“Quit with grace”- 17 January 2012
Kishore was quite agitated about his boss and the entire team he worked for. They had harassed him quite a bit in the two years that he had spent there. He was above average in intelligence he knew and better than the best the company had and so he was targeted he concluded. Everyone seemed jealous of him and wanted to drag him down. Moreover the guys fought for petty issues like stealing ideas and claiming ownership for them, taking his suggestions and implementing them as their own and never giving the credit to him –just because he was new and they were old hats. He cared two hoots for them, he declared! He would get out and before that he would blast them with his sincere opinion he had for them! He was already hopeful of getting into a bigger and better organisation –it was only a matter of days he knew. Now he would give them a piece of his mind and spew out all the venom that he had piled up in his head and heart. It actually looked like he was prepared for a big fight with them before leaving.
Many people feel like Kishore does. People’s behaviour at work places is just as much the same as their personalities are in spite of the polish of professional masks. Politics in teams as well in all the levels of the hierarchical structure is pretty much a reality as it could be a lop-sided perception. The chances of someone perceiving it as such is equally true as much as the politics could be a truth. Whatever may be the facts, an employee with a high emotional intelligence will be superior in handling people and their hidden agendas or better still someone with a ‘political personality’ will be adept in handling as well as manipulating behaviour of others and finding his niche in the organisation.
Most people who are disgusted with the inner / underlying ramblings in organisations face the pressures and experience mental and physical stress and ultimately might take a decision to leave the muck and move away. This they do not out of choice but as the last resort to save their heads and hearts. The bitterness is visible and the resentment could make them fall sick and feel the need to get them-selves counselled. Some who have been so far submissive would now want to explode with anger before leaving and some who have been aggressive all along would want to sue the company for victimising him.
But all that seems such a waste of time and money. Is it not best ‘to get out if you cannot get along’ is what I would suggest to people who cannot find their way through the maze. One adage goes that ‘if you cannot beat them join them’. That is a wise saying but may not be possible for many. For joining the bandwagon also requires a specific set of traits and a willingness to do so. So, some might think that it is better to follow a dictum that- ‘if you don’t like them fight them’. But so much psychological energy goes into fighting these issues and the workplace may not become a better place after that at all. So what purpose does it serve you might ask yourself the question. If the desire is to bring changes within the organisation the goal seems a noble one but certainly not a practical one and neither is it achievable. Just spewing your venom and cleaning your own physical and mental system seems a juvenile goal.
The best option would then be to quit. And to quit gracefully would be advisable. For it serves no purpose to fight or express your hostilities or lecture them. For no one is really interested in listening to you or healing your wounds. You only create bad relations and leave behind a bad reputation of yourself. Secondly, you need not become a reformer.
