confronting the perils of corporate life
On some level, I've always known I would be the kind of boss who will have a hard time separating my personal thoughts and feelings about my people, from my professional opinion and point-of-view about them.
Which is why I'm quite proud of myself that for the last few years, although I've been accused time and again of being "too nice", I'm glad that nonetheless, I've managed to make the difficult decisions and become first and foremost, a mentor and guide; before becoming a friend to my team.
For the most part.
The past few weeks though, I find myself caught in an internal struggle between doing the right thing in context of what will not get me in trouble at work; and doing the right thing anyway according to what my conscience dictates -- sometimes at my own risk.
Most of the time, I choose to listen to my conscience and my principles -- even if it means getting me in dire straits much later.
Which is why lately, I've come to the realization that as you go higher up the corporate ladder, the notions I used to have about the ills and perils of getting atop that ladder are not unfounded... but to some degree, are actually true.
To survive in the corporate jungle, you need nerves of steel. You need to let go of any emotion and train yourself to let your logical self take precedence. You need to learn to turn a blind eye on things you know are wrong -- at least wrong in the sense of how convention defines justice. You need to make allowances and excuses for the mistakes, failures and often -- the shortages of moral fibre -- that you encounter almost on a daily basis.
In short, there always has to be a compromise somewhere along the way.
---
The past few weeks I've been faced with more and more instances of plain outright injustice. Some really really minor and mundane. Some with larger repercussions. And some that just make me wonder if I'm just too naive and expect far too much from people.
But I've learned to live with it.
But then earlier this evening, I heard about something really disturbing. And something not too far off from what I myself went through two Novembers ago.
Makes me wonder if it's a prerequisite to become a bigtime Corporate hotshot to lose your heart altogether. I can understand and empathize with really difficult and painful decisions.
But I can never understand how sometimes things are handled so cruelly and heartlessly. How hard is it to deal with painful and difficult decisions in a decent way? How hard is it to look people in the eye and be completely honest with them?
--
Seems I was wrong. I thought I was already immune to the harsh realities that is the corporate world.
Maybe it's good that I get bothered by things like this still.
I don't want to compromise on my principles and values for the sake of protecting my own interests. I would never be able to live with myself that
Which is why I'm quite proud of myself that for the last few years, although I've been accused time and again of being "too nice", I'm glad that nonetheless, I've managed to make the difficult decisions and become first and foremost, a mentor and guide; before becoming a friend to my team.
For the most part.
The past few weeks though, I find myself caught in an internal struggle between doing the right thing in context of what will not get me in trouble at work; and doing the right thing anyway according to what my conscience dictates -- sometimes at my own risk.
Most of the time, I choose to listen to my conscience and my principles -- even if it means getting me in dire straits much later.
Which is why lately, I've come to the realization that as you go higher up the corporate ladder, the notions I used to have about the ills and perils of getting atop that ladder are not unfounded... but to some degree, are actually true.
To survive in the corporate jungle, you need nerves of steel. You need to let go of any emotion and train yourself to let your logical self take precedence. You need to learn to turn a blind eye on things you know are wrong -- at least wrong in the sense of how convention defines justice. You need to make allowances and excuses for the mistakes, failures and often -- the shortages of moral fibre -- that you encounter almost on a daily basis.
In short, there always has to be a compromise somewhere along the way.
---
The past few weeks I've been faced with more and more instances of plain outright injustice. Some really really minor and mundane. Some with larger repercussions. And some that just make me wonder if I'm just too naive and expect far too much from people.
But I've learned to live with it.
But then earlier this evening, I heard about something really disturbing. And something not too far off from what I myself went through two Novembers ago.
Makes me wonder if it's a prerequisite to become a bigtime Corporate hotshot to lose your heart altogether. I can understand and empathize with really difficult and painful decisions.
But I can never understand how sometimes things are handled so cruelly and heartlessly. How hard is it to deal with painful and difficult decisions in a decent way? How hard is it to look people in the eye and be completely honest with them?
--
Seems I was wrong. I thought I was already immune to the harsh realities that is the corporate world.
Maybe it's good that I get bothered by things like this still.
I don't want to compromise on my principles and values for the sake of protecting my own interests. I would never be able to live with myself that