It's about 5 months since I started my new role. Being a leader is not something new to me, I have people reporting to me before, but this time around it's different. The stakes are higher, accountability is more intense and I have more things and people who I need to take care of. It helps that I love what I do so I am taking this challenge one day at a time.
Funny enough, I was watching The Devil Wears Prada on my flight back to KLIA. It's not my first time watching this movie, but somehow, perhaps due to aging, things I learned from this round of viewing was different. Before this, I was watching this movie from a subordinate point of view and now I am watching this movie from a boss point of view trying to find resemblance of my character with Miranda Priestly. And do I want to be Miranda Priestly.
Well, I was and still is labeled by some of my ex-subordinates as someone who are mean and inconsiderate, not wanting to hear other people's views (read - their views) and many other words which they associate with me. To certain extent, I am Miranda Priestly to them. To be honest, that don't bother me that much. Cause I've labeled some of my ex bosses as one before. So, it's fair for me to be labeled that way.
You see, human behaviour works that way. We always forget what we received the moment we failed to get what we want. If we made 10 requests and 7 got accepted while 3 got rejected, we tend to remember the 3 rather than the 7. We forgot how we landed the job, how the same person who open the door for us to be where we are not as a person who did just that, we only remember how our ideas or the way we do things got rejected. Well, it's human behaviour, and I am quite ok with that. I must confess, I was once like that. However, perhaps I am little bit different cause I still remember and forever grateful with the people who open doors for me. Yes, they may have rejected some of my ways or ideas, but I always remind myself, they are the door opener, and without them I will not be who I am today. My mom always taught me to look things at the bright side and always remember the good people do to you and not focusing too much on the not so good things.
And now, being higher in the company's food chain, I begin to see why some decisions are made. I begin to have some appreciation on how I felt I was victimised before, when actual fact it was to guide me to be a more productive employee. It's guiding my passion so that I don't forget the end goal. It's like how you appreciate your parents better when you become one. That's the feeling.
And I am ok for some to feel I suck as a boss. Like I said, at times, I feel like that about my previous bosses. And I am also ok for those who refused to acknowledge me as someone higher than them. Again, it's human reaction towards certain decisions. I'm cool with that. I am ok for them to mock me, undermined my credibility and
Nevertheless, I will never limit myself to keep on improving, at least to motivate the majority and focus my energy in developing those who wants to be developed. That's the amanah that has been given to me and I am determine to carry that through, Insyallah.
And, yes, I am ok that they unfriend me from their FB. I would do the same if I were in their position, I guess :)
In The Devil Wears Prada, so who do you see yourself as ; Miranda, Andy, Emily or Nigel. Or perhaps opportunist like Christian. And remember to watch the movie again when you are in a management position one day. You'll see the difference.
Signing off,
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