Journey from when you call it “Quits”!
I am sure most of the guys out there reading this article at some point of time or other, faced this scenario. I bet you did! Journey from when you call it “Quits!” Gives you basically two emotions, namely –
1] Happiness
2] Confidence
Let me explain how these two emotions gripped me during the time I was serving the notice period (NP).
1] Happiness: Oh yes! This was the first emotion I faced and lot many of you too must have gone through each time you call it quits in any organization. See… it still brings that huge scintillating smile of my face!! Love it always. Okay, now why do I get happy? I would anyways be working, if not here then somewhere else. So what’s the big deal?? But still I was happy. And this time I knew … why!!!!!
I had been working like a dog in this organization. And when it’s time for any reward or for that matter any recognition, forget the bones, I get only peanuts! Do I like it?? The answer is a big “NO”. Recognition seems to come only to the leader (clown), who was nowhere in the scene till the time the final presentation of the work well done by me, was ready. For your information, the presentation too was prepared by me! I sat at some corner of the conference hall, and listen to what the clown had to say. People clap… they are happy at such nice work being done by this clown. At least they pretend to be happy! It’s only me who suffers. I was annoyed. I feel like shouting out loud… “That’s my project.” Alas. I don’t.
Ratings – Oh yes I do get a rating of “Exceeding Expectations”. Boss, when I was exceeding your expectations then why don’t you exceed my expectations in giving me a better hike… a better bonus? Why … why not?? Yes you exceed my expectations! You give me such low hike or bonus that in it you surpass all my expectations… my brain cannot even reach near to such rewards!! Over the years, I got used to it…. I stopped fighting with the clowns… I became a mute spectator… And then that I have another job offer on hand…. Why shouldn’t I be happy. I had full right to be…. And happy I was!
2] Confidence: It’s an add-on to the feeling of happiness that I had just explained. When you have a new job on hand, you are confident. Confident of yourself….confident that you can give a standing ovation of you middle finger to the clowns around you! Believe me …. Even I felt like doing it…. I was confident of performing well in any organization. I knew this is not the end of world. The world is my oyster. And I could win over… over again.
I kept checking my mails… personal mail id of course. I just wanted to quit and move on. I waited and waited. Time seemed to be running slow. And there it came… My offer letter!!! I quickly send the resignation letter to one of the clown. I was so very happy!!!
Time goes on… couple of minutes… couple of hours… I waited. And then… the clown pinged me and called me to his desk! Bang! I was just waiting for this boss!!! I thought out loud. Okay… I got up and got going.
All smiles… I entered the clown’s cabin. Hah… don’t ever in your wildest thought think that it’s his cabin. He doesn’t deserve it. He was just seated there since there were no other ports available… like it generally happens in any IT and services industry. The first sentence that he uttered was – “I thought its some forwarded mail. Are you serious?” And my quick answer to it was “Yes”. He asked me why, when, how etc… all the usual questions and then after about 45 minutes of discussion, he allowed me 2 days to think over it, which I didn’t accept. I was rigid. I told my decision was made. And from there the drama began!
I was made to talk with the clown’s manager and then when things didn’t work out, with the AVP… that stands for Assistant Vice President of the site. Questions directed towards me were like… “Why are you quitting the company?” “We have such high hopes for you! We are thinking of sending you to US. We are thinking of making you the team lead” etc etc… Oh my God!!! The management was thinking for me??!!!?? Why didn’t you think about me before I called it quits? Why didn’t you think of me when I was sitting in some corner of the conference rooms and clapping when my projects were projected by the clowns? Why would you even think of thinking about me???? Why waste your time and energy and why waste mine? These were many questions running through my mind. But I kept shut. I didn’t think they deserve my words. Atlast when they could not see me bending, they decided to give way.
After all these repeated sessions, came the HR into the picture. And for obvious reasons I don’t like talking to these people. People sitting there just to take home some big bucks at the end of the month! Shoots! I always prefer keeping numb when any stupid question was directed to me. This time though I felt like giving them a reason to why I was quitting. And I told them. Let me not put it here in the open forum. And again those irritating reactions from these people. Oh God!! Why??? The only positive outcome from these sessions – my resignation got accepted! Finally a big smile!!
The journey had now began. I was kept away from all the discussions. There would be this killing silence at times in the meetings etc… something like “Oh she is not supposed to know this!” As though I didnt know any secrets of the organization. “You might not tell me a couple of these but what about those that I already knew? Kindly understand that if I wish to and if my ethics were to be wrong, I could do wrong. But I am not among those. I never sold my ethics to anyone for anything.”
I moved around along with my same team. They were all happy that I was finally moving out for a better opportunity. They saw avenues opening up for them too. All wanted to move now. The clown gave me a weird look everytime I walked away with my friends. As though he wished to tell me - “Dare instigate the others to leave the company and you die!” And I gave one of my “I don’t care a damn!” kind of looks back at him followed by my … scintillating smile. Smile… you know what… this is the biggest tool to fight all odds, especially in the corporate world. If you give someone a smile when he/she is trying to bully you, he/she is forced to think… what you are upto! And voila … it works!
Okay my resignation was accepted but these clowns refused to update it on the system. I got so bugged up. Day in and day out I bugged them. I would run onto them each day and pop the same question “When am I getting released?” People say, if you keep rubbing a stone… it erodes! Hence I did that.
Then replacement was one major head-ache. No, not for me. But for the clowns. I was told they need to find a replacement who would have the same skill set as mine and same work experience. This time I thought I would help them here. Actually not help them but help my friends find a job. But however, the clowns rejected my referrals. They told they had someone good in their mind. And I thought … “Whatever”.
Every day I would ask clown about when this new joinee would be coming over. And I would be asked to wait. And one fine day, the new one did turn up. I was thrilled. I thought my day is nearing!
I reached out to my replacement. I made him feel at home. I showed how things work in the organization, what my work was, how it would be transferred to him etc. And I was sincere in it. But my replacement didn’t even knew how to start the system… forget about understanding the work! I was at last forced to ask what his education was and all about his previous experience. And I was shocked with his answer. He was nowhere near to my educational qualification neither to my work experience. How… then how was he selected to be my replacement?? I couldn’t stop myself from asking him how he got through. And his answer explained me all. He was the brother of one of the other clowns! That’s how he fits into being my replacement. “Why me.. he could even replace the VP of the company!!” - I thought to myself.
But I was true to my work and hence I tried to download all onto my replacement. I tried hard to show him the ways that the systems work. But the clown had to poke his head into this business and so he did. He asked my replacement to learn the process in and out. Not only how to run it but also the techno-functional things. He even asked my replacement to get me to explain the codes. I thought to myself – “Enough is enough… I could not sit here teaching the ABCs of code to someone … Plus I was not into the profession of teaching. I was a business consultant. Someone replacing me should have the basic knowledge of the business and should be technically sound since I was also into the development of tools, projects etc.” I decided I am not taking it any more. And I didn’t. The more clowns thought of dancing on my head… the more I started to dance so that they could not stabilize over my head and fall off!!
Finally the day came of my release. My NP was finally over. I went through hell during this time. I realized the fact – “People don’t quit jobs. They quit their boss” And it’s so very true. I had quit the clown and not the company nor my work. I went ahead and joined the other company. And I am working. So far… so good!
1] Happiness
2] Confidence
Let me explain how these two emotions gripped me during the time I was serving the notice period (NP).
1] Happiness: Oh yes! This was the first emotion I faced and lot many of you too must have gone through each time you call it quits in any organization. See… it still brings that huge scintillating smile of my face!! Love it always. Okay, now why do I get happy? I would anyways be working, if not here then somewhere else. So what’s the big deal?? But still I was happy. And this time I knew … why!!!!!
I had been working like a dog in this organization. And when it’s time for any reward or for that matter any recognition, forget the bones, I get only peanuts! Do I like it?? The answer is a big “NO”. Recognition seems to come only to the leader (clown), who was nowhere in the scene till the time the final presentation of the work well done by me, was ready. For your information, the presentation too was prepared by me! I sat at some corner of the conference hall, and listen to what the clown had to say. People clap… they are happy at such nice work being done by this clown. At least they pretend to be happy! It’s only me who suffers. I was annoyed. I feel like shouting out loud… “That’s my project.” Alas. I don’t.
Ratings – Oh yes I do get a rating of “Exceeding Expectations”. Boss, when I was exceeding your expectations then why don’t you exceed my expectations in giving me a better hike… a better bonus? Why … why not?? Yes you exceed my expectations! You give me such low hike or bonus that in it you surpass all my expectations… my brain cannot even reach near to such rewards!! Over the years, I got used to it…. I stopped fighting with the clowns… I became a mute spectator… And then that I have another job offer on hand…. Why shouldn’t I be happy. I had full right to be…. And happy I was!
2] Confidence: It’s an add-on to the feeling of happiness that I had just explained. When you have a new job on hand, you are confident. Confident of yourself….confident that you can give a standing ovation of you middle finger to the clowns around you! Believe me …. Even I felt like doing it…. I was confident of performing well in any organization. I knew this is not the end of world. The world is my oyster. And I could win over… over again.
I kept checking my mails… personal mail id of course. I just wanted to quit and move on. I waited and waited. Time seemed to be running slow. And there it came… My offer letter!!! I quickly send the resignation letter to one of the clown. I was so very happy!!!
Time goes on… couple of minutes… couple of hours… I waited. And then… the clown pinged me and called me to his desk! Bang! I was just waiting for this boss!!! I thought out loud. Okay… I got up and got going.
All smiles… I entered the clown’s cabin. Hah… don’t ever in your wildest thought think that it’s his cabin. He doesn’t deserve it. He was just seated there since there were no other ports available… like it generally happens in any IT and services industry. The first sentence that he uttered was – “I thought its some forwarded mail. Are you serious?” And my quick answer to it was “Yes”. He asked me why, when, how etc… all the usual questions and then after about 45 minutes of discussion, he allowed me 2 days to think over it, which I didn’t accept. I was rigid. I told my decision was made. And from there the drama began!
I was made to talk with the clown’s manager and then when things didn’t work out, with the AVP… that stands for Assistant Vice President of the site. Questions directed towards me were like… “Why are you quitting the company?” “We have such high hopes for you! We are thinking of sending you to US. We are thinking of making you the team lead” etc etc… Oh my God!!! The management was thinking for me??!!!?? Why didn’t you think about me before I called it quits? Why didn’t you think of me when I was sitting in some corner of the conference rooms and clapping when my projects were projected by the clowns? Why would you even think of thinking about me???? Why waste your time and energy and why waste mine? These were many questions running through my mind. But I kept shut. I didn’t think they deserve my words. Atlast when they could not see me bending, they decided to give way.
After all these repeated sessions, came the HR into the picture. And for obvious reasons I don’t like talking to these people. People sitting there just to take home some big bucks at the end of the month! Shoots! I always prefer keeping numb when any stupid question was directed to me. This time though I felt like giving them a reason to why I was quitting. And I told them. Let me not put it here in the open forum. And again those irritating reactions from these people. Oh God!! Why??? The only positive outcome from these sessions – my resignation got accepted! Finally a big smile!!
The journey had now began. I was kept away from all the discussions. There would be this killing silence at times in the meetings etc… something like “Oh she is not supposed to know this!” As though I didnt know any secrets of the organization. “You might not tell me a couple of these but what about those that I already knew? Kindly understand that if I wish to and if my ethics were to be wrong, I could do wrong. But I am not among those. I never sold my ethics to anyone for anything.”
I moved around along with my same team. They were all happy that I was finally moving out for a better opportunity. They saw avenues opening up for them too. All wanted to move now. The clown gave me a weird look everytime I walked away with my friends. As though he wished to tell me - “Dare instigate the others to leave the company and you die!” And I gave one of my “I don’t care a damn!” kind of looks back at him followed by my … scintillating smile. Smile… you know what… this is the biggest tool to fight all odds, especially in the corporate world. If you give someone a smile when he/she is trying to bully you, he/she is forced to think… what you are upto! And voila … it works!
Okay my resignation was accepted but these clowns refused to update it on the system. I got so bugged up. Day in and day out I bugged them. I would run onto them each day and pop the same question “When am I getting released?” People say, if you keep rubbing a stone… it erodes! Hence I did that.
Then replacement was one major head-ache. No, not for me. But for the clowns. I was told they need to find a replacement who would have the same skill set as mine and same work experience. This time I thought I would help them here. Actually not help them but help my friends find a job. But however, the clowns rejected my referrals. They told they had someone good in their mind. And I thought … “Whatever”.
Every day I would ask clown about when this new joinee would be coming over. And I would be asked to wait. And one fine day, the new one did turn up. I was thrilled. I thought my day is nearing!
I reached out to my replacement. I made him feel at home. I showed how things work in the organization, what my work was, how it would be transferred to him etc. And I was sincere in it. But my replacement didn’t even knew how to start the system… forget about understanding the work! I was at last forced to ask what his education was and all about his previous experience. And I was shocked with his answer. He was nowhere near to my educational qualification neither to my work experience. How… then how was he selected to be my replacement?? I couldn’t stop myself from asking him how he got through. And his answer explained me all. He was the brother of one of the other clowns! That’s how he fits into being my replacement. “Why me.. he could even replace the VP of the company!!” - I thought to myself.
But I was true to my work and hence I tried to download all onto my replacement. I tried hard to show him the ways that the systems work. But the clown had to poke his head into this business and so he did. He asked my replacement to learn the process in and out. Not only how to run it but also the techno-functional things. He even asked my replacement to get me to explain the codes. I thought to myself – “Enough is enough… I could not sit here teaching the ABCs of code to someone … Plus I was not into the profession of teaching. I was a business consultant. Someone replacing me should have the basic knowledge of the business and should be technically sound since I was also into the development of tools, projects etc.” I decided I am not taking it any more. And I didn’t. The more clowns thought of dancing on my head… the more I started to dance so that they could not stabilize over my head and fall off!!
Finally the day came of my release. My NP was finally over. I went through hell during this time. I realized the fact – “People don’t quit jobs. They quit their boss” And it’s so very true. I had quit the clown and not the company nor my work. I went ahead and joined the other company. And I am working. So far… so good!
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