I’m not a person who says someone is this way or that way based solely on my interactions with them – not even the opinion of a handful of people. I’m an awkward individual so I’m certain I rub people the wrong way. Not everyone gets along with everyone else. Personalities clash. Religious beliefs can cause friction. Even cultural barriers can generate disagreements and conflicts. I also acknowledge people in power often have to make tough decisions that hurt people… The difference is that good leaders have no choice but to make them in an effort to better the business. It is not the same thing.
So I’ll say this. Over time and through normal conversations, I learned that I was not alone in my thinking and how I felt. Matter of fact, I was unable to find anyone who was just happy to have them at the top and/or felt as though they added any type of value (other than money) to the organization. Some offered their raw, unfiltered opinions. Others shared a more politically safe response. Mind you, I never brought anything up nor encouraged them to share their emotions. When people are as radioactive as these two are, there’s no need to. Peers are looking for someone to vent to. Employees can only take so much before it overflows to anyone who will listen.
And don’t mistake positive customer reviews for good leadership. The employees are what makes the difference. Not management. I’ve been present when mad shit was talked about customers – right in front of the person they were trashing and not exactly at a low volume. That’s how brazen their behavior is and how well they believe they are insulated.
The heartbreak of it all is that those who I felt were positive influences on me didn’t just play along with the toxic culture, but attempted to persuade me to do the same. Basically, play along to get along. In my book, standing by and watching people be victimized because it lines your pockets doesn’t make you much better than those who create the pestilence.
And lastly… As for me being inept or just another jaded ex employee? Fucking hardly. I ranked in the top 2% in my position IN THE NATION before I made the move to their facility. That little factoid came straight from the brand I represented, not the people I worked for, who routinely admitted they neither knew my job nor understood it -yet told me how to do it on a daily basis. My stats? I saved them in black and white. I killed it. The only time my performance suffered was when they would put their foot down and insisted I did things their way. Why? “Because that’s how everyone else is doing it.”
They wanted to beat everyone in the region, but they wanted to achieve this doing the exact same thing everyone else was doing. I’m sorry. Not only is that a total lack of vision, it shows a complete lack of understanding. What holds it together is not their influence. It’s the fact that the brand they represent sells itself. It’s like opening a well known burger chain location, wanting to be the best of the bunch, but not doing anything different than anyone else to get there. You’re either lying to yourself or you’re truly a fool that’s just lucky you have a recognizable brand backing you up.
Oh, and increasing profits by reducing employee benefits and continuously adjusting the pay scale in your favor is not what I would call a benchmark legacy to leave behind.
I was never sure this story would be made public because of my uncertainty of its value by doing so. People complain all the time. Life isn’t perfect. Shit happens. Bad people will always be present to take advantage of good people. Greedy and ruthless people will always line their pockets with the sweat off the backs of those who are just trying to survive. These are just facts. What changed my mind was the realization that by not sharing it, I was adding to the problem. I was a victim who remained silent because I had escaped and did not want to bring those memories back to inflict more anger and resentment.
Will it make a difference? I have no idea. I’d like to think so. I want to believe that someone, somewhere will read this and make a change for their own positive mental health and leave the sewer they are working in for clearer waters.
The more you stay silent… The longer you accept it… At one point you will become addicted to it and that creates a whole different kind of emotional baggage.
Remember, SS-Obersturmbannführer Rudolf Höss was only following orders when he began operating Auschwitz... But to continue performing his duties, part of him had to enjoy it.
Off The Rails 