Snakes and Corporate Ladders

What would you do to get to the top ?

Will you sacrifice your moral fibre and pride just to get to the top ?

Would you risk losing your close friends ? family ? loved ones?

I'm here to say something about this indipensable culture that I noticed in the corporate world : bootlicking . I wonder why employers do not include this in their list of requirements for their prospective candidates . I think many have resorted to bootlicking to accelerate their ascension up the corporate ladder nowadays .

I always believe that if you're good, you're good . You'll get that promotion . I don't think I should act like I'm actually doing some work just for the sake of the boss to notice me . I don't think small issues should be made like a Mount Everest and start blaming every other department in the company . And one thing bootlickers all have in common is they like to backstab their close colleagues .

Office politics #1 :
Never get to close to a colleague . They might report your complaints directly to your boss behind your back .

Different people have different ways to get promoted . Some will act very bossy and orders people around like he's the boss ...konon to show that he has leadership skills . Little did he know that not many people actually like him . Some leaders are silent , they operate silently in the background . Some enjoy the limelight , they like the attention .

All I'm saying is , promotions should be based on meritocracy if the company really claims so . Favouritism still reigns unfortunately and those who don't 'stick out' enough gets sidelined . Now before anyone thinks I'm not happy or happen to be one of those disgruntled employees , then let me assure you that I'm perfectly ok . I don't play that dirty game man . Politics are dirty business in my book .

I'm just amused at the extent people would do to get up that ladder . I'm not saying I'm happy to stay at the lower hierarchy forever , I believe your time will come if you do things with honesty and passion . I like observing these bootlickers , you learn a lot of lessons just by watching . Employers must be careful that those who don't 'stick out' doesn't mean they're ineffective workers . There are a great number of those who do things in the background and contributed a lot , yet they don't like to tell the whole world about it . Low profile .

I believe this culture exist in most organizations out there . That's just too bad really . We'll end up promoting the wrong person all the time . The wrong people will be up there . Being on top of the hierarchy carries a lot of responsibilities and risks , someone capable should be selected .

How do we stop this ? well let's start by encouraging the bosses to sneak in and observe their employees once in a while . See the real truth , see who's the one actually doing the job and make your decisions based on that . Not by how many e-mails or letters you receive :)

Like the board game - snakes and ladders , sometimes you get a ladder to move up , but sometimes you get swallowed by the snake and you'll come crashing down again . So be careful bootlickers :)

What goes around , comes around .

No room for hate

I was browsing through friendster and discovered the other side of some of my colleagues that I had a hard time figuring out . Usually we all like to jump to conclusions when we find that there is this one person whom you think , you'll never get along. He/she gives you this feeling that maybe you did something wrong or maybe you're out of their league. However , I try not to jump to conclusions whenever I find a 'difficult' person to get along with . He may appear to be cold , rude bla bla .. but most of the times I discovered , they're actually not bad . Just misunderstood . Maybe lacking some social skills and manners , that's all .

I try to be nice and humble to everyone , coz that's just the way I am . I got a motor-mouthed friend who can be too irritating at times , yet , other people see him in a different light . Everybody's got their own flavor you know , you can't expect everyone to be the same . So it's all good . So far I have no enemies and hopefully no one is holding a grudge or hate against me . Some people don't like it when you're too nice to them ... they prefer you to talk rough with them , makes them more jantan hehe .. another male ego complex that some of us guys have .

There's always two sides of a coin . Sometimes the good side don't always get noticed . I believe theres goodness in everyone , it's just the way we express it can be different . However , make no mistake that I do have limits over my kindness , if you're too grumpy or too moody to even have a light conversation , then I leave you alone , no problem :) . Different people have different ways to gain respect . Some gain it by force and intimidation , while some gain through honesty and an open mind .

You do it your way , I do it mine .