Surviving A project you Hate

Surviving a project you hate

By Michael Crom,
Executive Vice President, Dale Carnegie Training

Q. I'm a financial analyst for a large insurance company and have just been given a project I hate. I don't feel it has any value to the company. And frank, my skills could be much better used. I'm angry that I was given this "lam duck" assignment and can't even motivate myself to move on the first task involved. I've talked to my supervisor, but she just tells me it has to get done. After 10 years in this job, I don't deserve this. I don't want to quit my job, but I'm totally useless here and I can't bear working on a project I hate for six months.

A. everyone is given an assignment they hate from time to time. Frankly, It's one of the reasons we give people money for performing a job. If you loved it, you'd likely do it for far less reward. Of course, that fact doesn't help too much when you've experienced the assignments you love and now have to take on something that isn't as much fun.
The key is to get through this time, to show that you're a team player who is willing to do what's necessary. When your supervisor sees how well you perform a job that she knows you don't like. She'll likely reward you with a more exciting assignment in the future. Keep that goal in mind as you work your way through this difficult time by using the following tactic:

1- Expect ingratitude. A good friend of mine recently quit a job after 20 years with her company the good-bye parties literally mad her cry. Not because she'd be missing her co-workers, but because, for 20 years, she never realized how much they respected her and valued her work. "If only they'd give me some hint, I would have stayed," she laments.

Unfortunately, ingratitude is common in the workplace. Many supervisors feel that since you're being paid, that’s enough appreciation. We know that isn't true, that often a word of thanks is valued more that any monetary bonus, but we also can't change the system overnight. Realize that just because you were given this project, it does not mean you're being punished or that your past work wasn't valued. Unless your supervisor tells you otherwise, the two are unrelated.

2- Don't criticize, condemn or complain. You ma feel tempted to tell the world that you're being underutilized and feel your supervisor has made a mistake giving you this project. You might even want to criticize the project itself, complaining that it's a waste of time plaining that it's a waste of time and money. This will only serve to sustain your lack of motivation while giving you a bad reputation in the workplace. When you're done with the assignment, your supervisor might be reluctant to put a complainer onto a high – profile project.

3- Put enthusiasm into your work. So you hate the assignment. You've made that clear to yourself and your supervisor, now drop the subject and get to work. You say you're overqualified for the assignment; does that mean you might bring a unique perspective that could save the company money or help you reach the deadline sooner? Does it mean you can do the job in fewer hours, thus leaving time free to serve on industry committees or take on other small projects? Are there new strategies you've always wanted to try on a project that would be best tested on something simpler?

By showing this level of enthusiasm, you may find a new component to this project. It very well could be a proving ground for you showing your supervisor that you have the skills and creativity to tackle more complex projects.

(c) Dale Carnegie & Associates, Inc. 2001.  All Rights Reserved.