Re: career doldrums

Sharon wrote:

<snip>

Most of my bosses were more concerned about empire-building and creating associated personality cults rather than in allowing me to actually do my job properly. When it came to doing something, there was the right way, a wrong way, and--wait for it--the company way.


I've actually had some pretty decent bosses, but the problems are always above them. I'm learning now (now that I'm working for a huge corporation for the first time) that once companys reach a certain size they establish policies that actually prevent productivity.

Having worked for large corporations in the past, I can confirm that. I'm not sure, though, that the intention isn't so much to prevent productivity, but to ensure loyalty to the corporate line. That way, they can see who is eligible to be eventually welcomed into the domain of management.

As a result, management
at all levels tell their underlings how to get the job done by side-stepping the policies, even if the policy states you'll be terminated for doing so.

Again, I've found it was more out of fear that one might have an independent mind which can't be tolerated in an environment that wants corporate clones.

Plus they get so big that upper management no longer sees anything but accounting spreadsheets, and that prevents them from noticing alot of problems until they're so big they affect the bottom line. In other words, they don't notice a problem until the share price drops - and many times it's too late to correct it by then.

- Sharon
"Gravity... is a harsh mistress!"
.