POWER
We’ve all heard the quote ” power tends to corrupt,and absolute power corrupts absolutely ” which basically means that a person’s sense of morality lessens as his or her power increases. The statement was made by Lord Acton, a British historian of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.
We have seen this proven true throughout time and history. From the beginnings of man to the Roman Empire to the rise of Adolf Hitler and beyond. We see it in our everyday lives. Its not just power hungry public figures or religious fanatics that succumb to the siren that is power. It happens to people of all walks of life, and all religions, and in a professional capacity as well. I’ll give you an example. Lets take a small business that has been owned by the same people for five years has no management other than the owner, who solved all problems and handled all employee issues. The owner hires a former employee who had not worked there for more years than the current owner has been there. this person comes in and ingratiates themselves to ownership, doing things covering extra shifts, signing for deliveries, whatever. Then, one day, out of the blue, about two years later the rest of the staff learns this person has been given a supervisory position, over people who have been there for five years or more. Then, employees who are used to handling negative situations with their co-workers are told they can no longer do that. They now have to go through the ” chain of command” which begins with the new supervisor. Basically, the owner of the business changed a system that worked for almost seven years to everyone’s satisfaction and completely scrapped it for a system that caters to the ego of the supervisor and will breed resentment from those below him or her. One has to wonder why? It makes absolutely no sense to do something like that unless the intent is to get rid of the employee that it affects the most. Eventually, the resentment is going to become too much for even the most mild mannered person to control, and when that happens, that is the end of that person’s employment because there is no way to go back.
12 Comments
Maybe if you feel that strongly you should talk to the owners of said business I am sure they would love the feed back…
How many times can a person smack their head against a wall before doing any damage? Lets face the fact that when he gave out raises, and gave me less than everybody else, he showed what little respect he has for the job I do for him and the loyalty I’ve showed him. In effect, that was the end of any longterm future I have here. That is the writing on the wall. There was no sense in talking to him about because I would have gotten yet another chorus of the ” 9-11 terrorist attacks hurt my business and it still hasn’t recovered ” and that would have infuriated me even more.
What can I say? Apparently, calling off ONCE in SEVEN YEARS and doing everything I could to keep him informed of what goes on when he is not here in order to protect his livelyhood was just never enough.
As for raises…if that is your gripe..I do this on straight pay $7.25,and if your problem is with him you definitely should not be taking it out on me.As for loyalty,I work doubles for anytime I have to miss I work every day and I am the person people call when they have a problem,I’m the first person to go back after my shift to assist with the problem,can you say the same? I do a lot more than sign for deliveries,I find a decent way to handle problems besides leaving nasty notes and calling people at home.You want to vent about other employees thats fine but talking to them like people gets you further than talking down to them,which I do not do lets just leave it at that..
Yeah, some people just let the “power” go to their heads. Lol just quit already Will! If a job and your co-workers are that much of a pain in the ass just leave. It’s not good for your health to be balled up frustrated all the time. And besides, you know as well as I do, everyone in that place is a supervisor on their own shifts. I signed for deliveries, covered shifts, handled problems with guests in a decent manner, just as well as everyone else did. So if someone doing the same job you’re doing with just a title attached is bothering you, either don’t let it or escape the problem. Off to Borders! Whee!
First of all Kathy, you are right about one thing, the raise issue is between me and the man, and if choose to stay i will address it with him. Second, I don’t call you when I have a problem. I call the ” only boss ” and whether you like it or not, if I stay I will continue to do that. Third, I have covered other shifts or parts of them when people don’t bother to show up even on days when I was scheduled to work at the store. So don’t you dare give me shit about that. Fourth, I don’t have to work doubles when I miss work because I DON’T MISS WORK! Fifth, as far as calling people when they don’t do their job, I DID IT ONCE! and while we’re on the subject, did you bother to say anything to her? I’m going to guess NO you didn’t! As for leaving a note, how many times did I tell you she was doing not the job? How many Kathy? You talking to her was having absolutely no a ffect. So I left her a very strongly worded not telling her she was fucking up and it needed to stop. I was not talking down to her. I went to Hament with the problem because, if i recall correctly, YOU WERE NOT HERE! and the problem needed to be handled. Last, why is it that you think you get last word? Not a chance in hell!
Jenn, you know you’re right, so do I. The problem is she likes to flaught her title. She can’t go 20 freakin minutes without the words ” I’m the front desk manager ” coming out of her pie hole. its irritating as all hell. Now, she’s trying to make it so all communication with Hament and Alpa has to go through her. I needed something for the audit so i left a note for Hament. She came in saw the note, told me she allready left him a note in the back then threw mine away. Well, I didn’t get what i needed because there was no note where he could see it and he forgot. Its ridiculous. Its all about power. And take a look at the last thing she wrote in her last comment. She thinks she gets to dictate who gett the last word. WTF!
As far anything being said about you commenting or telling me I should leave, should anyone be dumb enough to say anything, i will make it very clear that I asked you to comment because I wanted your opinion. I f they have anything to say, they need to say it to me.
Delusions of Grandeur – suck. XD
Apparently there is some confusion about who left a certain comment about this post. I ask that anyone with a question to please look at the very last line underneath the comment it shows exactly who wrote it.
Also, let me make this perfectly clear, MY FRIEND JENNIFER commented on this post because I ASKED HER TO GIVE ME HER OPINION! SHE DID NOT BASH OR BAD MOUTH EITHER PARTY INVOLVED! If anyone has a problem with this, TALK TO ME!
Kathy, it would appear that I wrote the post you’re talking about not Jenn.
Wow, now that’s what I call handling problems in a decent manner. Tattle tailing always works well, lol. GET A LIFE PLEASE!!! I have too much of my own DRAMA to be pulled into your small time drama Kathy. I mean really…that is so bizarre…trying to, what, get me in trouble with my former bosses? Seriously, what were you trying to do? Lol, priceless.
Ok, this was pretty much my fault. I should have just let her do whatever the hell she wanted and just went behind her back and did what i’ve always done, go to the boss when there is a problem. Like i said, I will continue to do that until I leave, and the way things are going, that will be soon. So, she gets it her way. Truth be told, I don’t have a problem with it.
Agaain Jenn, I apolgise for involving you. I just wanted to know what you thought of the situation. I know all you did was give me your opinion. I assure it did not fall on deaf ears.
It’s okay, just hang in there!
Always.