Do you want to be Popular or Respect?, from Neither
Posted on 10/29/2005 by TooManyMoronsNotEnoughSmartOnes
Viewed: 718 times
My tale is like watching a car accident. You are amazed at what you are watching, yet you have not ability to alter it or stop it completely.
My boss (we will call him Joe) is the same age as I am. I have no issue with this because he has been with the company 5 years and I have been there 1. He rose from a retail store manager, to a general manager, to area general manager, then director of sales, vp of sales, evp of sales and is now the COO of the company. Not a bad track for someone only 35. He may be a case study on how a higher career elevation restricts bloodflow to your brain. Evidently he showed promise early on, but lacks the necessary traits to be considered human now.
Anyway, Joe is not much on the people skills. Somehow, he married someone who bore him children. We have now started a collection to pay for her to have her tubes tied, or pay for a trip to Tijuana for him, so he can be knocked out and wake up after having received the magical snip-snip. I digress....his people skills suck. He has been known to require his direct reports to work his hours - 5:30am to 10:30pm, 6 days a week. This is no joke. Pretty much that meant no family or down time. He also believes in the management "trickle down" effect. Simply stated, your reports should experience the treatment you have received. That is not a good thing considering his totalitarian state of doing things, including belittling people in their work groups. He justified this by asking, "Do you want to be Popular or Respected?" ---respect coming from his management style. Ironically, he has neither from his employees.
For me specifically, his treatment has been brutal. In addition to everything else, I was granted vacation time three months in advance of going. I paid for my family's plane tickets, resort rooms and theme park tickets prior to the 21 day cutoff. 14 days before departure, he scheduled a meeting that was mandatory for everyone, me included regardless of my plans. I pleaded my case to other higher ups to human resources. My contribution to this meeting was a 30 minute, 1 power point slide presentation. I asked if I could present via webex and conference call. No dice from Joe. When one of his peers asked him why, he replied that I should have known he would call a meeting at anytime and I needed to be flexible with that type of occurence. Also, he stated that any money I lost on the cancelled trip would not be reimbursed by the company. That was almost $5k. My entire family was mortified. What is even more insulting is the fact I am the top sales manager in the company, which has offices all over the country. So much for loyalty to those that produce(loyalty is a two way street).
I realize that some people experience very serious problems in the workplace and this might pale in comparison. I have no doubt there are others in similar situations who have fewer avenues for recourse. I am just suggesting to every one that reads this that has had similar experiences to write about it. Some boss, some where will stumble on this site and actual have a moment of clarity about their management style and do something about it. Keep calling these people out for who they are and maybe, just maybe, one of these morons will get a clue! Keep typing against tyrannical bosses!!!
SouthernProgrammer(10/30/2005)
He lost you $5000 for a stinking presentation!?!?! I would consider going to the bag of dirty tricks for that one. Subscribe to a shocking magazine of some type he would NEVER read....in HIS NAME and have it sent to the office. I once had a racist-bigot in my office...so I subscribed to EBONY for him and had it delivered to the office.
Geteven(02/14/2006)
You're a top producing salesman? In an industry that's not a monopoly, I presume? Take your clients across the street to your competitor (who must know your name, I suppose), get a raise, and make that jerk pay! Recover your $5k through a signon bonus. Resign professionally, but find a back-channel way to let Mr. Dirtbag's boss know exactly why you left...
Thelma(02/15/2006)
Go on your vacation. Tell Mr. Control Freak to have a nice meeting and you will to him talk about it IF you come back.
Madness(02/16/2006)
I don't want to be popular or have respect...I just want my damn paycheck so I can go home and relax!
Walk the Planks (10/30/2005)
I would find another job (or somehow manage this anonymously). I would do something (interfere with client relations, his automobile, his future promotion or advancement, etc.) that would cost him, personally, $5,000.00. What's good for the goose is good for the gander. After all, he showed no concern for the financial cost to you and your family. If he wants to play that way, why should you show any concern for the financial cost to him?
american made (10/30/2005)
I agree and also think that's the whole point here on this site...we can't just be quiet and swallow bad treatment because that's not going to fix anything. We have to TALK about what's going on and call attention to things in order for it to change. On you story... I think it's SO WRONG what your boss did. That's total abuse and really sounds as if he was out to get you and screw up your vacation. It stinks that you were unable to go on your vacation and just quit. I hope you are looking for a new job, but I am guessing you are since you said loyalty is a 2 way street. Good luck!
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