Workplace Dysfunction: Nepotism
Ahhh, nepotism, the gift that keeps on giving by strangling worker engagement and productivity whilst creating resentment, anger and distrust since the dawn of time. For some of the younger set out there, you may be asking yourself what is nepotism, what it means and how it could affect your life down the road (and it likely will). Let’s take a little trip down Nepotism Lane and discuss how it affects the workplace and just how dysfunctional it can be, shall we?
Nepotism, as described by dictionary.com, is the practice among those with power or influence of favoring relatives, friends, or associates, especially by giving them jobs. Check out the Google search results for “nepotism” and focus specifically on the US House of Representatives Committee on Ethics link. If that clown show crew can recognize how dysfunctional nepotism can be, then damn, it’s got to be pretty bad.
Hot damn nepotism is one of the most toxic bullets loaded in the revolver of workplace dysfunction pointed at us each day. It’s basically leadership screaming “WE VALUE CONTROL OVER SUCCESS” because make no mistake, nepotism is about control, pure and simple. “But Will, how can you say that? It’s not about control, it’s about helping a friend or family member!” Bullshit; nepotism is about someone in a position of power hiring someone they can control, for their benefit. Here’s where you might say “What if it’s a mother or father giving one of their kids a job”. I can appreciate the sentiment and yes, in well-functioning families where honesty, integrity and respect are at the forefront of the relationship, it may work but I still think there’s a lot that can go wrong. Unfortunately for me, I had the great misfortune to work for my stepfather many, years ago. I can say without a shadow of a doubt it was a terrible idea but I’ll tell you what, I sure as hell wouldn’t have been able to write this post without that experience.
I’m probably being a little harsh, I’m sure there’s been some great nepotistic (is that a word? Maybe? Ok, I’ll roll with it) hires, but in my experience, if I see a strong element of nepotism, especially in the upper echelons of a company, I know there’s going to be a really super, duper good chance of that company being dysfunctional. Some of the shit I’ve seen will never cease to amaze me; incompetency on a level that makes Wile E. Coyote look adept. Look, I’m glad the nepophiles (not a word) are open and transparent with their dysfunction, it makes it easier for the rest of us to understand what we’re dealing with. What’s one of my favorite sayings? When someone shows us who they are, we’d better be willing to believe them, our feelings be damned.
The ration of bullshit fed to the uncool kids that weren’t hired because of relation or friendship can be quite staggering, but remember, dysfunction relies on silence and darkness to fester and grow. Shine a light on it, wherever you see it. You don’t need to be disrespectful, angry, etc, you only need to be honest and make sure you’re not letting the dysfunction take your eye off the ball. The only thing in life and work that you can control is yourself so act accordingly. Don’t forget that you may be labeled a hater for speaking up about the dysfunction of the nepotism, you may be labeled jealous, envious, etc. So long as you’re honest and not hiding behind either of those feelings, jealousy or envy, then it should be of no consequence what anyone thinks of you. Stand on your honesty, proudly prepared to accept the consequences of upholding your integrity. This is where the value you bring your company separates you from the NPC’s simply collecting a check. Your willingness and ability to stand on your honesty is directly correlated to your inherent value to the company. The more value you add, the better chance you have to make a definitive and positive change to the dysfunction surrounding you.
This isn’t about riding your moral high horse, mind you, this is about facing the reality of dysfunction. If you’re going to succeed, you need to play “the game”. You’d best be prepared, be damn good at playing the game and unashamed when you realize the game is rigged against you because of nepotism. If you see it’s rigged and do nothing, you’re admitting defeat, because you’re allowing the dysfunction to win. If you’ve got the intestinal fortitude to face the dysfunction and you use it in your favor, well now you’re being fastidious. Remember though, there’s a lifespan to this tactic. Dysfunctional nepotism will ultimately come for you like a workplace Grim Reaper, so play the game, get your experience, your knowledge, your connections and move on to a healthier work environment.