Leadership Chapter 22

So what had I forgotten in all of the lessons that my mentor had taught me when I first took this job? What had I forgotten in the lessons that he had taught me after my first real clash with my boss? 

I had forgotten to serve my leader, I had forgotten to make him look good, I had forgotten to make him feel like he was in charge and had become a threat, I had forgotten to build a good relationship with him and instead I had gone off in another direction, doing the right things but my “own right things” and not ours. Was I making progress? Yes absolutely, but it was MY progress and not OURS. 

Fast forward two weeks and the day of the award ceremony is here. The company has run a fairly wide voting process and the winners have been decided. I arrive wearing a black suit and go around making small talk to colleagues. Today we are all friends, all arguments for the year are forgotten, drinks are flowing, music is playing and the venue is amazing. They have gone all out this time!! 

Proceedings begin with a speech by the CEO. We were just finishing off a fairly good year and he highlights a number of good things that the company has achieved. Somewhere in his speech he mentions my name as he speaks about the project that he had asked me to work on a few months earlier. My boss almost chokes. 

The award ceremony begins, the bright lights, the music, the cheering, the photos, the handshakes!! It’s all happening tonight. 

And then comes the manager of the year award. The top 3 Nominees are called out, the MC pauses... My name gets called out as the winner and to my absolute shock, the whole place goes wild with cheers! As I walk through the crowd on my way to the front, I get all sorts of pats on the back from people who I don’t even know.. 

I get to the stage, I shake the CEO’s hand, he leans over and says to me.. “well done. you deserve all those cheers. You have a bright future here.” Feeling overwhelmed and reflecting on the hard time I have had, this moment is surreal and deeply emotional. As I take the photo with the CEO, my team is shouting “speech speech speech”...

I walk down the stage, my team gathers around me, gives me a group hug and in the distance is my boss not clapping and looking deeply disturbed. On this night, I stay out of his way for the rest of what turned out to be a magical night. 

Leading up to this day I had just learnt one very valuable career lesson along side all else.... In times of corporate hardship, competence is your last line of defense!!