Does anybody else not really understand their own job?

[Imowningup]

I’ve been in a particular sector for 14 years. I know I’m good at delivering outcomes at operational level.

2 years ago I was promoted to strategic level and now I spend a lot of time talking in corporate jargon. It’s made me realise that I’ve just learnt what to say- I don’t really have in depth knowledge of it in the way I had real in depth knowledge when I was delivering at operational level.

I feel a bit of a fraud but I honestly think a lot of jargon is meaningless and will only be around until another buzz word replaces it. I feel like now I work less, get paid more and just parrot out jargon because it’s expected.

I should say that my line managers/anybody I’ve worked with at this level are all very happy and complimentary of my work- I just feel a bit of an imposter.

Does anybody else feel
like this or has experienced it?

I don't know how you sleep at night (other that the massive salary obviously) morally or ethically. Producing such corporate jargon shit is just so stupid.

My job (now) is very practical and I can see what I’m doing and the results of it at the end of a day.

Maybe you do understand your job very well, but it just feels a bit of a waste as you are not actually ‘producing’ anything now. I could be totally wrong with that (and not saying your job isn’t great, it sounds well paid and that you are doing a great job at it but maybe it just doesn’t suit your needs.)

Also I come from a farming type background so that’s the way my mind works anyway!! Sorry if I in any way caused you offence.

Do you work in something nebulous like marketing?

I had a job like that in the past. I left in the end because I felt like 1. it was just jargon and 2. I wasn't sure if people would notice if the job wasn't done!

And I was one of the only people in the department who passed a much-coveted course in it. I was just good at regurgitating the jargon and knowing what answer they wanted.

I had terrible imposter syndrome with my first official grown-up job.

As for my current one, it is our manager who thinks that we somehow don't understand our own jobs. Due to his superiority complex, he assumes that we are all incompetent (except for his favourite), despite that we have (mostly) been there for years... and get left (unsupervised!) to teach other people how to do our job. After the manager was forced to lower himself to our level due to staff shortages and excessive work over summer, we have all concluded that we would not hire him to do our job because he is terrible at it 😁

Anyway, OP, cut down on the jargon! Your audiences are probably playing jargon bingo, counting down the minutes until the end of your meeting, trying to look like they're paying attention while daydreaming, and inwardly cursing anyone who thinks to ask questions to prolong the experience! (Can you tell what we do in staff meetings...?)

Yeah, you get found out pretty quickly in my role if you don’t know the job.

I feel like this! I used to be very clear about my job and understood the value it added (basically I drafted contracts which were essential to allow the business to operate). Then I was promoted again and that was ok I did the more complicated contracts, managed corporate projects and managed other lawyers.

Then I got promoted again and my job is strategy and general risk management. Not really sure now! I'm on the board and I get good feedback from my CEO and chair and NEDs but it feels like a scam sometimes.

No

Yep. I work for a Legal 500 and there's so much talk of being a Powerhouse, everything is an acronym I don't understand and every day I feel I'm winging it

You are completely wrong! I taught for 17 years, my development work was seen by a national advisor (right time & place...pure luck) who saw value in what I was doing. I was promoted to lead it across a selection of schools, then two years later I'm now working at national level.

Oh I can relate to this completely!

I've been in my job for 21 years, corporate environment working mainly with external customers. I'm considered to be very knowledgeable in my area both internally and externally - but honestly, I haven't got a bloody clue what I'm doing, and just say the right things and get the right people to do 'stuff'. I merrily run huge meetings, all the while hoping nobody asks too many questions...

Not a bad job, keeps the bills paid...

I think this is fairly accurate- the measures of success have changed. I previously saw a difference every day in the classroom where as now I spend a lot of times in meetings, handling data, giving presentations etc.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=8-Pi8yv7-18

Is this you OP? 😆

Yes- this is it!

I've had a lot of validation from this thread and don't feel as odd now. I'm so glad others have had this feeling.

I agree. Just the word “deliverables” makes me cringe. That’s probably why I’ve never been promoted and I’m poor. Just can’t do the bullshit.

I think a lot of senior management roles are like this, hence there are lots of consultant type people in them - good at talking/networking.

Honestly it’s why I’m careful about where I donate to as whilst I can’t see much harm in it in private sectors where I can take or leave the produce, in the charity and public sector, it makes me feel uncomfortable how many senior “strategic” managers there are who add very little value.

That’s not a dig at you, if you’re offered more money for less effort, of course you’ll take it. But what you’ve identified is real and very common in lots of organisations.

A lot of “strategy” is nonsense. You don’t know what you are talking about because no one does.

What is strategy anyway? A plan that you can explain and put a narrative to and try to align people around.

Operations are real. If you understand those, you’ll be fine and you can add value.

Eh, Je pensais que je l'avais fait.
Mais one can't always judge une livre par sa cover!!!

I think I have come across several people in my working life like that. As for corporate jargon, I remember one of the previous BBC Director Generals wanting to reduce it, no idea if he got anywhere.

Strategy can be nonsense if written and/ or delivered badly, but an organisation wouldn't get very far without it! I think a lot of people don't understand the importance of management, leadership, governance, etc. so they think it must be pointless. It is actually essential to the running of every organisation. It can be hard to measure, but when it is done badly, you notice.

OP, if you're in a national level role it must be hard to see the impact of what you are doing, but people clearly value it enough to keep you there!

Corporate jargon can be very annoying, and can be an elitist way of keeping people out of the "club", but often is just shorthand for concepts that are prevalent in any particular context, so it can be useful. I try to avoid it, but it does creep in the more I'm around other people that use it. The first time I said "going forward" without irony, I was tempted to hand in my notice there and then!

I get the impression that the managers at the strategic level in my org just throw around buzz words and jargon too. We had a meeting with our director a couple of weeks ago, not one question got a straight answer, just a talk around the question and subtle diversion to another topic.
Our SLT chuck out a few staff surveys, set up some focus groups and implement the policies the staff on the ground tell them to (as long as it's cost saving). Maybe they all feel like you but don't dare admit it.

I fully understand this, having just been at a work event all day, where it was mainly just spouting the newest jargon at eachother. I struggle every day with the greyness and intangible nature of it all. Since coming back from 2 years of mat leave I just can't buy into it any more. It's like linkedin. The same people just blowing smoke up eachothers arses.

I would love to go back to operational work, and find a lot of people I know at the same or higher levels consider being at the coal face the most fun and engaged they've been. But it would be a significant cut in salary. I don't think it's weighted equally though not my industry but - for e.g. nurses. The pressure, both emotional and physical a staff nurse is under on a daily basis compared to what I do? They deserve a hell of a lot more.

I took a role as national policy lead in an important area the year before I retired. I thought it might help me with consultancy roles. I came from an operational background and didn't know who little I realised about the policy side until it was too late. survived because I was good at strategy and management but it was bloody stressful. I didn't sleep for a year. I decided not to be a consultant. I live in the countryside and don't miss corporate life even a tiny bit

I find it very offensive to hear people talk of what they think 'strategy' is. I know what strategy is. I've just studied it. But I've known for years what good strategic planning is.

what people are describing here, is not true strategic planning. It's just gobbledygook , catch phrases, bullshit. If you choose to work for a shit company at least own that choice.

But don't tell me the bullshit you do is proper strategic planning. Because it's not. Proper leadership will do good strategic planning naturally.

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