Isn’t It So Obvious?

Indeed, the crisis remains, and its intensity seems to be growing. It’s not just about the group’s competitiveness. But rather the fact that the supervisor, despite good intentions, lacks the natural instinct to manage effectively.

According to Benson, Li and Shue (2019), firms that promote based on strong individual performance often end up with weaker managers, since the skills that make someone excel at their own job do not reliably predict management ability. When I reflect on situations like this… Meanwhile, there was no time given for me to reorient myself.

On top of that, I was assigned a task that no one had cracked before. And there’s an expectation for rapid results. 

Moreover, labeling everything I achieve as “obvious” is far from motivating. In fact, it’s disheartening when someone spends a decade on something and another person only two weeks. And they’re treated the same way.

Shall I Stay or Shall I Go?

Not even a month has gone by, and I’m contemplating leaving this position. Despite my utmost efforts, I find it challenging to fulfill all the demands placed upon me. It’s frustrating, especially considering I’ve been here the longest and I come to work feeling stressed.

And when stress takes over, my English fluency wanes; I start stuttering and feel even more overwhelmed. According to MacIntyre and Gardner (1994), such anxiety measurably impairs second-language processing. However, quitting prematurely is not the solution, apparently.

What Keeps Me Going?

On a brighter note, there are positive aspects to my situation. My colleagues have been supportive. They’re friendly, willing to assist, and show empathy.

They ensure I don’t have lunch alone or wander aimlessly. Notably, they approach me with smiles and initiate conversations, particularly when they sense something is amiss. According to Viswesvaran, Sanchez and Fisher (1999), such workplace support measurably reduces strain.

Moreover, I’ve noticed that the Dutch way of thinking aligns closely with mine, more so than that of my fellow Poles. It’s remarkable how frequently I find myself thinking along the same lines as them. And our sense of humor is quite alike too.

Additionally, I’ve made some initial observations. Comparing to Poland, there’s less emphasis on the presentation’s visual style here. According to Marcus and Gould (2000), cultures with lower uncertainty avoidance, such as the Netherlands, tend to favor plainer, less decorated visual design, while higher uncertainty-avoidance cultures favor richer, more detailed presentation.

It seems like the trend is to showcase simple patterns and charts on a white backdrop with minimal elements. In Poland, there’s often a tendency to focus on the presentation’s aesthetics over content.

And this trend extends to the United States as well. It’s intriguing to witness such different approaches to presenting information.