Life of a Foxy Siren

Today The Mentor taught me something valuable about being a people manager. Forget about honesty. 

"You're too honest sometimes, Foxy.. that won't benefit you in the long run."

I confess, I am surprised.. shocked even. Maybe slightly disappointed too. Everything that I learned.. starting from school; values that my parents instilled in me.. aren't gonna benefit me in life?

But by the end of our conversation, I understood why the above is necessary.

So are honesty and integrity just values that exist in the Moral textbooks and education syllabus? Hate to admit this, but this might be half true :(

"Foxy, most managers don't think like you do. Most aren't people oriented leaders. They focus too much on the team's performance and results, and that are all they care."

I digested this in silence, over a bowl of hot steaming tom yum noodles. Merde! The Mentor has a point. How many leaders actually care about their staffs? Are they happy? What stresses them? Do they need help in closing the gaps in performance? What do they need for their own personal development?

Reflecting this myself, of so many leaders I have had; there is only one that I worship. The Ex Boss. Almost Perfect. Unfortunately she succumbed into the pressure from the upper management's idiots. I felt sorry when The Ex Boss left. So far there is no one as good as she was.. and she is doing even better somewhere else. 

(Yep, I work in a world full of corporate slaves. I see mis-doings and hear stories about violating integrity all the time.)

Earlier that day, I felt like labeling The Boss a confused incompetent soul. Then I changed my mind because (insert the worst label) suits him more.  One minute in the morning he had wanted to retain his talents with the team and asked me to gauge their interest in staying on. Guess what?

That very evening he had a different version. He don't think The Talented Two are worth the position here. WTF? It is skillset vs attitude. As he complained and whined about how his team has all the bad apples with attitude problems, he is setting The Talented Two (who happens to be young, but capable of doing a good job) aside. Reason? 

They lack of the initiative, pro-activeness and maturity in thinking. I swear, he could pass as a screwed bitch going thru hell of a menopause season! Hello, tell me how often do you come across fresh grads who comes in and automatically can be proactive / mature / have endless pots of initiatives? Aren't this the leader's role to COACH them? I was boiling blood inside dealing with him.. sigh. Such a xxxxxxx!

So ok, he is a (again insert label).. but why Cunning (label)?

Well The Mentor revealed "if you become too transparent with him, he will use you to his benefits. He will definitely keep absorbing the good talents from you, those that you put so much efforts into coaching. In the end, things would never change, but you would be exhausted from getting all the rotten people. He knows he is incapable of producing good people like you, so.. *shrugs*"

Merde merde merde! Il est un vrai bâtard!