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Comment by morley | Hacker News Reader

Re #1: I realize this is the safest option for your own self-preservation, if you don't give negative feedback, how do you expect your work environment to change?

The way I see it, if you're in a bad situation at work, you have two options: try to change it, or leave. If you're going to leave anyway, why not at least try to improve your situation first so you give yourself the best chance of success? And that way, the company has the opportunity to remove or remediate a bad manager.

Basically, my reaction to your #1 is that it helps you avoid getting hurt by the worst possible scenario. But personally, I think it's a better strategy to maximize your chance at a good scenario.

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Pro-tip: never expect your work environment to change. The chances of a report overcoming the whims of a shitty manager are very, very small especially in the context of a company that tolerates the shitty manager in the first place.

Generally speaking, the best thing to do is to smile, appear to do reasonably decent work, and begin looking elsewhere.

I second this. You'll almost never convince upper management the smooth-talking buddies they promoted could ever possibly be terrible to their employees.

Well, you could. It sometimes works. The problem is when the manager who manages your shitty manager moves away, and you get a new one. Good managers always get promoted or move away, only the terrible ones stay. The shitty manager will start afresh to get onto you.

They’ll believe it alright, and then laugh about their silly peon’s protest together.

Sadly, this is excellent advice.

Trying to change things might be an acceptable strategy in other industries, but I don't think it works in technology because the accepted method of achieving worker/workplace fit is to change jobs. This goes not only for bad management but also for raises (even if you like your current job).

Easiest way to improve your situation in software engineering is to just get a better job and move laterally or up.

Depends on the country.

Those that happen to enjoy IT unions can get some help there.

However don't expect the work environment to actually improve afterwards, unless the bad pieces are gone by then, as winning is only half the battle.

If you wait long enough by the river, the bodies of your enemies will float by.

Maybe I've gotten lucky, but patience has worked well for me. If only I could have told my younger self...

For that exact reason, cultural changes in the workplace come from the top down, always.

Believing you can change it will virtually never yield any positive results to yourself. Even if you don't get fired, you will be labeled as the one who complains.

If I'm being honest^Wcynical, all you should care about at work is how great people think you are. It helps if you are at least half as good as people think, but it's sadly not a requirement.

>>how do you expect your work environment to change?

By letting them fail. The only way people learn lessons is through failures and disasters.

Let the bad systems fail, that's the best way you can help them.

You need to understand how your boss takes feedback and tailor your comments accordingly. I’ve had some managers I’ve felt free to give candid feedback to and others who just don’t take feedback well so you find another way to force change.

Option 3: Accept it, deal with it best you can, and keep looking. (As the other reply says.)

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