In the year 1787, a young British Naval Officer by the name of Lieutenant William Bligh was given the assignment of sailing to Tahiti to collect breadfruit saplings for transport to the Caribbean. His first officer on the voyage was Fletcher Christian, and the ship was the now famous HMS Bounty. What exactly transpired on that ship two years into the voyage is still up for debate; however, the facts are clear. Mr. Christian with the help of twelve crewmembers took over the HMS Bounty and cast Captain Bligh and his crew adrift on the high sea in a small 23-foot open boat. What is still in dispute is the reason for the mutiny. Did Mr. Christian retaliate under the inhumane treatment of Captain Bligh, or did he lead the mutiny only for his own selfish desire to live an indulgent life in Tahiti?
The mutiny that occurred on the HMS Bounty has all the trappings of a mystery novel, a love story, and psychological thriller all in one high seas adventure. It has inspired over 2,000 articles and books, five major motion pictures, and numerous documentary films produced about the mutiny; nevertheless, speculation as to the motive for the mutiny still abounds. Was Captain Bligh a foul-tempered authoritarian with a superiority complex, or was Mr. Christian a rebellious hedonist?
How does what transpired on the HMS Bounty apply to your company or organization? It's applicable because a company is a lot like a ship at sea. Similar to a ship, your company has a mission to accomplish, a captain and first officers, and there are many hazards that can cause your company to run aground. A mutiny at sea is just one of many hazards that a company can experience while sailing. Mutiny at work is called insubordination, and it can be as intriguing as a true mutiny on the high seas. So, when you hear of an employee being insubordinate, it is best to investigate the mystery behind the insubordination before jumping to any conclusions about who is to be blamed.
There are three basic causes for any insubordination incident:
1.) Stress: Employees under stress are insubordinate because they are overwhelmed. An employee may be under stress due to factors occurring in the workplace or in their personal life. Whatever the reason for their stress, they reach a point where they simply cannot function anymore. So, they tell their supervisor "no." They cannot do anymore work or tasks.
An employee who is insubordinate due to stress is worth saving and not terminating. These employees usually recognize their stress and shortcomings and are willing to change in order to improve their performance.
2.) Rebellion: Employees in rebellion are usually rebelling from their own Captain Bligh or intolerable work situation. These employees usually have a legitimate reason for being insubordinate; however, they often do not take the appropriate action to notify the proper authorities in the company about what is happening to them.
An employee who is insubordinate because he/she is rebelling is worth saving and not terminating. These employees need three things: listening, educating, and discipline. (A) Listen carefully to the reason(s) of the employee for being insubordinate. The employee might say "my supervisor is a jerk," but if you listen carefully you may find out that the supervisor has been calling the employee names, sexually harassing him or her, or constantly criticizing the employees performance. (B) Educate the employee about the proper course of action to take to address a supervisor who is acting inappropriately with his or her subordinates. (C) Discipline the employee, usually verbally, notifying him or her that it is important to following proper procedures versus taking inappropriate actions.
(Note: Do not discipline an employee who is reporting they rebelled because a supervisor was sexually harassing him/her, or because a supervisor was acting in a discriminatory manor against him or her. Also, remember that it is legal for employees to engage in Union forming activity.)
3.) Power: Employees, who are insubordinate because they are seeking power, are employees who want to control either their supervisor or their employers. These employees are usually very calculated in their use of insubordination. By constantly testing the limits of their supervisor through insubordination, the power-seeking employee gradually starts to build their power against their supervisor and within the company.
Consider "power" being the cause of the insubordination when you have ruled out stress and rebellion as causes of the insubordination. The power-seeking employee is not worth saving and should be taken through your company's progressive discipline procedures.
(Note: An attorney should always be consulted before you terminate the employment of any employee.)
The next time you are faced with an insubordinate employee remember what happened on the HMS Bounty. Is your Mr. Christian under stress, subject to a Captain Bligh supervisor, or out to take over the ship in order to sail back to Tahiti?
Happy Working,
Gary Vikesland, MA LP CEAP
Employer-Employee.com
The mutiny that occurred on the HMS Bounty has all the trappings of a mystery novel, a love story, and psychological thriller all in one high seas adventure. It has inspired over 2,000 articles and books, five major motion pictures, and numerous documentary films produced about the mutiny; nevertheless, speculation as to the motive for the mutiny still abounds. Was Captain Bligh a foul-tempered authoritarian with a superiority complex, or was Mr. Christian a rebellious hedonist?
How does what transpired on the HMS Bounty apply to your company or organization? It's applicable because a company is a lot like a ship at sea. Similar to a ship, your company has a mission to accomplish, a captain and first officers, and there are many hazards that can cause your company to run aground. A mutiny at sea is just one of many hazards that a company can experience while sailing. Mutiny at work is called insubordination, and it can be as intriguing as a true mutiny on the high seas. So, when you hear of an employee being insubordinate, it is best to investigate the mystery behind the insubordination before jumping to any conclusions about who is to be blamed.
There are three basic causes for any insubordination incident:
1.) Stress: Employees under stress are insubordinate because they are overwhelmed. An employee may be under stress due to factors occurring in the workplace or in their personal life. Whatever the reason for their stress, they reach a point where they simply cannot function anymore. So, they tell their supervisor "no." They cannot do anymore work or tasks.
An employee who is insubordinate due to stress is worth saving and not terminating. These employees usually recognize their stress and shortcomings and are willing to change in order to improve their performance.
2.) Rebellion: Employees in rebellion are usually rebelling from their own Captain Bligh or intolerable work situation. These employees usually have a legitimate reason for being insubordinate; however, they often do not take the appropriate action to notify the proper authorities in the company about what is happening to them.
An employee who is insubordinate because he/she is rebelling is worth saving and not terminating. These employees need three things: listening, educating, and discipline. (A) Listen carefully to the reason(s) of the employee for being insubordinate. The employee might say "my supervisor is a jerk," but if you listen carefully you may find out that the supervisor has been calling the employee names, sexually harassing him or her, or constantly criticizing the employees performance. (B) Educate the employee about the proper course of action to take to address a supervisor who is acting inappropriately with his or her subordinates. (C) Discipline the employee, usually verbally, notifying him or her that it is important to following proper procedures versus taking inappropriate actions.
(Note: Do not discipline an employee who is reporting they rebelled because a supervisor was sexually harassing him/her, or because a supervisor was acting in a discriminatory manor against him or her. Also, remember that it is legal for employees to engage in Union forming activity.)
3.) Power: Employees, who are insubordinate because they are seeking power, are employees who want to control either their supervisor or their employers. These employees are usually very calculated in their use of insubordination. By constantly testing the limits of their supervisor through insubordination, the power-seeking employee gradually starts to build their power against their supervisor and within the company.
Consider "power" being the cause of the insubordination when you have ruled out stress and rebellion as causes of the insubordination. The power-seeking employee is not worth saving and should be taken through your company's progressive discipline procedures.
(Note: An attorney should always be consulted before you terminate the employment of any employee.)
The next time you are faced with an insubordinate employee remember what happened on the HMS Bounty. Is your Mr. Christian under stress, subject to a Captain Bligh supervisor, or out to take over the ship in order to sail back to Tahiti?
Happy Working,
Gary Vikesland, MA LP CEAP
Employer-Employee.com
