Understanding Power and Influence
Two days ago, I rejected an offer by my CEO for a Vice President's post in the company. He's offered the post to me before but this time, it was with the pre-condition that I represent the senior management's interest and compromise my stand on protecting my team's interest and to agree with the 20% salary cuts to be imposed on them.
It was strange that the salary cuts were proposed, I thought. The original salaries were approved by the HR Dept., the Board and the Ministry. Of course, all this happened under the previous CEO, but the rest of the senior management team and the Board had remained pretty much the same. Furthermore, my team had done quite well and have met their KPIs.
The decision was an arbitrary one and one that came from an unjustified perspective. Power corrupts, they say. NEWCEO felt like exerting his power - simple as that.
I rejected the VP offer politely and gave him my reasons - that I was not going to abandon my team and allow them to be unjustifiably punished. He was surprised, but quickly said that he will find others "who are up to the challenge". Stupid fool - did he think that petty remarks like that would change my stand?
Letting the VP offer go, costs me the opportunity of having a five-figure salary and a room of my own. (This is the second time in my life that I'm rejecting an offer like this - one day, I swear these offers will stop coming).
But honestly, I didn't even blink at the offer. The rights and wrongs of the situation was obvious - and selling out on my team, would have remained on my conscience. I was their leader and I wanted to take stand for them - even if the outcome will remain the same.
They stood by me and the program for the last 16 months and this team is my family. Nothing mattered as much to me, as their respect and camaraderie.
One of the SVPs called me a "social worker" for rejecting the offer and standing by the team. He called me "immature" and asked me to "be professional" and "grow up and be part of the real world". NEWCEO said to me that there is "no place for idealists in the real world". I pray that I will never come ot that point, when money or power, makes me forget how important people are.
I understand that most people are nice to money and power. Knowledge, honour, service and appreciation comes second, in Malaysia, nowadays. Which is why it's in the state that it's in.
I also learnt a few things about myself, from what what Mentor said to me. He said that I wanted to influence how things turn out in Malaysia, but I refused to chase for power or money. It's like having a car without the engine or the petrol. In the larger equation, it doesn't make sense. A car that doesn't move, is just an intention to drive.
When I ws much younger, I had it ingrained into me that power is a responsibility - it is a burden that you will be held accountable for, in the next life. So, you shouldn't go looking for it - if it was destined, it would come to you. Then, it would be rightfully yours.
And money? Money was the means to an end, to me - I don't have a greedy bone in my body. Am frugal by taste, simple in lifestyle, careful in my spending. Never liked or had very much debt. Not ambitious enough to be an Ananda Krishnan, a Robert Kuok or a Syed Mokhtar Albukhary. The means was as important to me as the end - how you get the money. The money was important, but not an overriding factor in my life - not enough to compromise my ideals.
I've always believed that if you were good in what you do, that money and power would follow, as a natural consequence. It's about merit, I thought. It's a half-truth and I was naive. The assumption works if no one was trying to sabotage you or or if you are willing to compromise on your principles. Otherwise, the assumption is completely flawed, in the real world.
The thing is: God never promised us power and money, for going the Right Way. Our destiny may be one of a clear conscience and an empty wallet, really. An invisible "social worker" to the materialistic world. You might actually end up a "nobody" in the eyes of your family, friends or the public.
And you might actually ask yourself one day, 20 years down: Is it all worth it?
I don't have the answers. Today, the decision I made still has my heart, my mind and my consscience aligned behind it. I hope tomorrow and in future, I will feel the same. Perhaps, I should pray a little that the price isn't always so high, in this temporary borrowed heaven.
Paulo Coelho once wrote: "Man needs to choose, not just accept his destiny".
Indeed. But what pray tell, is the price of those choices and that destiny? Only God knows.
It was strange that the salary cuts were proposed, I thought. The original salaries were approved by the HR Dept., the Board and the Ministry. Of course, all this happened under the previous CEO, but the rest of the senior management team and the Board had remained pretty much the same. Furthermore, my team had done quite well and have met their KPIs.
The decision was an arbitrary one and one that came from an unjustified perspective. Power corrupts, they say. NEWCEO felt like exerting his power - simple as that.
I rejected the VP offer politely and gave him my reasons - that I was not going to abandon my team and allow them to be unjustifiably punished. He was surprised, but quickly said that he will find others "who are up to the challenge". Stupid fool - did he think that petty remarks like that would change my stand?
Letting the VP offer go, costs me the opportunity of having a five-figure salary and a room of my own. (This is the second time in my life that I'm rejecting an offer like this - one day, I swear these offers will stop coming).
But honestly, I didn't even blink at the offer. The rights and wrongs of the situation was obvious - and selling out on my team, would have remained on my conscience. I was their leader and I wanted to take stand for them - even if the outcome will remain the same.
They stood by me and the program for the last 16 months and this team is my family. Nothing mattered as much to me, as their respect and camaraderie.
One of the SVPs called me a "social worker" for rejecting the offer and standing by the team. He called me "immature" and asked me to "be professional" and "grow up and be part of the real world". NEWCEO said to me that there is "no place for idealists in the real world". I pray that I will never come ot that point, when money or power, makes me forget how important people are.
I understand that most people are nice to money and power. Knowledge, honour, service and appreciation comes second, in Malaysia, nowadays. Which is why it's in the state that it's in.
I also learnt a few things about myself, from what what Mentor said to me. He said that I wanted to influence how things turn out in Malaysia, but I refused to chase for power or money. It's like having a car without the engine or the petrol. In the larger equation, it doesn't make sense. A car that doesn't move, is just an intention to drive.
When I ws much younger, I had it ingrained into me that power is a responsibility - it is a burden that you will be held accountable for, in the next life. So, you shouldn't go looking for it - if it was destined, it would come to you. Then, it would be rightfully yours.
And money? Money was the means to an end, to me - I don't have a greedy bone in my body. Am frugal by taste, simple in lifestyle, careful in my spending. Never liked or had very much debt. Not ambitious enough to be an Ananda Krishnan, a Robert Kuok or a Syed Mokhtar Albukhary. The means was as important to me as the end - how you get the money. The money was important, but not an overriding factor in my life - not enough to compromise my ideals.
I've always believed that if you were good in what you do, that money and power would follow, as a natural consequence. It's about merit, I thought. It's a half-truth and I was naive. The assumption works if no one was trying to sabotage you or or if you are willing to compromise on your principles. Otherwise, the assumption is completely flawed, in the real world.
The thing is: God never promised us power and money, for going the Right Way. Our destiny may be one of a clear conscience and an empty wallet, really. An invisible "social worker" to the materialistic world. You might actually end up a "nobody" in the eyes of your family, friends or the public.
And you might actually ask yourself one day, 20 years down: Is it all worth it?
I don't have the answers. Today, the decision I made still has my heart, my mind and my consscience aligned behind it. I hope tomorrow and in future, I will feel the same. Perhaps, I should pray a little that the price isn't always so high, in this temporary borrowed heaven.
Paulo Coelho once wrote: "Man needs to choose, not just accept his destiny".
Indeed. But what pray tell, is the price of those choices and that destiny? Only God knows.
posted by Stingrayz | 6:43 PM
4 Comments:
Standing for what you believe in is truly remarkable especially it involves some sacrifice. You got my respect. :)
Strangely, but that seems the way thigns in corporate world are, as Bush nicely put it, "You are either our friends or our enemy". I guess you will have a harder time in the company unless some dramatic power play happen. good luck
Thanks, Tomatoinc. :) Am not sure whether things will turn around at the company - sometimes, you can't grow roses in a desert. But for now, I'm taking it one day at a time.
I've got faith that one day - our day will come and the good guys will win. Maybe not today, but someday.
You are a beautiful man. If the next wave of young people shares your ideals, this country might not be going straight to hell after all.
Thanks, Monkey Rock. :) I don't think any man has ever called me beautiful, before,....hahahaha. Kidding.;) I was once called that when I cross-dressed for a family day show, at my old merchant bank.
Lately, I've been entertaining thoughts that the only way this country is going to ever leap forward, is to fall hard first. It needs the wake-up call. Change will come, when it is ready to come.
Meanwhile, you can either choose to go against the tide and stand up for what you believe in,...or migrate to another country and get called back, after it has fallen to pieces. One choice may not necessarily be better, than the other.
Post a Comment
<< Home