Lack of subordination. What is subordination and what is it regulated by?

Let's talk about what subordination is, why it is needed in business communication, what norms it is regulated by and what happens if it is not observed. The topic will be discussed below in detail. It is worth understanding that the role of communication in business and at work is simply enormous. You can be an excellent professional in your field, but due to your inability to communicate, give up your place to a person who is less capable, but more sociable. One of the most important rules of communication between business people is subordination. The rules of communication concern three levels: between a boss and a subordinate, between a subordinate and a boss, or between employees.

Subordination

First, let's try to answer the question of what subordination is. From Latin this word is literally translated as “submission”. Subordination means a person’s place in the system of relationships. Adhering to subordination means following the rules of communication that are established between people at different levels of the hierarchical ladder.

Find a solution

It’s another matter if, upon joining the employee, he was familiarized with the norms of corporate behavior in your company, where your accepted procedure for interaction – norms, standards, rules – was outlined in black and white, clearly, clearly and understandably. However, he allows himself to break these rules. The reasons for this behavior are worth thinking about.

Perhaps you yourself did not strictly adhere to the “manager-subordinate” framework. Your employee’s behavior in this case is just a logical response step. Return to the role of a leader, eliminating the options “the leader is your boyfriend,” “the leader is a soul-man,” etc. Be a leader in its purest form, so that an employee can be a pure employee, and not “an employee is a joker,” “an employee is also a person,” etc. If the manager himself adheres to the established standards, this will most likely help avoid unpleasant proceedings regarding non-compliance with subordination. It is more difficult to stop violations of subordination if there seem to be no visible reasons for non-compliance. You do not allow yourself to become familiar with an employee, but he goes beyond the boundaries.

On the one hand (if we are talking, for example, about jokes addressed to you), it may be a matter of the subordinate’s desire to win your favor and sympathy in this way. And here, as in the case of an unintentional violation, a direct conversation will help resolve the issue.

On the other hand (if we are talking, for example, about aggression or rudeness of an employee towards you), the behavior of your subordinate may be the result of contradictions that have accumulated between you. Understand the situation. Find out the reasons for the sharp attacks against you. It is not so easy to listen to someone else’s point of view; it is even more difficult to understand and accept it. But without this, the situation can hardly be resolved constructively. After listening to your specialist, tell him that you value and respect him as a professional, but ask him to control himself in the future.

Boss and subordinate

The attitude of a subordinate to his boss depends on many factors, but the main ones are authority and maintaining the work process. In order for employees to comply with subordination, the manager must correctly set out the rules of official discipline, pay attention to the ethics of communication and establish the limits of what is permitted. This is very important, because when there are no established rules, the team feels insecure and shows little initiative. It is not clear to employees how to treat the boss’s words: as a request or an order. To avoid incidents, every employee must know the norms of communication in a given company.

Key tips for managers:

If an employee is not doing their job, remind them that you expect results from them. In another case, he may think that you forgot about the order and not complete it. In addition, such comments remind the employee what can happen if he does not follow the instructions of his boss.
If you criticize an employee, the criticism should concern exclusively work-related issues. It is unacceptable to use humiliation or insults;
You cannot give your subordinates any personal advice, because you will be responsible for the result.
Even in the most critical situations, a leader must demonstrate confidence. Employees should not see uncertainty, fear or panic in their boss's words and actions. This threatens the loss of authority.
It's important to value your best employees. Their reward should correspond to the effort they spent on its implementation.
Don't forget about praise. Praising in front of other employees can make an employee more motivated.

We already know what subordination is, but the main advice in business relations between a boss and a subordinate is that tasks should be given based on the specific situation and character of the employee. You need to understand that some people need constant monitoring, because without it they cannot work.

Question of education

I would like to start with simple human education. There are people for whom there are their own rules. They do not look at who is standing in front of them, a subordinate or a boss. They do not care. They treat everyone with the same disdain and disrespect. And here it’s not even a matter of maintaining subordination. A person is like that in all spheres of life.

It is very difficult to interact with such people. They do not understand and do not accept general norms and principles. They are initially critical of everything. They believe only in their own words and do not value other people’s opinions. For them, the boss is just an idiot who doesn’t know how to manage a company. And the subordinates are fools who don’t want to work, but only want to receive money.

When you try to put such a person in his place, you only make the situation worse. After all, for him there is nothing more beautiful than stirring up a scandal, quarreling, and resorting to personal insults. It is almost impossible to communicate constructively with such people.

This behavior most often comes from childhood. It is rare for a well-mannered and intelligent person to become a brawler at the age of forty. There are families in which it is simply customary to treat everyone too familiarly. And it doesn’t matter that the elder is in front of you. Everyone can “poke”, not listen, argue, be indignant about any reason.

Of course, it is better not to hire such people at all. During the interview, you will immediately notice that this is a representative of this type. He is arrogant, lax, does not hesitate to ask any questions, behaves too freely, and speaks more often loudly.

It will be extremely difficult to instill labor discipline in such people. Therefore, think carefully about whether you need such a staff in your company.

If you encounter a similar person in the office and have absolutely no idea how to act, whether to respond or not, then the article “How to respond to rudeness at work” will be useful to you. Their behavior should not go unnoticed. But you shouldn’t get involved in a conflict either.

Orders, requests and advice

When communicating, it is very important to establish what form of instructions will be - an order, a request, a recommendation. Most often, managers use requests, which expresses their friendly attitude. However, when dealing with unscrupulous employees, an order should be used. It differs from a request in the sternness of its voice and its special emotional delivery. Failure to comply with subordination at work must be noted by management. This fact cannot be ignored. It is necessary to tell the employee about the rules of communication. A reprimand for insubordination must be in a strict form so that the employee learns the lesson.

Relationships with the team

The manager must understand that non-compliance with subordination may be caused by his behavior. Familiar relations are unacceptable.

The boss must communicate with employees through recommendations. Advice should be given to help the employee find a solution to the problem. Relations with the team should be built on mutually beneficial principles. Financial stimulation, as well as moral, plays an important role in this matter.

How relationships are built

Maintaining order like the army is easier than gaining authority among subordinates. But there are several rules that make a leader successful:

If the boss appreciates the work of employees, he does not skimp on praise and adequate monetary reward.
The ability to take full responsibility for running a business at a critical moment.
The desire to fairly distribute work among subordinates.
Instructions are given without raising one's voice, but also without entering into familiar relations.
The key principle is money only for work completed.
Orders are allowed only in exceptional cases or if the employee does not fulfill his obligations.

Subordinate and boss

An employee who does not adhere to the norms of business communication may be dismissed for insubordination. A person who plans to stay at work and move up the career ladder is simply obliged to adhere to the chain of command, because his future largely depends on his boss. At the same time, you shouldn’t rush to extremes and show coldness in relationships, but you also shouldn’t curry favor with your superiors.

In order to build a good relationship with your manager, you should remember some rules:

the manager will like it if the employee unites the team;
your ideas about work must be expressed in a tactful and polite manner, since impudent remarks towards the leader can lead to trouble;
You should not speak with your boss in a categorical tone or answer in monosyllables; most often, employees who are laid off are those who talk little and are constantly dissatisfied with everything;
there is no need to try to get a promotion by jumping over the head of your immediate superior.

The last piece of advice is that even in the best of relationships, you shouldn’t show disrespect: enter your boss’s office without knocking, interrupt him when he’s talking to someone.

Head of the company

Being the head of even a small company is difficult, let alone a large holding company. The boss simultaneously builds relationships with subordinates, with department heads, with business partners, with clients, with investors, with banks, with the tax office, and so on.

This is extremely difficult to do, but it is important. Many managers put business etiquette on the backburner while promoting the company, thinking about increasing profits and increasing sales. This is fundamentally the wrong decision.

The director is the first person of the company. It is he who determines how communication will proceed in the company. This is the first thing you should think about when hiring new employees. After all, every subordinate must understand how he should communicate with the manager, how colleagues can interact with each other. When this understanding is not there, difficulties arise, the employee becomes embarrassed, does not show initiative, and may make a mistake in contacting the director.

In my practice, I have encountered examples of completely different leaders. The boss is a friend. Quite a common form of communication. When the director wants to create a friendly and relaxed atmosphere. This may be suitable for a very small company that is involved in creative activities. But for a large woodworking plant such a boss would be a disaster.

Being a tyrant is also far from easy. The principle “they are afraid means they respect” does not always work. Sometimes subordinates are afraid, but all they do behind their back is insult and mock him.

The director needs to be attentive to his employees.
Praise when required and punish when the situation is so.
The boss should not be afraid or show his fear and uncertainty.
The director should not solve all the personal problems of his employees. But at the same time, sometimes it is very useful to take the side of your employees.

Finding the perfect balance of communication with employees is difficult, but not impossible. It takes practice. If you hold the position of a manager, then the article “How to lead a team if you are a boss” will be extremely useful to you.

Business communication between managers

Business relationships can be built horizontally, that is, between two bosses. Failure to comply with subordination in this case can also lead to a number of negative consequences. To avoid them, you should remember the following rules:

You should speak clearly and to the point with your partner, without wasting time showing interest. Many business people are annoyed by empty dialogue because they value their time.
In order to attract the attention of a colleague, offer him facts and figures.
If your interlocutor is aggressive, demonstrate calmness to calm him down. Never react angrily.
Offer pre-thought-out solutions to show your initiative and competence in business.

Telephone communication

Telephone communication is an integral part of business communication. Some successful people ruin their business because they do not know how to communicate properly on the phone with a business partner.

To begin with, it is worth noting that when communicating with a business person, you should not answer the phone. This is only permissible in very rare and important cases. When calling someone on business, you should first clarify whether it is convenient for the person to talk at the moment. Do not use swear words under any circumstances, as this may alienate your business partner.

Features of service relationships

There is no clear list of distinctive features of a working relationship, but we will try to highlight a few:

hierarchy - each organization has an established vertical of power, documented in the job description, collective agreement, labor agreement. Here you will find out what rules are used to draw up the job description of the general director of an LLC;
ethics – the legislation does not establish a clear line of behavior for employees and management. Norms of behavior and business communication are formed under the influence of ethical and moral principles and education;
sanctions - non-compliance or non-compliance with generally accepted standards of behavior entails financial penalties, verbal reprimands, demotions, and dismissal. How to correctly draw up a disciplinary sanction order - read the publication at the link;
improvisation – in our country there are no high-quality educational institutions that would teach corporate etiquette and the rules of business communication.

Regulation of official etiquette

If company management neglects to develop rules, this is fraught with chaos and confusion in the work process. Each employee should know who will help him, whose requirements he must fulfill, how much work his subordinate is ready to handle.

Large organizational structures build structural diagrams where the hierarchy between divisions and departments is clearly visible.

As mentioned above, the rules and norms of behavior are determined by: orders, the charter of the enterprise, labor and collective agreements, job descriptions. The rules for drawing up and executing a job description for a chief accountant are discussed here.

There is no legislative regulation of relationships, but Article 192 of the Labor Code of the Russian Federation lists the main types of disciplinary sanctions.

Labor Code of the Russian Federation Article 192. Disciplinary sanctions

For committing a disciplinary offense, that is, failure or improper performance by an employee through his fault of the labor duties assigned to him, the employer has the right to apply the following disciplinary sanctions: 1) reprimand; 2) reprimand; 3) dismissal for appropriate reasons. Federal laws, charters and regulations on discipline (part five of Article 189 of this Code) may also provide for other disciplinary sanctions for certain categories of employees. Disciplinary sanctions, in particular, include the dismissal of an employee on the grounds provided for in paragraphs 5, 6, 9 or 10 of part one of Article 81, paragraph 1 of Article 336 or Article 348.11 of this Code, as well as paragraph 7, 7.1 or 8 of part one of Article 81 of this Code Code in cases where guilty actions giving grounds for loss of confidence, or, accordingly, an immoral offense were committed by an employee at the place of work and in connection with the performance of his job duties. The application of disciplinary sanctions not provided for by federal laws, charters and regulations on discipline is not permitted. When imposing a disciplinary sanction, the severity of the offense committed and the circumstances under which it was committed must be taken into account.

Inner order rules

Recommendations to help you save your job:

Do not make sarcastic and rude remarks directed towards a superior. If you have a constructive suggestion, express it politely.
Closedness and reticence are the main vices when communicating with superiors. Try to show more interest in the conversation, do not answer in monosyllables.
Address your superiors carefully, as your immediate supervisor will take this as a sign of disrespect on your part.
If the team is given a task, but responsibilities are not assigned, do it yourself. Such a solution will increase efficiency and eliminate discrimination in labor activities.
Don't make empty promises that you can't keep. Soberly assess your chances of success.
Don't use your colleagues as a tool for self-realization.
Try to take the initiative when solving non-standard problems, do not hesitate to express your opinion. Be a support for your superiors and other employees of the company.

Colleagues

It is just as important for an employee to find a common language with his colleagues as with his boss. Communication needs to be done correctly from the very beginning so that common problems do not arise. Some, using a good attitude towards themselves, shift professional responsibilities to others. Others show their comrades in a negative light in front of the boss. To avoid this, you should follow some rules:

when the boss gives a task, the work should be equally divided among all team members so that there are no slackers;
it is necessary to avoid conflicts of interest and pulling over clients: a couple of clients will not help you get a promotion, but will spoil the atmosphere in the team, which is why you will have to work in a tense environment;
if you can't help, don't promise it;
You shouldn’t start intimate conversations at work, as this can lead to a deterioration in your relationship with your boss and colleague in the future.

The last piece of advice concerns the fact that you should not realize yourself at the expense of your colleagues.

A brief excursion into the world of formal relations in the workplace

You and colleagues

Everyone needs to be greeted - from the janitor or security guard to the president of the company - regardless of rank and official position.
You shouldn’t realize yourself at the expense of your colleagues. The boss may not appreciate this, and relationships with colleagues will be ruined forever. Therefore, taking clients away and blaming all the troubles on your roommate is the last thing.
If you are performing a common task, then try to divide it among yourself in equal parts, unless, of course, the manager has done this. This will help avoid the appearance of “drones” who will not be useful in the work, but will receive a bonus.
Don't provoke your colleagues with personal questions in the middle of working hours. Not everyone comes to the workplace to sharpen their lasses. If you see that a colleague is immersed in the work process, do not distract him, even if you are on friendly terms. All personal questions - only after the factory call about the end of work. If you see that a person is not particularly busy and is happy to make contact, then why not talk?
It is impossible to answer unequivocally how to address employees: “you” or “you”. If this is a small company with close relationships, when communication is not limited to working hours and boundaries, then it’s possible on a first-name basis. But if there is a division of responsibility, a division of functionality, then it is better to respect the chain of command. And remember, you have to respect the person who does the more difficult work. In companies with many levels of hierarchy, the ability to maintain a “you” position is necessary. At least in front of colleagues and superiors. Even if you are close friends who work in different departments, or he is your boss, then in public - only on “you”. The rest of the time - as you please.
The most important thing is not to make trouble and maintain an atmosphere of friendliness. And then everyone, from heaven to management, will thank you.

You and the boss

Leadership is a sacred matter, but not so sacred that at the sight of it you fall into sacred awe and remain silent, like Gerasim from Turgenev’s story. Don’t be shy about expressing your position and work proposals, but do it tactfully and politely, because the manager will not tolerate impudent comments in his direction. Use phrases like “What do you think if...” and other cautious expressions at the “please-let me” level to carefully hint to your superiors that there are bright ideas in your head.
You need to talk to your boss as if you were at a social event. You cannot speak in a categorical tone. The manager may think that you have a negative attitude towards him, and such people do not stay in the team. The first to be laid off are the taciturn and eternally dissatisfied subordinates.
It is necessary to avoid jumping “over the head” of the immediate manager, with the exception of urgent and emergency cases when there is simply no time left for a meeting. Such behavior will be regarded by the immediate superior as disrespect and doubt in his professionalism. You undermine his authority in front of the entire team, you despise him, disgrace him... Then try to explain that you are not out of malice.
Next is the topic of closed doors, eternal and relevant. For example, you cannot enter the boss’s office without knocking, and you also cannot visit it if the boss is communicating with someone. This conversation can be important, but here you are with your most important matters. Although if you work at a nuclear power plant and an explosion occurs, then to hell with it, you can kick the door and scream about what happened to the entire affected area.
Of course, we cannot help but touch on the topic of familiarity. If it’s customary in your office to address each other as “you,” then for God’s sake. But in this case, there is no need to stand out and call your superiors “you” (don’t be a black sheep, they don’t like people like that), and in other cases, publicly “poking”, even if you are friends, is strictly prohibited. This undermines the image of the boss.

You and your subordinates

When you communicate with a subordinate, there are only two forms of communication - an order and a request. An order is given in an emergency situation, while in a standard situation go to a request. It is expressed in the friendliness and trust of the leader. In the case of a request, the employee can offer you his options for solving the problem, express his opinion on the current situation, and you have no right to interrupt him. But in the case of an order - no demagoguery.
Familiarity from the boss is also not always welcome. Walking up to your subordinates, clapping them on the shoulder and saying: “What a piece of crap you did, Valerka,” is not very good. In any case, psychologists do not advise. In a personal conversation, you can allow something like this to cheer up a tired employee who has worked for a year without rest, but not in public.
But praising employees is highly recommended. If he has done a good job, he should receive not only financial but also moral reward. The employee must understand that his work was appreciated by you.
There is no need to stand in the shoes of your subordinates, delve into their problems and get away with violations, otherwise the staff will simply sit on their heads. Praise is one thing, but you can't do it without an iron hand. Remember, the carrot and stick method has been proven for centuries. But do not stoop to humiliation based on personal qualities. Aren't you disgusted? By the way, you shouldn’t get into their souls, it’s at least indecent, you shouldn’t tease them or joke about them.
If the employee does not comply with your order, you need to remind him that you have a large collection of torture instruments. These are extreme measures, just remind him that you are waiting for the result, otherwise he will decide that the task need not be completed. And the comments make it clear to the employee the seriousness of the order given to him and eloquently remind him of the possible consequences.
Remember the names of your employees and study their performance. You just need to know what kind of people are working for you, what tasks can be entrusted to them and what not. Sometimes recommendations need to be let go. Don’t forget to publicly report to you for everything they do!

Insubordination

Is it possible to punish an employee legally? For failure to comply with subordination at work, the Labor Code of the Russian Federation provides for three types of consequences: reprimand, reprimand and dismissal as a last resort. A remark is used for a one-time violation of the rules. A reprimand for insubordination, a sample of which is in the article, can be oral or entered into a personal file. It all depends on the degree of violation. Typically, the reason for a reprimand is isolated or persistent disciplinary violations. Dismissal for failure to comply with subordination is used in the event of a violation that falls under an article of the administrative or Criminal Code (assault).

In this case, what kind of communication we are talking about plays an important role. An employee, for example, only risks losing his job, while a manager may lose his reputation and respect in business circles. All successful companies build internal relationships on the principles of subordination.

Tips from netizens

Denis Perepelkin

subordination, crap - no way, this doesn’t work anywhere in most cases. Rules and life are diametrically opposed things. If the team knows where it is going, the chain of command will flow on its own, there will be no need to explain anything to anyone, because everyone will know their role and respect others. And if it’s fear and the letter of the law, then you can dig yourself into a post. The old army saying: “If you don’t want it the bad way, the good way it will be worse” is true in such cases.

Natulix

Define the “work scope” exclusively in writing. After completion, for each written task there is a memo from the manager about the quality of execution and the violations committed, which led, for example, to some consequences. Remark order against signature. Then the second one. Look, it will “fit into the frame.”

Alexandra Postovan

I believe that the biggest mistake of a manager at all times is familiarity; even in small companies such relationships should not be allowed. Subordinates, for their part, must always be clearly aware of the burden of responsibility that lies on the leader (accordingly, that’s why the boss is always “senior”, even if this is not the case by age).

By the way, in medicine this issue has been resolved since ancient times. Most of the responsibility always lies with the doctor, so nurses strictly observe the chain of command. And the better they realize this, the more and better they help. Such nurses are highly valued by doctors themselves. There can be no familiarity.

Sov

If he doesn’t follow orders, bring him to the disciplinary center. Look at the job description, check the instructions and here you go. A remark, a reprimand, a severe reprimand - goodbye.

Karlygash

Write a memo, add witness signatures. Collect these papers. monitor how the person copes with his responsibilities. if there are such facts, then draw up a report, then if the violation occurs again, you can be fired under the article.

Andrey Osintsev

If he is a subordinate, put him in his place, you have endless administrative resources for this. If he is a colleague, respond in kind or set up a work team after him. Complain about him to the manager, let him educate him.

single***

If you have a higher status, then threaten with dismissal. If you don’t understand, then excuse me and let this be a lesson for him and for the rest.

Snow White Queen

The grave corrects such people! You can write a report for rudeness to your superiors, but it’s useless to deal with people like that anymore—if you start being rude in response, they’ll crap even more, and you won’t hear them answer politely at all.

Natali

Well, I think, for starters, it’s correct to ask for subordination at work. Well, if he doesn’t understand, make it clear that you categorically don’t like it. but under no circumstances should you enter into an altercation with him, and the final option is to inform management about the ethics of communication….

Maggie

Complaining to your superiors is the last thing to do and means an inability to resolve conflicts peacefully. You need to be able to talk to people, as my senior work colleague said.