Do you have a boss or a coach?

Several years ago my company recruited an industry rising star to run our global sales organization.  This man brought the team concept the company.  I no longer worked for the technical support organization but rather worked on the technical support team.  I no longer had a boss.  I now had a coach.  I no longer reported to the global technical support Vice President.  I now was supported by the global technical support Vice President.  The changes were implemented so that associates would be team members with a better relationship with the chain of command.  I was now coached by coach.  However, underneath the naming convention things were still the same.  People were still promoted, fired and laid off.  But now it was done by their coach rather than their boss.   The man who brought the teaming concept to the company moved on to greener pastures after several years.  Some of the teaming concept has stayed.  Most associates are not sure if they have a coach or a boss.  As of today, the man I report to prefers that I call him my manager and not my coach or boss.

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Why did I call this blog Corporate Slave?

For starters I considered calling it Corporate Whore but I though this title would attract porn seekers.  I have often joked with close friends at work that we were nothing but whores because we would take on any assignment.  Just like a whore not turning away a trick.  However, I chose corporate slave instead.  I have often felt like a slave especially while undergoing a business transition.  During my career I have worked for about seven different corporate entities due to mergers, acquisitions, divestiture, spin-offs and finally a purchase by private equity.  With each change I was given an assignment to work in a particular department or subsidiary.  I was never asked about my preferences. I was never given a choice.  I accepted the job that the leadership deemed I was best suited to perform.  I chose not to leave each new corporate entity because the pay was good and I wanted to see what the new leadership had to offer.  

 

My corporate experiences pale in comparison to what the slaves in the United States have endured.  They suffered tremendous hardships and tragedies.  Their lives were torn apart.  I refer to myself as a corporate slave because my skills have been bought, sold, bartered and traded over the thirty years I have worked in corporate America.  However, I was paid for my services unlike slaves.  So perhaps I’m really more of a whore than a slave.

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Hello

I have gone back and forth on how to start this blog. I wanted my first post to set the tone for the blog but I can’t seem to decide what that tone should be. I’ll just have to make it up as I go. I’m not sure why I am doing this. I am usually a very private person. Don’t expect a lot of explicit details and names. I will probably use nicknames or initials to maintain some distance from my readers. You can expect to read about my work and home life. I will not give too many details about the corporate life so that I will not be fired for blogging about the office. I can’t promise that I will post everyday. I am also unsure as to why I have started this blog a week before I leave for a vacation. I will reveal more details about my life as the blog grows. I don’t want to put everything out there right now. For starters here’s a little glimpse of my life.

I was raised in the St. Louis suburbs and went to Catholic school for twelve years. I worked my way through college. I met my first partner, C, while in college. A few weeks after graduation in 1982 I moved to Dallas and C soon followed. The relationship ended a few months after he joined me in Dallas. I had a great time in Dallas. I met a wonderful group of people and a few are still friends today. In 1983 I met my second partner, D, who treated me like a king. Unfortunately, D died from complications due to AIDS in 1988. Six months later I was transferred to Denver. After a few years in Denver I met another wonderful man. K and I have been together for 16 years. I have a wonderful life and a great group of friends.

Stay tuned for more and I will explain the title of this blog…..

 

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