No Respect For The License
Posted by Mitch Mitchell on Jun 27, 2009
I am an independent consultant. I also have a business license and a federal tax ID number. This means I'm actually a corporation, a legitimate business, and not just a temporary employee for anyone.
I state this because in the last week I've talked to two companies, one that contacted me first, and one that was really keen on my working with them, which came crashing down because they didn't want to work with me unless I became their employee. The one guy, who was actually a very nice guy, said that if I weren't an employee, it meant they couldn't control me.
Control me? For that comment itself I'm going to name the company, which is Nearterm. Control me? What's this concept of controlling employees anyway? Control me? What's this thing about wanting to control people?
When I was an employee, no one "controlled" me. I knew the job I had to do, and I got the results that were wished for, surpassing what was requested more often than not. And it wasn't because anyone "controlled" me; I control myself. Always have, always will.
Still, this shows the corporate mentality, the total disregard for employees, the non-realization that employees are NOT property, ARE people, and thus deserved to be treated with the respect that these corporations supposedly want themselves.
As I wrote in my post on convictions, I will always stand by mine. One thing I've always stood by was that any employee who reported to me was responsible for themselves, but I was responsible for making sure they had the tools to be successful. I was also responsible for the performance of my employees, but control them? That wasn't happening. Control the department overall, yes; control people, no.
Any employee under me was allowed to use the phone to talk to their family members; what kind of stupid policy is that, not allowing employees to take personal calls from their family during working hours? What gives corporations the right to determine that people have to make the choice between their families and the job for something that's so superficial anyway? Who do they think they are?
Oh yeah; they think they're the controllers of people. It sickens me, but I know the score. That's why, if I have any control over my life, which I do now, I don't ever want to have to deal with that type of thing again. Folks, we should talk. If you feel controlled by your organization, we should talk. Executive coaching can help you take control of your life; that's the only control you should ever have.
We're all supposed to work with each other, not control each other. No wonder, when it comes to business, we don't like each other. What a shame.
Once again Mitch, You nail it! {Bravo!!!} I work for a company that try’s to control its employee’s, that is why I set out to create “BlueFetch”. I am a police officer at a very prestigious institution that begin’s with a “P” and ends with an “N” followed by university. For 17 years I’ve worked for this institution, which cares little about the quality-of-life for the employee. It’s only concern is “Money”… which it has plenty of. I am a good employee, but one that refuse’s to be controlled. I have always gotten the job done yet I remain an outspoken advocate for justice and employee rights. And I refuse, I mean refuse, to be “Controlled” by any man or corporation.
Excellent post Mitch!
Thank you.
.-= Marvin Leach (BlueFetcher)´s last blog ..Top News Stories =-.
Thanks Marvin. You know, there does have to be a hierarchy when it comes to work, otherwise there’s an anarchy. However, that doesn’t negate the fact that we all deal with adults who have adult issues, and, unfortunately for the organization, their problems aren’t always paramount. People deserve to be treated fairly, and that’s the bottom line.
Corporations always have their eyes on the bottom line, which is a shame really. Employees are people, and if you want to eliminate the people, then hire a robot to do the job.
Exactly, Bob. Employers and their management staff needs to start getting a clue on this one, because unemployment isn’t going to stay this low forever, and employees are seeing the ugly side of business way too often.
So true. Many people who hold positions of power in corporate America have to realize that it is more important to work as team, more than a slave/slave master relationship. I admire how the Japanese have a “parent/child” work structure. Something that our corporate executives need to take note of.
Well Div, I’m not sure what you mean by parent/child work structure. I’m not sure that’s much better than the slave/master relationship because, just by its working, it makes it seem as though the workers would be treated like children, not adults. Can you clarify that for me?