This blog post has been written and re-written so many times. I have deliberated about publishing it as it is quite a negative one.
Every journey has number of bumps and mine is no different – this is one of my big bumps!
Let’s hit that button!!
The sun was splitting the stones as I walked through Cork city on a gorgeous Saturday ten years ago with Dee and my kids, Brendan and Ellen.
It was a perfect day but my head was about to burst … I was far from perfect.
The torturing turning of the screw was full on and one of the owners wanted this pushy, challenging, drive forward, energetic, self minded General Manager out of their company.
Because of an underlying dispute between the joint owners of the company a big attempt was made a few years before by one of the parties to force me out and I managed, probably out of pure stubbornness to stick in there, putting up with the horrible atmosphere, beating every target and meeting every challenge that they put before me.
Company performance had never been better, we were making good profits and earlier, devious attempts to turn my management team against me had failed with the opposite now happening.
In a tough, competitive environment we were thriving.
The final straw was me taking on someone new on a commission arrangement with the Chairman’s permission – one of the owners felt this was reckless behaviour and coupled with a few other concocted incidents it was deemed that I was not to be trusted any more.
After a visit by the new managing director of this global business it was decided that this boy would have to provide a detailed list of his movements for each week in advance, mornings and afternoons.
If the relevant powers decided this schedule was not appropriate it could be altered. His words were that “I was manager in name only and had to run all of my actions through someone else“.
Excellent!
I had better things to do with my life than put up with this stupidity and being constantly caught in the owners crossfire and on that sunny Saturday I decided I was done. I went home and wrote my letter informing them that my position was untenable and that I would leave in the near future.
A few weeks later I left to work on my own projects.
People ask me was it difficult (my folks thought I had lost my marbles!) to move from a good, secure, extremely well paid job into self employment – in truth when that decision came it was not a difficult one.
Despite my considerable financial commitments (just like everyone) I had arrived at a point in my life where it was the only decision left to be made. Easy!
This turned out to be one of the best decisions I have ever made but I didn’t appreciate the heavy hands on my back.
Many felt I should take a legal route with my ex-employers but I decided it was better and healthier to focus all of my energy in a positive direction so that I could achieve my new goals and put bread on the table. However, ten years later it still lingers in the back of my mind and I remember the horrible feeling at that time.
It’s really important to me that I enjoy what I do and that in Fuzion we provide a great work environment for all of our team.
I call it #WinHappy
If you find that a screw is being turned on you do your best to take control.
Greg Canty is a partner of Fuzion (for ten years now!)
Greg Canty Fuzion Blog 