The Outsider Boss

There is a reason why the boss is the boss. It doesn't matter whether he came from another industry or a seasoned professional in his field of expertise. His job is more on strategic planning and that includes hiring the right people to do the work for him. Simple, isn't it? In a perfect world, it is.

Let's say the boss is an "outsider", meaning he has zero knowledge about the business. The smart-alecky people in the office would undermine his capabilities one way or the other. These group of know-it-all think that they are a lot better than the boss technically-speaking. But, the boss does not need to know the nitty gritty of the everyone else's job. He is there to lead, to manage and to leverage on other people's skills to be able to carry on his role as the boss.

Now, why am I saying this? I've had bosses who were literally outsiders and were able to deliver. I also had the same breed of bosses who messed up the entire organization.

Moral of the story: Adapt. Change your perspective. Put yourself in the boss's shoes.

If things don't work out, better leave the company and save your sanity.

The Highs And Lows Of Firing And Hiring

It's been a month since I've last updated this blog. I've been very busy trying to hold on to my present job while looking for a new job. So many things had happened but to cut the long story short, I was fired, resigned before the effective date of my termination and got a new job two weeks after I got the dreaded letter from HR.

This was by far, the lowest point in my career. I doubted my skills and my capabilities only to find out that no matter what I do, it is still not enough. Why? Because I am not like them.

When I went on board, I've been putting our fires and that went on for months. The company was and it still is, in total disarray. Resolving the multitude of issues cannot be done overnight.

The environment is the exact opposite of what I've been used to. There's a lot of bureaucracy inside. The image it portrays to the public is deceiving for it's mostly prestige.

It'll be tough to instigate professionalism with that kind of environment. And fear is what drives people to do their jobs. Fear is the motivating factor.

In a few days, I'll be leaving a team of demoralized people. People who cannot afford to quit their jobs because they have loans in the company - name it: car loan, salary loan, etc.; they say that their rates have become too expensive which makes it hard to look for another job (salary rates can be justified as long as you have the qualifications which is really not an issue, if you ask me) and work-related legal issues.

It was a huge blow to my ego to be sacked just like that. But that's one of life's lessons.

Moral of the story: it's not enough to be a performer in the corporate world. You also have to know how to play with the office politics and make it work to your advantage in order to survive. Most importantly, the rules of the game varies, so it is best to be always on the offensive.

Stress: What It Does To Your Body

I know. Stress is part of our lives. You can't do away with it. You have to live with it and manage it and not the other way around.

But what is too much stress?

1. If it makes you sick.

2. If it encroaches your personal time and you can't do anything about it.

3. When everyone clocks out, your day has just started.

4. You start to ignore personal hygiene because you're too busy with, what else, work.

5. You lost your sense of humor.

I can name some more but you get the drift. There was a time when I let stress bog me down. It's draining and no amount of rest can make me feel good.

Part of me thinks that maybe, just maybe, I am adjusting to the culture. But, I was wrong. This is the culture and the culture is eating me alive.

Of course, I can't allow this to go on and on. So, what I did was to go with the flow and multitask like never before. It was, for the lack of better word, insane. It took a toll on my body, my face (breakouts like there was no tomorrow) and my personal relationship. My plan wasn't 100% working because I can only do so much in 8 hours which is really 11-12 hours in reality.

My dermatologist is my new BFF and my boyfriend exercised the highest level of tolerance I can imagine.

I don't think this is worth it. Maybe I should move... again.

Do You Envision Yourself To Be A CEO?

I never imagined to be one but what if?

As I move up the corporate ladder, I often ask myself, what do I really want out of this corporate jungle thing. Will I continue to slave myself and make the owners wealthier. Do I enjoy servitude? Do I like sales, talking to people and all the shebang that goes with being a career woman?

I pause and ask myself. But sometimes, I can't even answer my own question.

I'm already in my mid-30s, the kids are in their teens, work has been good to me, so far. But there is something missing which I can't quite put my finger on.

Anyway, I replied, "yes". Why not? It's the penultimate of the ultimate.

Just thinking about it makes me cringe, it makes me feel old. In fact, in this blog I was regarded as someone who is in her 40s already. Maybe I speak/write like a 40-something. But how does a 40 something sound like? Tell me.