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Surviving Corporate America

By Jane Falter

Republish: EasyPublish™ Published: 11Aug2009 Word count: 719 Viewed: 358 time(s) Get Free Content For Your Site

For many years, I dreamed of working in a large company. Perhaps I believed a name brand organization would give me personal status—a sign that I finally made it. Just as I gave up hope that it would ever happen, I got my wish. Of course the old saying, "Be careful what you wish for" rang true. It didn't take me long before I realized bigger was not always better.

Many things I performed at small companies were now done by a specialized department or at a global level. Instead of being responsible to lead and develop all aspects of the human resources function, my time was now spent implementing the programs and initiatives designed by others. Often, I found myself selling these changes to my internal clients despite the fact that they obviously did not benefit them.

All of my co-workers seemed to be doing just fine, so I sucked it up and changed myself so I could survive. After all, the money was great. I could finally take regular vacations, have a nice home and become Chico's unofficial customer of the year. I had all the trappings of success, but I was miserable. So what if I dreaded Sundays because the next day was a work day; so what if I didn't have enough energy to pursue things that interested me—I just ignored those feelings.

With the exception of a few trusted friends, I kept my unhappiness to myself. I continued to be very dependable, was never sick, always had a smile and displayed a "can do" attitude. I was quite proud of my acting abilities until one of my colleagues described me as an "abused puppy." Ding, ding, ding, it was my wake-up call; I hadn't fooled anyone.

The downward spiral that created my Perfect Storm was a result of a few major events along with living everyday in a chronically stressful environment. I'm sure many people can relate to these experiences: Two company relocations; One merger of two huge global companies; Numerous management changes and reassignments; Major reorganizations occurring every 12-18 months; Continual program, policy and initiative changes; On-going personal concessions to my sense of fairness, quality and values.

The wake-up call was the beginning of my personal quest to put the pieces of the puzzle together. Two years later, my job was eliminated due to the latest reorganization. By that time I was able to appreciate that losing my job was a gift.

I am now happily pursuing my passion and have a better understanding of what was so lacking in that situation. If I described some of the challenges you feel in your current job situation, here are a few suggestions to get yourself back in the driver's seat:

Become a reporter in your own life. When we don't want to face things around us, our feelings go under-ground. We may not verbalize it, but it's as if we say to ourselves, "If I deny these feelings, I don't have to deal with them." Unfortunately when we ignore our negative feelings, we bury our positive feelings along with them and soon we become numb.

If you're ready to unfreeze, a great first step is to become an objective observer--simply describe what's happening around you and while you're at it—pay attention to your thoughts and feelings too. Use a notebook or journal to record what you see and hear. Then identify one or two things you can change, even if it's only the way you think at a particular situation or individual.

Take a joy safari. Pay attention to what you enjoy doing--then, do more of those things.

Who are you, really? When your work doesn't utilize your talents and skills, it can quickly deplete you. Remember when you lost track of time because you were so absorbed in what you were doing? Find ways to incorporate those skills and talents in your work whenever possible; or look for opportunities after work--we always find time to do the things that are important to us.

Take one step. Many people remain stuck because they get overwhelmed with the big picture. Don't let that be you. Identify one tiny step, then take action.

Even if you remain in your current environment, you will get a sense of relief by taking back your power.

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