It takes a certain type of individual

Gordon, there's been a lot of talk of people turning situations around, have you ever experienced, personal agendas, at work?

Yep (Office Politics)

Were you able to turn it around?

It takes a certain type of individual, to do that.

There are bad, good, and great employers. When you work for the latter, you can easily recognize, the first, and avoid them.

For years, my parents and others, mentioned to me that there would come-a-time, when I would hate going into work. As it would be filled with everything that you don't want in a business. They simply said that you had to "suck it up", until you could find something better. I say, learn to notice the signs while you interview. Be brave and walk away.

I'd been hired by a manufacturing company in Ontario, the interview was in two parts. Talking on the phone and then a meeting at a diner, near them. During the interview, Rick asked me to complete a technical aptitude test.

I was hired as a Production Technologist, to work with the Production Manager. I'd been taking night school courses for years, in engineering, and entering my third phase, of five, two nights a week.

A week past my probation ending, a Friday afternoon company gathering was called. I sat listening, and the CEO mentioned my name. He said that my technical aptitude test had come to the attention of Head Office. I was being promoted to Industrial Engineer, for the company, in Canada.

Bruce, the CEO, talked about my night school course, and years of study in engineering. He spoke about building me an office in the plant, and where they needed my focus to be. The Production Manager got up and walked out.

I watched as my office was built, as I attended to my duties.

Three weeks after the company gathering, I arrived early to work, on a Tuesday morning. I had a report to hand in, and went to Bruce's office to leave it on his desk. On approaching his office, I heard a heated discussion between Bruce and the Production Manager. As with all medium-sized companies, we have to pitch-in to get things done. Answering calls is one small aspect of that. It seems that customers and clients were raving about talking to me, as I treated them with respect and manners, rather than, as a pain.

The Production Manager said, "If Gordon doesn't answer the phone full-time, for a year, we won't have a company". The Production Manager wanted my new role. Bruce mentioned that promoting me was a Head Office directive, to turn things around from lagging sales. In fact, the company wasn't doing well, in Canada.

Another 15 minutes went by when the door to his office, swung open hastily. They both looked at me, and hung-their-heads. I walked out, with purpose, and got into my car and drove home. Continuing to work there would have been awkward for us all. They went out of business, 8-months later, and were bought out by a rival.

Had I not walked out when I did, I wouldn't have noticed another career defining role, with a manufacturing company, closer to home. That advertisement was closing in a few hours. A superb role that really immersed into engineering, and would have me working in materials change control, and interconnecting with all departments. Heavily attached to the Engineering Department.

I would spend 6-years there, and continue in my studies, only now, I was studying towards a P.Eng.

What I learned with them, aided me in starting my own business. I was really onto something with that business, which drew the attention of American clients.

Not all personal agendas are bad, as I would find out. There are people in the C-suite who draw out the skills and traits (within you) and reward them, and the opportunities that they bring :}