Casually, on Friday, I happen to eat my lunch while my superior was eating his. We started chatting, and I learned about the person in my position before I was around. Since he was no longer here, I was curious as to what happened to him. I have always been a fan of history, believing that it is important to learn from past mistakes, as to avoid making them in the future. As it turns out, the guy before me didn't get along with the CEO of the company. He had his way of doing things, and the boss had his. He was not open to doing things in any other way, including the way the boss wanted. Unfortunately, he was on a contract, so when the contract term was up, as my superior put it, "We said, 'No thanks'".
Interestingly, as things would turn out, the way the code was by the time I came, was in the direction he had taken. So, his direction was not necessarily wrong, but he was too far ahead. Now, the following quote, taken from my superior, I think is full of the wisdom required to stay in any company for the long term. I think that this is something rarely spoken, but generally understood.
"When you're someone who's being paid, and he's the CEO of the company, it's ok to bring up different viewpoints. But, he's the boss, so it's what he says that counts. If you can't take his direction, then you don't belong there."
I really appreciate what he said. This was not a light word. It is not superficial in any way. It is both truthful and fair. Though it is quite harsh, it is something one who really cares would say, and something that one who doesn't care may never say. I think that this is basically what employees always need to keep in mind, if they want to keep their job, that is.
It does make me a little sad, though, that it seems that people are much better off worrying about how to keep their jobs than about how to improve things for the company; just like the state of our country, the solution to problems are too ugly for those capable of voicing them to make the right decisions, and still be kept in power. It is a case of a conflict in interests.
Written on June 5, 2011