Context

Playing the Corporate System

Context: 

After completing my MBA in 1976, I had high aspirations to change the world, in general, and to make significant changes to the corporate world via the possibility of becoming a CEO for a large corporation. In retrospect, I feel that I have made good progress helping to do my part in making the corporate world at least a bit more pleasant but my aspirations toward the CEO spot changed dynamically (and positively) as I matured and as my personal values materialized. From purely a philosophical perspective, it “wasn’t in the cards for me to acquire such organizational status.” Upon the completion of my MBA, I joined a high tech company (hereafter referred to as HT) as a buyer, made multiple vertical promotional moves and nestled into a sweet career spot from which I retired at the age of 55. During my over 3 decades of experience inside the corporate machine, I have discovered some of the secrets to

Corporate success within the lower echelons and now wish to share them with people either entering into this funky world or to those that are in need of some help in terms of employment survival.

My educational background and experience places me in somewhat of a position of experiential authority, yet I am continually learning the nuances of corporate life and the subtle ways of succeeding and failing. I have taught classes at the college level and throughout my past thirty-plus years, my aspirations to become a CEO, or for that matter any high ranked executive, diminished as I learned that the commitment to do such requires too many personal sacrifices and compromises of which I was not ready to offer.

Hats off to those that make such commitments! Now as I look back on my career within the comfortable confines of first and second level management, I am fully convinced that this was the right decision for me. One reaches a point at which money, status and power has to be traded off for other values. For some, the route of the CEO or high level management works fine and I commend these individuals for such accomplishments. For others, however, they may not want any part of management (so you should probably stop reading this right now and return it to the bookstore for your money back). Still others, however, the coziness of mid-level management may just be the right medicine for their life affording the balanced trade offs of work, life and decent (not huge amounts) of money. This is where I landed and I am very proud and thankful as a result.

When I retired at 55, I had done my due diligence and planned out a nice way to exit. Just like life, those plans changed thousands of times during my work career. Finally, during one of our Work-Force (farce?)-Management programs, my IT Supply Chain Management job went to a “lower-cost geographical strategic location,” or in lay terms, I was laid off. There was no shock as I spent the last few years of my job flying around the world laying off people. I did this 9 times till the ‘cat’s life’ ran out and my number came up. By then, however, I had it planned out and had saved enough to take the WFM package and bolt.

I never looked back.

Now 10 years post retirement, I’ve dredged out this book that was a living document for me whilst working. I’ve realized that I truly should publish this as the truths and axioms seem to be more alive now than ever! I base this on some past working experiences during my retirement, including teaching at a local college for a few years, some international business consulting and listening to my colleagues that are still inside the corporate machine. Also, my vast interactions, as the President of our own non-profit organization, continually resurrect the same corporate craziness that, I erroneously assumed, would NOT be found in such an organization.

My wife and I own free and clear a beautiful large house in the country, drive new cars, we have put both of our kids through college, travel frequently to exotic places and have zero debt. We don’t live extravagantly, but we have fun and enjoy life to the maximum!

Given that I am still fearing some of the perils of working for HT (even post retirement!), I cannot reveal my true name, else I may jeopardize my good standing with The Company, and hence I have taken on the pen name of John Doe for this publication. Also, it is with zero regret, malice or indignation that this piece is published while I have enjoyed many of the spoils of corporate slavery including a very nice and continually increased salary, stock options, cash awards, fringe benefits, world wide travel opportunities, training and development and some degree of employment security for at least the first 25 years of employment. My Corporate home is a wonderful place. I go there to rest after tough weekends on the golf course or on my favorite fly fishing stream!