Thursday, February 21, 2008

Why being a boss of a corporation is tough

Well, I just don't have to say much on the topic or do I have to? In the modern,cosmopolitan world leading a corporation is no easy accomplishments. We all see one part of the nice story where chief gets to fly in amazing airlines with just mind boggling service, travelling in the best posh cars, the revenue, the stocks, living in best possible places, eating in niche place, hanging out in cool zones. Wow. Eye catcher and the heart skips the beat when we see this. Which part of the planet have these people come from?

Now, on the hindsight, the other problems that the same bosses face is when the corporation is like starring at the possible numbers that the wall street or Luxembourg bourses and investors don't like, when the corporation stares at possible increase in operational costs, when the corporation faces labor arbitrage, when corporation faces 1001 questions related to media speculation, when products don't reach market and does not attract the market capitalization as expected, when corporation fails to move forward and suddenly begin to run out of ideas on it's existence and finally when corporation forgets the math to make profits instead takes loses and eventually buries itself in a huge pile of debts. Who comes under the scanner then? The same guy whom we saw in the previous paragraph. Isn't it strange when you hear Timberlake singing "What goes around comes back around..".

These are possible trouble times when you are looking for one bull to plough through without much reactions. That gives the employees all the security. Let's rewind a bit the 2000 recession, the 09/11 attack, the labor arbitrage factors came into serious discussions. What employees began speculating anything and everything that came their way, was put to rest by the chief's responses - we stay or we don't. How much comforting it gets to see a brave man, that lonely figure trying to find a way to survive the onslaught. They hardly come down to any other employee. So we would never be able to understand what it takes for a man to stand and stare at the adversity without a blink and come up with assurances about not just a solution to plough through but also surviving. Takes a great guy to do that.

Now these perks would make any mortal so happy but these apart these perks are the bones that keep the shepherd dog, the watch dog happy. And when in adversity the dog not barks but howls loud. It is not just for these situations, but also when the chief deals with people. People drive the show in most corporations and eventually it is the money that works for everyone but imagine if you have to let go someone from their job. Thenormal 9 to 5 job which everyone bitch about and cry out loud suddenly does not exist and we become more vulnerable. Imagine that too when the axe has to fall on the man second to the commander-in-chief! Honestly, people who cry out loud for the money lavishly being given to all the big dogs, should take that quick second to see what they would do?

I took a second. I realize I would never be able to handle that situation. I would never be able to say someone "Sorry mate, Show's over and the curtain closes". I never would be able to do. I am not emotional usually but this situation is grey. It is like not only you hit the other guy underthe belt but also have to stay straight and calm. I was disturbed today as this happened at an enterprise I know. The second big dog was let go off and the big dog was ever so composed in her action and the way it was all set up. I was like, wow, the money they give them is also for handling situation like this. It is so darn easy to get so overwhelmed and just mess it up but I think harder and can't agree more when Spiderman says "With greater power comes greater responsibility" and there is a price for that responsibility which makes it ever so decorated and coveted.

The more I think about this, the more I ascertain myself that I am happy being the shepherd dog and not the big dog because for now though I just cannot bite someone down so hard that they go crippled and become useless in their life ! I also realize that the dogs got to be cruel at some point. As I search around to see how to become hard, emotionless, I am worried and sad ! C'est la vie - Dog eat dog world indeed.

8 comments:

Pointblank said...

too complicated for my understanding! yet, I think I got the gist right! :)

Pointblank said...

hey... U a gemini? so r u dual faced, true to the geminian trait?

Vik Rajagopalan said...

@PB:

Well, it is just a pure politics at work told differently :-].. People are made to go home like there is no tomorrow so was a bit thinking about how difficult it would be for someone who is the boss to make decisions that is all.

Vik Rajagopalan said...

@PB:

Yup, don't know about dual face, I see only one every time I see myself in the mirror that is all LOL. Ok bad joke.

Yea very true to that trait.

Aarti said...

hmm, interesting.. this is something i've thot of a lot too.

shall write on it soon~~:D

have a fun day..
how u doin?

Saritha Rajagopal said...

U sure have a nice boss!!

If not, u wudnt really step into his shoes. Hehehe!!

But ya, kudos to bosses who do their job well!!

Vik Rajagopalan said...

@Aarti:

LOL yea write it and be nice when you write about your boss. Women bosses for some reason are difficult to work with - for me personally!

But would love to hear your part of the story !

Vik Rajagopalan said...

@Sari:

Oh yea - Me and my boss.. That is worth a discussion sometime later.

But why would I not fit in his shoes? Oh you thought am a shoe stealer LOL