@elite.recruiter The Corporate Game is rigged – here’s how to actually win. Hard work won’t save you. Likability will. Let me break down the real corporate game level by level. #CorporateGame #CorporateTruths #CareerAdvice #WorkCulture #EliteRecruiter #CareerTalk #CorporateAmerica #Corporate #LeadershipTips #OfficePolitics #EliteEdge #Job #ProfessionalGrowth #Career #CareerUnfiltered #deepalivyas #fy #fyp
Why is there truth in what this recruiter is saying?! It explains why I had a burnout and led me to quit my manager position and shifted back to an individual contributor position.
Middle management = buffer between your team of individual contributors and management who whip you to deliver the numbers. The higher you go up the ladder, the more the optics are valued rather than your skill. Middle managers who care quit or get burned out. Those who don’t care that much but are good at “yes, ma’am, yes sir” are the ones promoted to management position. On this level, it matters how you make yourself look good and how you as an individual delivered the numbers without acknowledging that it’s a team effort. The higher you go, the more that it becomes more high school-ish. The popular kids get all the free pass to the top echelons.
Now I know why I quit being a manager. I was beating myself up for days, thinking I was a bad manager. No, it is how the system is set up. I wanted to be different by being kind and helpful. I just cared about my team when I shouldn’t. I was the buffer/shield and shields don’t last long.
Stretching myself too thinly without the resources so I try to fill the gaps.
I remember when our APAC boss scolded me after my presentation, she said why did you present the negative stuff? You should be talking about how great the bureau is and be positive!
Basically, I should lie through my nose and pretend things are rosy when they’re not.
There is a disconnect and I don’t know how I can survive with this disconnect. Ah well, I didn’t survive so I quit. You can’t survive this game if you want to be a maverick. You will always get frustrated because you want to be true.
I don’t want this game.