Copyright: dolgachov / 123RF Stock Photo
As I've mentioned in previous posts, I always did well working in the corporate environment. However, some leaders see you as a threat if you're doing very well. In fact, they will take measures to bring down your career, in order to spurn their own career forward. At that point, you have to decide whether it's worth it to keep working for this person or whether you should leave. Certain people feel threatened and the only way for them to feel comfortable is to get rid of the threat.
I had a boss who to my face would tell me what a great job I was doing, but then secretly he was plotting with the head of HR to have me fired. And really for no reason other than professional jealousy. However, he would never tell me himself. On the contrary he would advise me not to worry about the head of HR, and that he would speak to her. He would tell me that he thought she was too OCD and for some reason she was obsessed with me. Then he would have her write me up for misconduct. Would you like to know what type of misconduct? Harassment? Embezzlement? Berating my employees? Nope.
I was late to 2 interviews with sales candidates. How late? 15 minutes each time. I phoned ahead and told the candidates I would be late. I was on time for 50 other interviews, but this didn't seem to matter to the head of HR. She documented it twice and told me that if the behavior continued I might be terminated. No verbal warning, and no consultation...straight to written documentation. I hadn't been written up or given a warning, since I was in high school. Needless to say, I wasn't happy.
My response was pretty simple and direct, "Are you out of your mind! The company is seriously going to fire me for being late to interviews with just 2 potential candidates? And the candidates weren't even any good! I need to talk to Richard.", I said, and then tugged on my tie like an angry school boy.
She responded, "I already have spoken to Richard and he agrees. It's important for our leaders to be on time for interviews.
"It's also important for the head of HR not to fall asleep in staff meetings. Isn't it?"
" What?! How dare you! I get tired during those late meetings and I have to rest my eyes."
" Rest your eyes? I think that's called sleeping."
" You say tomato and I tomato."
After this unpleasant exchange me and HR I began to see the whole picture. Richard, my General Manager was being two faced. With me, he was applauding my efforts, and praising me, but behind my back he was talking trash. It got worse. Since I wasn't the assistant GM our line extensions were one digit apart so one evening I received a voicemail from the regional office that was meant for him. The voicemail was left by our assistant VP and outlined a meeting between Richard and the regional assistant about how they should have me transferred. I was shocked! I couldn't tell him that I heard the voicemail, so I just waited until we had our weekly conference and then I laid it out.
"How are things going this week?", he asked.
I looked at him and he was fidgeting in his chair. He always fidgeted in his chair, almost like he didn't feel comfortable being a leader. I sat there watching him and finally I just said to myself, "f#$k it!"
"You don't like me do you Richard?", I asked him straight away. No frivolities just straight to the point.
"That's not true. I do. I think sometimes you question my authority but otherwise you do a great job. I can't say you don't. We had our best numbers since you came on board. Why would you say something like that?"
"Well apparently I've find out about a little plot to have me transferred, and I'm a bit upset. I guess you've been talking to Jeff about moving me some where else?"
His face became flushed, and all he could say was, "What? I don't know what you're talking about. What are you talking about? Where did you hear that?"
"Let's just say a little bird told me. Is it true?"
" Maybe? Who told you?"
" That's not important. What is important is that if I'm doing such a good job why are you telling people I'm not behind my back."
" I've never told anyone that you weren't doing a good job. Well maybe a few people. It's just you're difficult to deal with sometimes. You're so, so, so, ....direct."
" And that's a bad thing? That I'm straight with you, that I don't play games? That's bad."
" Well sometimes you have to play the game to get ahead. It's not always about the numbers."
" I guess you're right that's my problem. I think it is all about the numbers but if it isn't what is it all about?"
" I've been running this place for over a year and we've been bleeding for a while and you come in and in six months were doing better than we have in 2 years. That makes me look bad."
" So I'm helping you out but it makes you look bad?"
" Yeah because I couldn't do it on my own. You come in and it looks like you're doing all the work. That's bad for me."
" Why is it bad? You brought in the right person, and you've motivated me to get things done. Spin it that way to people. It's not me, it's you."
" It doesn't look that way. Our relationship is always on edge. I can't relax because you're more experienced than me and people look to you for guidance. They don't look to me for anything. I need to learn how to be successful as a GM on my own. That's why I want you to transfer. So I can do it on my own."
" Dude. I think you have a bad perception of yourself, and a good leader always hires the right people and let's them do their work. I think it's a bad idea for me to transfer."
" Well it's too late it's already in the works. What do you think? Maybe you can transfer to Whittier?"
I sat there for a long time. Silent, just thinking about why this idiot who had done nothing for a year and was finally getting some notoriety for the right reasons, wanted me to transfer. It didn't make any sense, and since he was the former regional assistant, he must have been bad mouthing me to the VP for a while now. I had been with the company nine years and now I was being passed off like a failure when really I was succeeding, despite my stupid boss.
"Well what do you think? Whittier needs some help and you're just the guy to help them."
I looked at him for a long time, "Ya know what? F#$k it! I quit. F#$k you and f#$k this place. It isn't worth it. I'm giving you two weeks notice."
He looked both relieved and shocked. "What? Well there's no call for language like that. And why would you leave the company after all the time you've invested?"
"Richard you have the VP's ear, so it's pretty obvious I'm not going to get promoted because I'm sure you haven't said anything good about me."
"That's not true, I tell Jim you're a hard worker but you have too many of your own ideas. You don't follow the program."
"Not everyone fits into the same box Richard. In fact, I think the reason we've been successful is because we're allowed to use our own personal judgment. To be creative."
"That's just it. You can't just go and do what you want."
"I don't do what I want. I do what I need to do for us to be successful. F#$k it, I'll give you one week to find a replacement."
"One week? Well that doesn't seem fair."
"Fair? Is it fair that I've busted my ass for 9 years and we're doing well and you want me to transfer?! One week. that's it."
"Alright. I think you're making a big mistake."
"I'm not making a mistake. You are."
And I left his office. I went to my desk and started clearing out my stuff. Sixty minutes later, the head of HR came in and handed me my final check, which I knew was coming. There was no way they were going to let me stick around a week and bad mouth Richard.
As she handed me the check she smiled, "Here you go. Good luck. Remember you have a no compete agreement so no going to the competition.", and she waved a finger at me.
"Remember we're in California and you can't enforce a no compete or I'll sue your ass. This is a right to work state. You have a nice day!", and I picked up my box and left.
Some times you just gotta say "f#$k it!"
