Ask the Editors: Chaotic Work Environments.
How to make sense (and progress) in the midst of chaos at work.
Thank you to Daniella Latham for joining us as a guest editor for this month’s advice column! If you have a question for a future issue submit it here.
Q: How do I prove my value and mark success in my role if the goals we’re trying to achieve are constantly changing?
Daniella Latham: This is really common. My recommendation would be to take a few hours on a semi-regular basis - actively block out your calendar to do this! - to write down and track all your deliverables and impact. Map these to your goals at the time. For your situation, I’d recommend you do this on a monthly basis. I recommend you try the SBI framework: situation (outline the specific situation and context), behavior (outline the precise behavior you took or work you did), and impact (explain impact of your work on your team and the business). This way, even though the direction and goals will change, you still have a paper trail to demonstrate your impact. I also recommend copy-pasting all the testimonials and positive feedback your peers and leaders share with you about you at the time. This will serve as a bank you can refer back to to supplement your assessment to showcase your value.
Q: As I go through interview processes are there any red flags that would hint that the work environment is unstable or even toxic?
Daniella Latham: Some red flags for chaos would be hearing phrases like “wearing lots of hats” and “we’re experiencing rapid growth”. A lack of clear goals and objectives - i.e. vague responses like wanting “growth” as opposed to something tangible is also an indicator. High turnover in leadership and staff more broadly is a huge one. Also, a disorganized and poor interview process - e.g. slow responses, unclear updates, lack of preparation for interviews on the employer’s behalf.
Q: I feel like I spend most of my day fighting fires and not being able to dive into the strategic work I know I should be doing as a PMM. How do I make room for that balance?
Daniella Latham: There always needs to be a trade-off, and I would encourage you to always make that clear to your manager and leadership. If you constantly have to be responsive, call this out in your 1:1s as not being a good use of time. However, don’t stop there. Come up with a recommended solution for what you can and should prioritize - these should be mapped to your team and team/company goals or objectives - so you can use the additional time more strategically. Once your manager and/or leaders are aligned on that, ensure you confirm this in writing so you can refer back to it if you’re pulled into unnecessary fires again.
Q: I'm struggling with emotional exhaustion because of how stressful and demanding it is to work with limited resources and direction. Are there any things I can do to not let this chaos at work affect me as much?
Daniella Latham: First off, if you are experiencing clear signs of burn-out and it’s affecting you personally, or your mental and physical health, go to your doctor to see if you can get a note for sick leave. If you’re in the US, FMLA will cover you. If it’s more short-term and manageable, you need to be transparent about your workload with your manager and/or leaders. Like the response for 3), come with a recommended solution for what you can prioritize and why, and get alignment on that so you can reduce the load. Separately from that, you need to consciously and actively detach yourself emotionally from your job. This is one of the hardest things adults can actually do, given our work lives are so tied to our identities. You are so much more than your job, and you may have to actively tell yourself this to remember it. Block out time on your calendar for your hobbies, physical activity, and time with loved ones, and stick to the boundaries you set.