Sharks
“I am not about caring. I am about winning.” Harvey Specter, Suits TV Show
Be careful who you step on climbing the ladder. You may have to meet them on the way down. Have you ever wondered how some people sleep at night the way they treat others? They seem to have no conscience in how they talk to people and how they interact with them. They see people as objects to use and discard when necessary.
I recall early in my career working with a manager that was known as the hatchet-man. He was hired to clean house. His attitude was: “Better thee than me.” This was in a Fortune 500 company that you would recognize.
We lost a lot of good people that year. It was a lesson that never left me. He did not last long with the company because not only did he clean house, he hacked off everyone he worked with. He was like a bull in a china shop. Sadly, the china he destroyed had faces and families.
If you ever have to work with or for someone like this, here is a piece of advice from a survivor:
- Don’t make any waves to draw attention. Think of it as swimming with a shark. If they smell blood, you are dead in the water.
- Imagine it is election year and you have to choose who you support. If you place your loyalty with the wrong side, you will be replaced. If you are going to work in an organization, you best learn how to play the political game and know who is really in charge.
- Don’t bite the hand that feeds you.
- Do your job so well that they will think twice about replacing you. It helps to be a top producer.
- Don’t gripe about your job to anyone at work. The walls have ears. If you are thought of as a complainer, you will be cut at some point. Never complain without offering a solution.
- The more specialized your skill-sets, the harder you are to be replaced.
Be aware of the sharks, swim at your own risk, and remember that sharks get eaten too.
Shalom!
Dan Skognes