Emman Have you been told a wonderful fairytale at work?
That if you do that work that your boss told you, it would be a great opportunity on the way to the top?
When you were told that “opportunity doesn’t come twice” and you got to grab it. You need to have a firm grip on that fish or it will jump back to the water, that kind of spin.
And then suddenly, you’re on the corner. No way out. That spin had spun you indeed. And then you got to do that job that’s not for you.
Well, let me tell you a story…
I’m an inspector in Saudi Arabia belonging to the Oil and Gas industry, wherein I belong to a sporadic nature of work. My life is a roller coaster, time flexible.
Whenever duty calls, I answer. I get to start a job and do not know when it will end.
Until…
“Emmanuel, now that we have enough people on the field, you will help here in the office.” My branch manager said. I fixated my eyes on my manager, trying to settle my mind on what he just said.
I should be happy, right?
After being here in the Kingdom for just two months, I was told to change my job, a radical from my current one. I was caught off-guard, appalled, and perplexed. I was like a lost child in the middle of a park who lost his parents. It’s not what I have signed-up for.
Even though my emotions were dry during the meeting, I don’t remember being given the choice in this matter. It was simply an appointment. With no warning, I was told to do a job that I don’t want – a desk job.
I didn’t want it. The work was hard and boring. I was less interested, disgusted to say the most.
You might have said, “But that sounds like a promotion!”
Yeah right, a wonderful opportunity to hear, indeed; only if I didn’t see how the work environment is, or how stressful it is to be on the desk. There’s no testing of the waters here. I know for sure it will drown me.
In this job that was tasked to me, too many things are going on. Your right hand is on the phone along with your right ear, answering calls from clients. While your left hand is on the keyboards, replying to emails for the next 12 hours (If you have a third arm, that’ll be used to take lunch).
I was like a carpenter, and my boss expects me to paint walls.
But how did it end up this way?
I mean, my colleagues, who have grown wrinkles and hairs going gray in this industry, have a wider array of experience than I do, veterans, as they call it. Compared to them, I’m a rabbit in the headlights.
But why me?
Have they seen a potential?
Talks around the team, all of my seniors have been offered the job.
Everyone declined.
That might be the reason they have their eyes on me. Remember that time when you were a new guy at work? You gotta have that yes-man attitude.
The situation gravitates on me. It might not be ill-motivated for him but to make me work for a job that I don’t like and spin it like a wonderful opportunity, and just 2 months from my hiring, that was almost a trafficking to me.
As it dawned to me on what had just happened and what my life would be, I had to decline. I don’t want to be in this prison cell. I had to stand up to myself and say NO.
3 days later, I took the courage to say no. It wasn’t a waltz to say, but it was worth it. I had to set boundaries to save myself.
It’s a NO for me.
Disagreeing to your boss is not necessarily detrimental. I know that from an ethical viewpoint; it isn’t good to bad-mouth your boss, but I wish I could tell this story that’s sweet to the ears.
Sometimes, disasters come in colorful words and titles that are nice to hear.
When you’re new, it feels like a slippery slide to do the things that your boss wants you to do because you’re that “new guy”. You feel you need to ask “where?” when your boss says “jump”.
It’s not like that. Be wiser.
You may say no when you feel you’re being exploited and try to squeeze every sweat and blood out of you.
My work isn’t that glamorous, draining my energy most of the time. But at least I’m happy, under the sun and being on the field.
Choose happiness.