I have been asked to train someone from India to replace me. My boss tells me that I will be moved to a better position as soon as I am done training this person. I am not sure what to do because I don’t think this is right but at the same time, I don't want to get fired or lose my chance at the better position. Do I go quietly and train the new person or do I say no and throw caution to the wind? I am afraid either way.
-- Just another one
Dear Just,
That's alotta crap is what that is! First of all, make no mistake…there's no "better" position. That's called bait and switch, my friend. They get you to do what they want and then they either offer you a crappy job or throw you away altogether. After all, what do they care if you leave after they get what they want from you? To answer your pointed question, I say throw caution to the wind and throw it hard! Make sure you save a bit extra this month, create a "Plan B" and brace yourself for whatever comes next. But sleep well with this decision because you have what they want and you can walk out with it. Consider the following:
P.T. Barnum, in order to control crowds at his shows and get people out the door so they had to pay to come back in, is said to have hung a huge sign up inside the circus tent. In big inviting letters it said, "THIS WAY TO THE GREAT EGRESS!" Carnival goers, excited to see this cool thing they had never seen before, would see the sign and make a beeline for it. Once they walked through the door, they found that they were on the sidewalk!
Webster's dictionary defines "egress" as "A place or means of going out". Therefore, an "egress" is just a fancy word for "exit". Your boss, by enticing you with a "better" position is sending you straight to the egress. I say make your own egress and make it quick.
-- Alotta, sympathetically
Dear Alotta,
I have two children that I pick up from school at 3:45 each day. My wife drops them off in the morning so I get in at 7 and leave at 3:30 to go pick them up. Some of my coworkers come in at 9 so they are still here when I leave. On a daily basis I face raised eyebrows, blatant watch checking and an occasionally muttered "must be nice" as I walk out the door. What gives? I don't point at the clock when THEY come in at 9! Should I change or should they?
-- Sick of the watch watchers
Dear Sick,
Yep. Just as I thought. This is alotta crap too. (I seem to get that a lot.) That being said, really the only thing you can do is ignore these tic-toc-time-totalers. As long as the boss doesn't mind, you shouldn't have to rearrange your schedule just because a few late-starting-clock-nazis want to clear their throats when you leave for the day. You've put in your time and they see you're there when they arrive. To keep your sanity: vent a bit. The next time one of the hickory dickory doctors pipes up, spike the ball back to his side of the court and remind him of how much time he time he has left until he's worked as many hours as you just did. Say something to effect of: "Wow, Bob, I bet it's painful to watch me leave knowing you have 2 hours, 20 minutes and 54 seconds left of your working day". He may not get the point right away, but he'll know you're not going to take his crap lying down.
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