The last three months have not been kind. I have been living off the suitcase from one hotel to the next. The homeless feeling took its toll and posed the very existential question—what’s the meaning of your life?
On a mundane level, I now have the life-long job security. That security comes with a dear price tag: eight years of my prime youth. Indeed, had I relived again, I may not choose this route.
But that is the past. At least I have one justification for that sacrifice: job security. The question now is, what is the next?
Like the French novel ‘Necklace’, I don’t quite see the meaning of the research in my field. In my view, it is self entertaining, but has no real impact on business practice. Indeed, if any, what the field try to do is to explain what has already been there.
For many, administration is an alternative career path. That path requires you to deal with people, all sort of people. It also has all sorts of connotation: greed, hypocrisy, manipulation, politics, etc. It takes a lot to swallow all of that. Not everybody has that stomach, especially for those with strong personality and world views: it is disgusting to take those dis-genuine maneuvers. When your personal quality—honesty, kind, sympathy, etc—is on line, many balk. They hold the assumption that the world is eventually fair and just.
At least that has been my view since childhood. But my experience has shaken that view. I now have a different take of life: the world is never a fair and just place. That is given. If you are disgusted by its dark side, and refuse to partake, then you will be side lined. Unless you are content with living in a limited, isolated manner, you won’t get what you deserve by standing as an outsider.
I have enough of that lonely, isolated life. Its time for a change: now or never. To start, I must accept the fact that the world is not always fair and just. But if you engage, you can make it a better place.
So you need to work with W. No matter how you hate the idea, at this point, it is the only way that you can have a stage for growth.
So how should you approach W? In his mind, You are in his enemy camp. You must have a convincing argument.
First, your justification for treading the middle way is for the promotion. This is a legitimate reason, but he would not be convinced: deep down, he knows your are disgusted of his character.
So you need the second point: that you are bored and that you want more for your life. The narrative should start with the boring and grueling probation life. Stress the empty feeling that has been haunted you. This point is critical: he has been through the same process; so he can relate and believe.
Besides convincing him of your good will, you also need to strike the balance of too eager and too distant. Because he treats you as an enemy, you cannot go too keenly: he would not trust. But you also need to show god will.
Most likely, he will take it with suspicion: he will never treat you as a friend. But he thinks he can benefit for: 1) your support, 2) the competence to get things done.
To be specific, I need to charge the BA program. It will give the opportunities to 1) meet with new people, 2) hire the people I want, and 3) accumulate the power.
For tomorrow’s meeting, do not complain. Do not mention the teaching load. Once you build it, they will come.
A MAN OF ACTION 