A few weeks ago, I met with my boss. Not my manager, not her manager, but the Big Boss.
My company’s not that big, so I’ve talked with him many times over the past few years. But this meeting was different. I was putting in notice to leave the company.
For about 30 minutes I sat in his office, nodding my head and mmm-hmm-ing, as he lectured me about how to behave in the weeks between giving notice and leaving. He reminded me that my actions in this crucial time would determine how the management team remembered me; in other words, how they would respond if contacted for a reference check.
I understood why he would have these concerns – in general. But with me? Had I done something to make him think I’d slack off during this interim period or badmouth the company while I was still there?
As my husband put it when I told him about the meeting later, Had I acted like that in the previous two and a half years?
After thinking about this meeting for a few days, I realized that my boss’s lecture wasn’t the part that bothered me. It was the fact that he didn’t KNOW me.
To read the rest of my post, please visit (in)courage.
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How sad for the “big boss” not to know a good employee. Personally I think if somebody works for you especially for 2-1/2 years you would not only learn the persons work ethics but also a bit about who they are. Obviously this person has the same standard for all employees and hasn’t taken the time to know you as an employee or a person. I’m really sorry for that. That must have hurt. Not all employers are like that. If I was your “big boss” I too might have you come in to talk to you about your leaving the company. (I’m not a big boss, just an Office Manager of a small CPA firm.) I would thank you for your hard work with helping make my (I’m assuming) company a success and a better place to work. Not to mention wish you the best. Now that I’ve rattled on a bit.. I realized that sometimes I forget that I spend more time with the people I work with than with my own family. My next thought after that made it full circle to the beginning… Why doesn’t this big boss know you?!
When I resigned I told my boss it was to be closer to my baby because I didn’t want to hurt his feelings – we’d started off as friends and over the years that went south horribly and I hated being there. I was asked not to notify the clients that I was leaving – several had sworn they’d follow me (in jest, but I think he may have been concerned they were serious). The good thing that came out of it was that the other severely overworked and underpaid co-worker in my department got a raise- but they’re still miserable. sometimes it’s best to just move along on and not concern yourself over what other people think or feel about you – after all – you’re moving on to bigger and better things.
PS – apparently my boss’s feelings were hurt anyway, simply because I left.
Ohhhh, what a mess! Working with friends can definitely be hard or at least difficult. I hope your current situation is much better!
I know exactly how you feel. I have a great job with a great company, but its so big that while my boss knows me very well (he manages a team of four of us) his boss can recognize me by sight but that’s about all. HUGE congratulations to you…I hope you enjoy being home and you find your groove!!!
I’ve never worked for a huge company like that. I’m not sure I’d like it. (Mainly because I crave acknowledgement and appreciation so much, as my post may have pointed out!)