Career Interrupted
Today, I’m supposed to be making my way to Detroit (again). Another small hop for Gigantic Concrete, but a giant leap out of personal life. This is a trend out of the company playbook. “The company comes first, loyalty is required, do your duty, oh and by the way, no additional compensation will be forth coming for all this extra loyalty. One should be happy one has a job at all etc. etc. etc.” Unfortunately I’m going to have to disappoint them.
…sent an email of career advancement limitation…
Yesterday was the sorting out day from the recent executive execution. The universe has changed, the protections offered by my previous manager have been torn away and the crap is now flowing freely down to my team. A team that is to get an increase in responsibilities, while sustaining a major hit to our numbers as the contractors are being lined up against the wall. Do more with less, make mud bricks without straw, and me without a promised land to hope for or a red sea to cross.
I arrived home last night after 8:30 PM. I’d been at the office since 8:00 AM. I discovered that my wife was very ill and hardly able to move. This morning she is no better. Already I’ve been getting notes on my “crackberry” of all the things I need to do today when I’m in Detroit. I turned off the evil device of instant communication, called the travel brokers, cancelled my trip, and sent an email of career advancement limitation indicating that I would not be able to acquiesce to their requests today, and quite possibly tomorrow as well. This could ultimately result in an ICE (Involuntary Career Event), but how involuntary would it really be?
Today is a stay home and take care of family day. A day of where loyalty and duty should mean something real. A day where I don’t particularly care if the rock flows or not.
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You are a strong and powerful… and good man, Ric.
Let the rocks be stationary for once…
I used to be in that same situation where my employers expected us to give 110% with low pay. We had to work countless hours and with a skeleton crew. The only reason that I am not in that position anymore is because we were sold to another company that is shutting us down. Now, I’m dealing with people who keep shifting our layoff dates every few days. It’s really frustrating. One thing that I learned is that I will never put myself in the position again where I have to sacrifice my family life for work.
Pep - Thanks man.
Fred - This is the central point of my “issue”. I am becoming increasingly incapable of working in the corporate world where the drive to indentured servitude seems to be the order of the day. I just need to find a way to break my addiction to a salary…
Your family has the best of men on their side. I hope it works to their advantage long term in all areas, not just in your love and care.
girlzoot - Thanks for the kind words.