Beating Back the Dead Wood
Dead wood burns faster than seasoned wood, and by taking this premise further and looking at where the expression came from, what it does is help our understanding of how dead wood makes for bad business sense. Burning seasoned wood lasts much longer, giving more sustenance, whilst dead wood burns out fast and gives off little heat. The same applies in the workshop with bosses that fit the dead wood description. In Europe we call them something else entirely although both expressions mean the same, people that don't progress.
Using dead wood to advantage
Working for a boss who has little incentive to change with the times, and stays stuck in a time warp of what are his ideas of how you should work can actually present a good worker with the opportunity to use that dead wood aspect of their personality to improve the work situation, although learning how is a question of understanding why they are trapped in this time warp in the first place. Learning about this kind of boss presents an interesting picture. Most are afraid of moving forward and dismiss technological advancement because they fear it. They are comfortable with old working practices because they built a career on them, though you can use this to your advantage is approached in the right manner.
Many dismiss bosses of this nature, though introducing them to possibilities is a huge step forward, whilst appreciating that they are unable to take in this information quickly. Change will be slow, and only the most patient and understanding of employees can work on the psychological aspects of their employer's reluctance to change, by coming up with plans that are solid.
If you want to change with the times under a boss that doesn't, the way to persuade him is not to scorn his ideas. These are his ideals because they are tried and trusted. The way forward is to create easily understandable plans and forecasts in a manner that a non technical person will understand, since high flyers think that showing them strategies which to them are clear, in a technical manner will persuade them to move forward. They will not succeed, since the very fear of technological change will mean that the boss doesn't understand the proposals put forward and dismiss them as folly.
Every human being in the workplace has value. No one likes to think that their value is diminished by new ideas, and introducing your boss slowly to new ideas in a manner that they can understand is essential if any changes are to be made. Working within the framework of the existing company, which is a familiar one to him and one that he understands and can associate with, introducing new ideas and incentives, and making his role in the changes that need to be made brings him into that loop that he thinks is beyond the scope of his understanding.
Show him logic. Show him in such a manner that what comes over is that you, as an employee love the company just as much as he does. Old values respect positive attitude towards the established company. Show them how existing workforce activities could be changed without total disruption, and by understanding that nothing will happen fast and outside of his abilities, you can introduce him to methods of work practice and advise him, rather than scorning his inability to move with the times.
At some stage in our lives, we all reach that juncture where change frightens us and the biggest difficulty is bridging the gap between the old, tried and tested methods, and the new and more inventive ones that work faster. By co-operating with your boss, letting him feel in control of the environment in which you work, you can educate him, and make the teamwork stronger, involving him in all decision making processes in that although the ideas and ideals may be yours, he can still achieve the stability that he is accustomed to.
Dead wood doesn't have to stay dead wood. Teaching them, and testing your own ability to open up their way of thinking really does pay benefits, and as a result your job is enhanced by the challenge, and theirs made a little easier. Old fashioned ideals are not all dead wood ideals, and the balance is reached when working practice moves into the technological age retaining the moral discipline and care, both working hand in hand to make the company work better together as a team.
