This is the eighteenth of the series focusing on my corporate experiences. While I was mentioning about my assertive experiences with my boss, reflections do come in my mind about my dealing with the boss. The same boss had a tough time with a technical problem related to the quality control of an important and critical unit of a plant. I was on leave for some time. On my return, I heard about that problem. The boss was discussing seriously about that with one my peers, without telling anything to me. Probably, the previous week’s bitter experiences would have been there in his memory. I should have kept mum. My mind did not allow that. I dared enough to knock at this door to volunteer myself with my suggestion to solve the problem. A blunt remark came from him, "who asked you to enter my room? We are here to discuss about a serious problem. Why do you come uninvited?" My self esteem drove me out. Three days passed without any solutions to the problem. The production personnel were at their odds, the plant load had to be reduced. My organisational citizenship (the HR jargon I was not aware of, at that time) forced me to go and offer my suggestions. The desperate boss was paying attention to my ears in that crisis. I put my head and soul and the solution was found within eight hours. It was three at that night when I retired in my bed. The boss was very much relieved, but his ego prevented him to say the least customary thanks to me, when all the production personnel and my top boss thanked me profusely. It was that incident that taught me a lesson, 'never ditch your boss during crisis'. That is not the time to settle your scores.

When I am teaching Power and politics during my sessions on the paper Organisational Behaviour, I use to quote the above incident, Dealing with the boss is something that is difficult, but once you prove your worth, the boss will respect your expertise and recognise you. After all, we cannot change others, but change our strategy in dealing with others. The boss falls in the others category as well.

Designed and maintained by AKR Consultants