the team in need is the solid team indeed

Adapting to new organizational culture has never been a piece of cake. What works for people in an organization may not work for those in another. A leadership style implemented in one department may not be effective in another one. I remember one author wrote "dealing with people is like dealing with a cat. If you kick them, you will never know whether they will go away or bite you".

I grew up in an educational business which has never been really purely business oriented, nor educational oriented. I started my career in academic ground then somehow along the way swift to the world of marketing and sales. What I have become is really reflected where I came from. Where many books claim that all marketing are liars, and to me I still can be a marketing person without having to lie (note: to exaggerate is not equal to lie. LOL). I still live up to my idealism and personal belief. No matter how hard it is.

Then there was a time when my leadership integrity is challenged. First case, one of my subordinate continuously presented inaccurate manipulative data even before I arrived. As I believe people can change, I gave him a chance to prove to improve. I was not given enough time to show the progress as the top decision maker was at the top of his toes to kick this guy out of the team. Without any warning letter or certain procedures, he was asked to leave.

If you think that was the only thing that color my life, you are completely wrong. Secondly, I got another guy who test your nerves by claiming that he needs one month to complete one single project. He said that the management is totally a chaos. I did some talk and offered my personal guarantee to improve the system while asking him to support the process by being cooperative. I was almost there, but then it was the time to evaluate his annual performance to decide whether we should extend his contract. Again this time, I believe I still can change him and change how people perceive him.  I never got there.  The top man viewed that poor attendance in the last month represent the whole year performance. Instead of improving this staff' attitude, the top guy pushed him to the edge. This time it was the staff who decided to take the initiative to resign.

Oh how I wish I could just manage the team just like a scarecrow does the birds. I wish I could just raise my hands and keep them hanging without having to feel anything to keep the farm field safe. I guess God has his own way of showing people how to gain strength.

One day, another member of my team decided to resign. Concerned about the high turn over of this year, I personally approached her to find out what happened and possibly how to stop her from leaving. She said it was something personal that she could not share. Then a day later, I found out that she felt being unfairly treated as I could not show my full affection to her as the former leader did to her. And she raised the issue that she was boycotted, cheated, not fully supported. The worst is she said something bad really happened to her and I did not try in anyway to rescue her. I did not try to defend myself nor find excuses. Perhaps I began to be weary of all these things.

I just tried to clarify with a hired staff, H, who happened to witness the real incidence she complained about. H said, my direct subordinate, E, cut the name of the staff of a database. I asked the person in private what actually happened, who did it and why it happened. E was silent and could not tell me in the eyes. I should have been able to corner him and shoot him right before my superior's eyes, but I did not. In disgrace, I said to my boss, " I knew who did it but I want the person to admit it". The proprietor remained silent and saved his own ass. So I wore all the blame and humiliation for not being able to lead the team.

What I felt did not matter to me, but I felt that the team should be solid as the target still has to be achieved. I have been practicing being a scape goat. Many give me bad names. That would not stop me to get where I want to go.

I still put the whole team in a meeting and made it sure that we will try our best to achieve the target. Then I left for another meeting so that I could divert my attention from those puzzles. Then I went to the HRD making statement that I was ready for a go. Before I finished explaining why I was planning to leave the post, the top man texted me asking to see him. I got my letter ready and got my chin up foreseeing what worse to come.

It never happened in the history of the company, the top man with the biggest ego would extend his apology. But he did, and said he was wrong about me. He said all my team member came all way up to him to prove that they were on my side. They said good things about me that I never expected I would hear from people that I lead in only 3 months but seem to know all good sides of me. I was almost choked to hear that they defend me from all accusation. Even the hired janitor daringly said  " You can just fire me instead of firing Ms. Kenny".

I do not know what to say. And my tears keep flowing when I found the letter from the janitor on my desk

" Miss, Maaf kalau saya bicara terus terang sama boss, walaupun miss melarang saya. Kebenaran harus ditegakkan".

I could not stop the tears from falling. I could not thank God more. I could not value the team work more than this team of mine for trusting me and protecting me.