I’m an area supervisor. That’s a kind of manager, middle management. I’m mostly the middleman between our corporate office and eleven of our stores in the field. I’m supposed to make sure the stores adhere to the company guidelines and that the customer’s experience in each store is similar enough to in all the other stores that we’re recognizable as a chain of stores. We don’t have the market saturation of Walgreens so we have to be careful to make sure we are consistent. Geographically I cover 4 states. I’ve got 11 direct reports. In theory I should have 11 people that want my job. I don’t. I should. I really should though. It’s a good job. Heck. It’s a great job.
It bugs me that I don’t have people trying to take my job. I’ve wanted my boss’ job for years. Well, not now. I don’t want it any more, my boss’ job I mean. So. His job was recently on monster.com which was pretty alarming for him to say the least since he still holds the job. (Let’s just say things are a little weird on the job front… it’s one reason I’ve been sort of quiet on here.) Here’s the alarming thing about his job being on craigslist and monster.com… nobody from within the company is asking for it. He’s as high as they go and nobody wants it. That to me is a huge red flag that something’s weird. Why wouldn’t people want more responsibility, power, money, acclaim? Me? I know why I don’t want it, but that’s more a personal thing for me. I’ve been on the road traveling for work since 2000 and that’s 10 years of windshield time. I’m ready for less travel, not more.
Sure there are applicants from outside the company trying to get my job and his job… but if nobody from within the company wants it. Who should be worried about that? His boss? The HR department? His direct reports? The CEO? Nobody? Maybe it’s fine that nobody wants to move up. Maybe that means everybody’s happy where they are and is in their perfect job at their perfect level of ability. That’s possible. It’s not something I’m thrilled about though. I wish more people wanted it. I wish more people wanted my job. I love my job. I’ve had it for a lot of years and even when it is so frustrating I go for a run and sweat out my frustration and stamp out the things that make me crazy by pounding the trails I still enjoy going to work. I still enjoy the challenge of it. I still enjoy making a difference for my employees and making sure they feel taken care of and that they’re proud to work for someone who cares about them and cares and notices the good that they do. I really like that part of my job. I love that I’ve got people who talk about their people using words like “pride” and “does her best” and “extra mile.” That’s totally different from what it was when I got here and employees were literally crying and packing their stuff up because they’d always been told the “new broom sweeps clean” and they’d been managed by fear and threats.
So, why don’t they want my job? Why doesn’t anybody want my boss’ job?
The Why don’t more people want my job? by Rich Griffith, unless otherwise expressly stated, is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 United States License.
Maybe they also see that your boss’s position is listed even though he is still occupying the slot? The entire corporate world is just strange right now. Having to deal with similar craziness gave me the realization that it doesn’t make me happy, it doesn’t define me and most certainly is not what I want to do the rest of my life. It took that mess for me to realize that I would be perfectly happy living off the grid and growing my own food. I have friends that own purses that cost more than my car payment. Geeze. I don’t want to ever be a slave to money any more so I actively work against that now. Props to you for identifying you have no desire to have his job. Some people would go through the motions because its what is expected.
Michelle Simpson´s last blog ..INVICTUS
The rat race is great for rats but I decided long ago I wasn’t a rat. I really love management and was in the position I loved for a really long time. Then it changed a bit… then a bit more and I still love it. I just don’t feel like I’m able to do it effectively. I’m pretty sure the employees see that what used to be 3 area managers is now one, so the areas are much bigger now… much much bigger, and it’s hard to find people who are able/willing to live behind their windshields. I’ve done it for 10 years and loved 8 of those years (not the first 8 by the way lol) but today people are scared to promote because if they don’t make it they lose too much. There’s security in where they are, they’re too overextended to risk an increase. That sounds counter intuitive but the known dollar is better than the maybe buck fifty if they find they can’t cut it and lose the buck fifty. (obviously I made those numbers up)
But yeah… I scaled way back a while ago, making sure I have more than I need so that I have freedom by not being yoked to the plow and unable to get away. I see people get a promotion and immediately move into bigger apt. or house, or upgrade their car when just two weeks before both were fine… they keep increasing their outlay and they never get ahead. They run as fast as they can just to stay where they are as far as money in the pocket goes… and all the while I don’t see them getting happier and I just want to grab them by the shoulders and shake them awake. It’s got to feel like a nightmare to live that way. Poor bastards. Sorry. I’m feeling ranty tonight evidently.
Rich G.´s last blog ..Why don’t more people want my job
PS: That’s not a look at how with it or together I am.
God knows I’m not! I scaled back so I could afford gadgets, toys, and not have to charge things any more. I learned in my early 20s that just because they gave me the card didn’t mean they gave me the means to repay the debt incurred by the card. I learned it once. Don’t have to teach me that one over and over again.
Rich G.´s last blog ..Why don’t more people want my job
its not ranty, there is going to be someone out there that needs to hear it. whether is here or at work, you will effect someone. even if its just one someone. going through a divorce and the a lay off, i was STUNNED that i had not learned the thrifty manner in which i was capable when i had a bigger income. i have always been a thrift store/flea market shopper for my home but now if i buy something without a coupon, i feel guilty. then if its a coupon that would be doubled or tripled at Kroger, i get freaked out after if i bought it at say, Target. i have learned, similar to you, that if i want the fun stuff, i have to find a way to afford it with cash. paying half or less of my previous grocery budget now, we all pretty much get to do the things we like without a huge sting when the bill arrives. i keep writing about it so someone like the old me may stumble upon it and transform their lives. you should do the same!
one of my favorite quotes is “never get so busy making a living that you forget to make a life.”
Michelle Simpson´s last blog ..Come on December!
Great quote!
There’s a blog post right there.