Reading time: 3 – 4 minutes
I really wish I could figure out the lesson that the universe is trying to get me learn. For the second time in just over five years, I’m finding myself in a situation where I just can’t win. After a successful tenure at three (and a half) different jobs, the last two have turned out to be hard to understand.
I was brought up in a time when hard work and perseverance was not only strived for, but rewarded. When looking at the generation that I belong to, I end up being a tweener. I was born in the first few days of 1965 and most folks view those born up to 1964 as part of the baby boom generation and those starting in 1965 being in Gen X.
My parents were literally baby boomers, born towards the end of World War II, but I tend towards the best qualities of both the Baby Boom generation and Gen X. Honestly, I consider myself the first of the Sesame Street Generation, since I was 4 years old when the show first aired, the original target audience.
So the timing of my upbringing has instilled in me a wonderful work ethic, where I do the work because it’s what needs to be done. And when you do want needs to be done and contribute in a substantial way to the progress of the organization you are rewarded through greater responsibility, greater challenges and an opportunity to lead.
This served me well for the first twenty-two years of my working life. But something seems to have happened in the last eight years. In both of the last two places I have worked, sticking to a dedicated work ethic and doing what needs to be done, while contributing to the progress of the organization is no match for those with an agenda that also have a power base in the organization.
I’ve recently been experiencing this for the second in five years in a second organization and I have to say, as someone who knows leadership development and organizational development, I am flabbergasted at getting blind sided by this…again. What I can’t discern is if this is a trend or if I keep being drawn to the wrong types of organization.
I’m always amazed how difficult organizational and leadership issues can be to detect and do anything about when we are in the midst of the issues ourselves. This is why having external consultants and coaches makes so much sense. They are able to see the forest through the trees and get at the heart of issues that we get stuck on because we are mired in the day-to-day struggles.
Now that I’ve gone through this experience twice, I’m still not sure what I could have done differently to avoid the situation. Playing the political games, having an agenda and always approaching things with a CYA focus seems to be counterproductive and doesn’t appeal to me.
But one thing has become clear to me, something has changed and I don’t like where we are heading. Because nice guys really shouldn’t finish last. Hard work, loyalty and dedication should still mean something.
Leader’s Reflection: Based on my experience over the past eight years, nice guys (those who do the work that needs to be done and contribute to the progress of the organization in a substantial way) have to find ways to counteract those who have a power base that have their own agenda.
