in an organization is tough but we all have to make an effort to ensure that harmony is maintained in the organization and that only can be done by talking to each other and working problems out like professionals.