Monday, August 11, 2008

The corporate drama!!

Posted by Mood Swings at 9:50 AM

I have spent almost a year working in an MNC or typically what they address it as "Corporate sector" in a more user-friendly term.

Ironically, till this date I have failed to understand all the mind-games people play here. Those games which are clever, uncanny and totally tactful.

It's utterly harsh how the enormously overated "corporate world" compels me to be someone that I'm not.

Why is it that I'm expected to be a "certain this and a certain that" when all I can be is what I choose to be rather than trying to be what I'm expected of by others.

Ok. If this sounds confusing, then let me make it more understandable for you.
Living in the corporate circles means talking all that is "supposedly meant" to be. Fake. Fake. Fake.

Looking at the person that I am, my general behaviour sometimes beccomes just too obvious for people. Often, I do the talk that is not "supposed" to be talked and walk the walk that's not supposed to be "walked".

Naturally, this 'typical-ME' not only makes a totally tactless soul of me but also makes my senses lack the know-hows of the tricky "corporate game play."

Everyone here talks about "networking" with eachother.

It is been proven that if you're an excellent networking bee, then half your job in climbing the corporate ladder becomes easier. Apparently, it is the networking that gets you where you want to be.Yes, a (corporate) mantra for a quicker promotion.

If you lack the social skills of "doing the talk" among the corporate circles, then you're termed as someone who's either less interesting or blamed of taming low morale at work. Face value works here!!

So what does it really take to be a gung-ho at playing corporate games?

Does it mean you gotta be well-read? or has it got to do with being diplomatic? Or is it that you just have to be something that you're not underneath?

Certainly, it takes you to wear masks of several types.

You probably also need to draw a bit of an inspiration from the habitual chameleon to master the art of changing colours or camouflage oneself in different every now and then.

Sometimes I wonder if I will ever make it to the top of ladders inspite of all the hardwork, sincereity, and efforts I have been putting into 9 hrs. of my work life.

Well, not quite.

Sources claim where there is networking , numbers hardly ever matter. The only thing that matters is the games of the mind...PERIOD.

8 comments:

XCENTRIC on August 21, 2008 at 5:00 AM said...

Yes, I agree there is a lot of drama in the corporate sector, but then what is life without a little drama? ;)

Faiz Shariff on August 22, 2008 at 7:39 AM said...

O boy... this is scary. And sadly, true as well.

Mood Swings on August 23, 2008 at 9:50 AM said...

Unfortunately it is!!

Anonymous said...

I agree that there is a lot of stress on Networking but it is because of the nature of our job.

I mean, it would not matter in a technical job where in the performance would speak for itself or in a sales job where in the numbers would speak for itself.

I believe if one quietly excels in his/her job and does the required bit of networking he/she would definitely succeed.

Anonymous said...

hey tats the case nywhere dear ...
its we who choose to be wat we r ..... u just need to kno how to market urself so wat if ur the best thin ard....

Mood Swings on September 10, 2008 at 5:27 AM said...

well...yeah. We can't choose somethings when they're meant to be how they are! But atleast we can fret and frown about it. Sigh..!

The King Centaur... on September 23, 2008 at 11:07 AM said...

Greetings, my lady. First things first. That's something what I call as a bird view approach of the corporate world and it can get dirtier when people dig deeeper. I would see, what you have witnessed is the tip of the ice berg, and as you go up the ladder (I am sure you will due to your talents) you will understand what I am saying.

The corporate world does engulf's one individualness. Its a place where we cannot be who we really are, unless you re the one owning the company and by the time one reaches there (thru all these years of bad experience) they also follow on what can be termed as "trend" of the world.

Here as you have stated, you re expected to be somebody, a person, who they think you are and it does not worry them, who truly you are.

Fake - Its generally a part of the skills termed as "diplomat" and the meaning for that word digresses widely from the standard oxford dictionary ;)

Corporate games are more subtle forms of marketing strategies, the ones used by the crafty Chanakya or Kautilya as we call him now.

To me, if you want to play corportae games, you have to "network", people who have good network climb their way using an elevator, while the others struggle on the ladder and the stairs. Networking is important because, a lot can be achieved thru it, and if you initiate it well, people will think you can pull strings and when everybody approaches you or suggests to ask for your suggestions, well, there you go. You are the top performer!

I think the second is you need to worry about yourself and not the others, even if it means to kill the other person. Its commonly known as "Dog eat dog" policy or what in corporate terms is know as "survival of the fittest". I hate this policy and I dont follow it though I am a scape goat of that policy.

Thrd is, you must know about every body or what is commonly known as "Gossip" which you have to indulge and some times with the ability to do things by starting rumours that should not be traced to you.(not my cup of tea)

Fourth, smoking and drinking - the place where all the secrets are out. You must start liking those places. (Again some thing which I dont do)

Fifth is dance and participate in all events so that your visibility factor is always seen.

The last thing is that, you should never ever ever work hard. You ve got to work smart. Else my dear lass, you will be way behind.

You should not only be inspired by the chameleon, but also morph into one, while keeping your sacred space (the true you) in convers so that it does not get affected. Its required for the life out of the corporate culture.

I shal stop here now, as I think, I have written more than you have blogged. I better stop now, before you get bugged with this.

One last thing, I am sure that you will scale great heights. I have been telling you this from the very beginning. You have an amazing atitide and I hope you work your way thru.

Best Wishes
You Know who!

The King Centaur... on September 23, 2008 at 11:09 AM said...

one thing i still admire is your language and the your choice of words - top class! That will always been my benchmark..

Cheers!

 

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