5 Ways to Avoid Getting Thrown Under the Bus

I am not a dumb person but when it comes to business I have been awfully stupid. I have been too naive, too trusting, confused hard work for good work, and been swayed by friendship to make poor decisions. I wrote “Finding Your Passion: Sometimes it takes 33 Jobs” Parts I & II to give you an overview.

In reviewing my experiences, I have a long history of being thrown under the bus. If this has ever happened to you, you know it sucks. All human road kill understands to avoid getting thrown under the bus, you better learn to be the bus driver, a committed passenger or stay home alone. Here are a few tips from my experience. I think people are way too prone to judge less than rosy viewpoints as negative. Light and dark co-exist. It is foolish to believe in one and not the other.

1. Act Right.
I was standing inside a business last week. It was early morning and the company management was lax. I watched as employee after employee raided the company inventory. I asked someone who worked in the facility if this was commonplace and the reply was, “Yes. Everyone does it. It’s ridiculous. And the managers are always wondering why they can’t make any money on inventory sales.”

Now here is the gotcha gotcha:
- The business is laying off employees and limiting its exposure because of profit loss. In essence, through theft these employees are helping themselves out of a job.
- There is a temptation to join the fray because everyone is doing it. However, what does that say about you? Why should anyone trust you? Why should you trust your co-workers when they clearly have no problem stealing? What happens when the truth comes to light because it ALWAYS does?

The hard truth is the workplace is a hostile environment. Whether you are employed at McDonald’s or JP Morgan, everyone is trying to move up or secure his/her position. You may love your employers and co-workers but do you think anyone would sacrifice their job to save yours? If you find that one person, marry him or her.

The workplace is not a playground. When money stops exchanging hands, you are in trouble. Do your job, pay for what you take and limit your exposure.

2. Always remember to C.A.R.E.
Cover your Ass. Retain Employment.

I worked in a writing lab in college. I never opened it. I always arrived mid-shift and stayed until close. One weekend, I worked the opening of the lab but I was not responsible for the opening of the lab. That Sunday, I arrived 30 minutes late and saw the student supervisor in the hallway waiting with other students. She wanted to know why I was late and made a point of letting everyone know they were ALL waiting on me.

I was shocked and completely caught off guard. This was New Orleans, the Big Easy, nothing and no one is ever on time. I was late because the streetcar was late. Why was everyone waiting for me? I don’t have the keys. I never have had the keys. Something was clearly up but she put me on the spot so I was so busy defending myself I didn’t suspect anything.

After about an hour, security arrived with keys and let us all in. The lab opened one hour and twenty minutes late that day. The student supervisor, who was a non-traditional student about 40 years old, said all was forgiven and it would be best if I said nothing about the incident to anyone. I should fill out my time sheets documenting the same hours as if the lab was open. I complied. Well, the next day, she went to University professor and told her I was not only late but delayed the opening of the center and was attempting to pad my payroll hours.

Basically, she covered her ass and her incompetence by making me the villain. She was praised as a hero and given a promotion. I was screamed at, humiliated and demoted. I couldn’t believe how easy I made it for her. If you need me to spell it out further, review everything I did and do the opposite.

3. Have an Agenda.
I have walked into situations without an agenda and I have gotten slammed by other people with agendas. Everyone wants something. I don’t care where you are or what business you are in. EVERYONE WANTS SOMETHING. It need not always be ominous. It can be as simple as entering a store and wanting to get in and out quickly. That is an agenda.

What is it that you want? People who know what they want and pursue it vigorously will win. If you depend on luck to get you ahead, what do you do when your luck runs out? Set a goal, be strategic, form alliances and watch out for detractors.

4.  Get out of un-ethical environments.

Pickpockets Anonymous

Imagine a company where concern for “traditional proven business methods”, “profit and loss accounting principles”and “professional protocol” are considered taboo and archaic. There is no consistent business standard, or operational procedures in place. From day to day, the rules change based on the whims of the powers that be. Since there no rules, everyone wants to “get in good” with the person at the top to insure their “wants” are granted and fulfilled. Henceforth,”smash and grab” is the established office culture.

With this being the operational paradigm, employees feel entitled to the same perks and benefits of their superiors. Entrepreneurial endeavors are indirectly financed by the company resources. Inventory walks away regularly. Employee time mis-management is routine. Cash transactions go unaccounted for. Liability and exposure mounts. The bottom line is a leader’s flexible morality has extended itself to the business.

I have worked in these environments and I know companies where this is routine. If you are surrounded by morally conflicted people, it is a matter of time before you throw in with them especially when that behavior starts at the top. A business that is run un-ethically will leave everyone involved tainted. Either get out or distance yourself while you negotiate a way to excel within the system. No matter what you choose you will need a plan.

I suggest you work at creating a measure of individual excellence. If you are doing good work, it should be reflected in the receipts, or customer attendance. Use your measure as a means of securing what it is you think is fair and deserved. Don’t invent excuses nor should you accept them. There is a reason why we have business models, they work. I will only add that it is difficult to impose rules and ethics in a circumstance where the management is unethical. Good luck if you stay, you will lose sleep if you are an honest person.

5. Don’t make investments in people with an unproven history.
Money doesn’t lie. People do.

I invested money ten years ago in these two guys Ramon Johnson and Jamar Freeze and their startup company called FusionInk Communications. I was getting into party promoting. The internet was new then and I wanted a website to run promotions, newsletters, blah blah blah. I liked them. They supported my business. They appeared honest. After I finished paying them, they dissolved their business and disappeared. I never saw them again. Feel free to look them up on Google if you’re interested in putting a face on a scumbag. Today they are NOW easy to find.

Despite knowing they were inexperienced, I believed in the little guy and wanted to give them a shot. They always had excuses and gave me just enough to avoid pulling the plug. The website never materialized. The domain name was shut down. I got nothing. It would have cost more to find them and sue them. Had they ACTED RIGHT, I wouldn’t be telling this story today and they would be getting praise instead of shame.

Sine then, I have invested in people who were green in a desire to support them. My experience 100% of the time has been negative. I’m sure there are exceptions. If you have money to gamble with that you can afford to lose, have the time to micro-manage other people’s commitments than take a chance. Remember you get what you pay for and sometimes you get nothing.

These are FIVE ways to avoid getting thrown under the bus. There are many many more to come. That’s the thing about the bus, it never stops roaming the streets looking for victims.