Protecting your turf - In the Trenches

Physician Executive, May-June, 2000 by Marilyn Moats Kennedy

Few people realize that territory is a major issue in health care organizations. However, every office scrimmage or argument over who's responsible for a particular task involves potential realignments of territory. Written job descriptions give a false sense of security because people believe they're being paid to do the specific tasks listed in these documents. But a job description offers little territorial protection, no matter how carefully Human Resources has tried to lock in the specifics. Another department's territory cannot be invaded-officially-but peers, subordinates, even bosses cross the line informally all the time.

What is your turf or territory?

Your turf is a combination of physical and psychological boundaries and areas of influence that affect your status, your power, and ultimately your survival within the organization. Broadly defined, turf means "area of responsibility." For example, the HR director's turf includes all hiring. When a manager tries to slip someone into the organization without going through HR, there will be a scrimmage and HR will try to beat back the challenge. After all, if a manager can circumvent HR, why have this department at all?

How turf is lost or eroded

* Action by management. Company tradition may determine territorial boundaries but management can change the limits. For example, Patient Services has always overseen food service. A new manager with restaurant experience is hired in operations. It will take compelling arguments to keep food service in Patient Services, especially when it's logical to give it to the new operations manager. "But we've always run food service" will carry no weight with top management.

It's important to note that logic can push an idea over the top, but lack of logic won't always kill it. A job may logically fit into operations but if a very powerful vice president in finance wants that area to report to him or her, that will be the reporting relationship. Clout, not logic, is the determining factor.

* Owner indifference or inadequacy. If the physician manager responsible for a department doesn't perform some of the assigned tasks, someone else will. People will eventually transfer their attention and need to the person who assumes the task. A person who volunteers to help someone in need may be team minded, aggressive, or both. Helping increases both power and turf if the person being helped comes to rely on that assistance. Almost anyone can enlarge a job in this way. Look at young techies who, because of their superior computer skills, make their bosses dependent.

* Aggressive action. When a physician with a learning agenda needs a set of skills that can't be obtained in the present job, he or she may detach tasks from someone else to create that learning experience. For instance, John wants to develop his management skills but that's not his job. He keeps submitting design ideas to his boss or his boss's boss until he usurps his boss, who doesn't understand what the fuss is about. His boss may think John is being helpful or is just eager to learn. If he or she doesn't care, no problem; if his boss does, a vigorous defense is needed quickly to fend off John.

Why you should protect your turf

If someone wants a task and the person who now performs it doesn't, why shouldn't reassignment take place? Turf has symbolic as well as practical importance. There is an unwritten rule of organizational life that says, 'Protect your job or lose it." If you're not constantly on guard against encroachments on your territory, you may discover that you have no territory. When people lose part of their jobs through inattention, theft, or inadequacy, an alert management may conclude the job isn't important, lay the individual off, and redistribute the remaining tasks. Cost-cutting is the first ten items on top management's agenda.

Even if the victim doesn't lose the job and continues to perform outstandingly, his or her reputation, influence, and effectiveness will be questioned. People will remember that he or she rolled over when challenged. Allowing turf to be rearranged by others positions one as a reactor, not a leader. You may not get a crack at the next big job because you're too soft. Top management rarely wants softies in the executive suite where the power skirmishes are very spirited.

How to protect your turf

Respond immediately Waiting for official notice from the formal system, such as a memo or announcement, is classic passivity. A protective effort requires a preemptive strike and must involve the boss. Why should the boss help? He or she values control. If a subordinate thinks he or she can rearrange your job, the boss may fear a loss of control, never a boss-like thing to do.

* Keep your political skills sharp. The grapevine will usually alert you to impending attacks and can be very useful as a defense strategy. You can use it to state your case. All those alliances you've built and good will you've promoted will allow you to call in markers and rally the troops. You can show why an attack on you or your turf is also dangerous to them. If a coworker is allowed to aggress against you, who's to say he or she won't go after someone else? Empathy may not extend to defending you vigorously, but it does extend to fighting for their territories. If you are completely surprised by an attack against your territory or if you suddenly realize that nobody owes you any favors, you have been too remote from office politics. You are a cipher to your coworkers. Why should they help you or even empathize with you?