The "Whine Weapon" & the Workplace

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That morning as soon as we arrived Church, my son reported a friend of his to us. He said, "Someone told me in class that I am being babyish". The words these 21st century five-year-old's use these days. Well I responded that it is possibly because he had been whining in Church like he does at home. He promptly responded that he doesn't cry in church. It was an eye-opener.

We Whine When Parents Can Hear Us

Think of yourself as a five-year-old. What would be the most profitable use of your "Whine Weapon"? Well, it would be the effort that yields the intended results - the attention of your parents. If the whine does not change anything, you might as well save the energy.

When my little sister was about two years old, I retrieved an item from her while we were sitting on the dining table. She initiated a rhythmic series of unpleasant notes that were cumulating to that uncomfortable cacophony that babies are great at. When she realized I wasn't budging, she simply let out a gentle hiss and turned her attention elsewhere. Yes, a HISS! ??

If you are a parent, you can selectively try this trick on your children - Ignore the whine. Selectively, I wrote. There are some serious Whine Weapon Wielders (WWWs) out there. ??

Whining in the Workplace

Now what does this have to do with LinkedIn ? Well, employees whine too. When the manager is still available to pay attention, we escalate everything. As soon as it gets difficult to handle, we say, "I have to call my manager". The manage is available and responsible for responding to your frequent whine. After all, that is why he or she is being paid so much.

This matter is "above your pay grade". You'd rather not bother yourself with too much thinking. In fact, it is actually risky to try to solve the problem on your own. So it begs the question, which comes first, a rise in pay or a rise in capacity for responsibility?

If We Want Our Sons to Grow Up

At some point in our lives, we do want our children to stop whining and take up more responsibility for solving the minor problems they often come to us with. We are proud of them when they can take care of others; when they respond to challenges with critical thinking rather than copious crying. As managers, you probably want something similar for your reporting lines. Sometimes it doesn't happen until the manager has to go away.

In some cases and at the right age, parents tend to accelerate the growth process by not being around. That may translate to sending children to boarding school or to relatives in another city. Sadly sometimes this also happens when parents go to Heaven (hopefully) early and children have to grow up faster. In all cases, children who find themselves in these scenarios tend to lose the Whine Weapon earlier.

When the Manager Goes Away

Once in my career, I have had the privilege of a role where there was no one to escalate to technically. Either I solved the problem or it was escalated to 微软 . This was often a long process with cost implications so we didn't want it happening too often.

Twice in my career, I have had to step in when my manager had to suddenly go away to take up another role outside the company. There was no time to prepare to be a manager, I just had to become one. In the first case, a colleague asked me in a casual conversation,

"Would you like to grow into a managerial role or a senior technical role".

I also casually answered that I would prefer a senior technical role. I was not comfortable having to manage people. I had had my fair share of people issues when I supervised nine complex colleagues early in my career. Phew! ??

Leadership - A Small Risk

These days, there is so much knowledge available that in many cases, the problem is not the approach to tackling a technical problem. The challenge is taking the decision that this is what ought to be done. We always need people who can articulate the big picture, understand the policies and are ready to face any resulting consequences. We need leadership.

As someone reporting to a manager who is still around, you may find yourself still whining because there is someone to whine to. How about taking a few risks once in a while and reporting solutions to your boss rather than problems?

"I noticed such and such so I decided to do this and that. Hope it is OK?"

The "Whineless" Way to Weightier Pay

There are a few things that could happen. The manager could reprimand you for not asking him/her first. You could also get recognition for being proactive. It is a risk. High risk, high pay. Whichever route your manager takes, it is very likely that the next time he/she needs someone who can take a decision, you will be on their list.

If you are consistently showing that you can take decisions above your pay grade and succeeding at the outcomes, you might just be on your way to a pay raise. When the manager is no longer there, you are likely to be required to step in. Now that's growth!

So, what will be your first over-the-pay-grade decision this week?