At a recent unit meeting, the Original Poster (OP) unexpectedly clashes with her boss’s expectations when she’s asked to provide advice to new hires. While she champions the role of luck in her success, her boss envisions her as the embodiment of hard work and determination. As OP grapples with the fine line between authenticity and role model responsibilities, tensions mount.
Introduction at the Unit Meeting
At a recent unit meeting, OP’s boss introduced two new employees. Fresh out of school, these graduates were joining the ranks to become account managers. OP was lauded as one of the best in the business.
The Unexpected Advice
When OP was asked to share some wisdom with the new hires, she offered an unconventional perspective, claiming her success was 30% work and 70% luck. Sometimes, major deals happen with minimal effort.
After the Meeting
The essence of the advice was to maintain good relationships in the workplace because sometimes, even with your best efforts, things fall through. The unit meeting came to a close, but not without leaving a lingering tension.
The Pull Aside
OP’s boss pulled her aside, wanting to discuss the advice she chose to share during the meeting. The disappointment was evident on the boss’s face, which confused OP, who thought she had delivered an honest and accurate review of what to expect in this position.
The Boss’s Disapproval
OP’s boss expressed his discontent, feeling that the advice had come off as promoting complacency. He had hoped OP would be a role model for the new hires, emphasizing the importance of hard work and goal setting.
The Truth About OP’s Success
The boss felt OP had just tried to sound cool. OP’s personal work ethic was grounded in something other than tireless effort. She considered themselves an average employee at best and wanted to stress that if you establish good connections with potential clients, sometimes the sales fall into place with minimal extra effort.
OP’s Good Luck
For OP, work wasn’t always their top priority, and she believed people shouldn’t prioritize work above all else in life. However, a stroke of luck in recent years had catapulted her into a favorable position.
Fortunate Connections
In the last three years, OP has enjoyed an influx of business. Her clients, without solicitation, had introduced friends who then signed on for business. The deals kept coming, almost as if they were magnetized to OP due to their personal relationships.
Confessions of a Reluctant Worker
OP was candid about her own work habits, acknowledging that she didn’t always give her best. There were days filled with procrastination and moments when she’d take sudden leaves of absence.
The Dilemma of Authenticity
OP grappled with the desire to be genuine. The advice she shared stemmed from a place of authenticity, representing her own experiences and beliefs. But had she done right by the new hires?
The Weight of Responsibility
Being positioned as a role model brought with it an inherent responsibility. The new hires were looking up to OP, hungry for insights and direction. Was there a duty to guide them in a certain way?
Reflecting on Motives
OP considered her underlying motivations and what they wanted to impress on the new hires. Did she share her perspective to sound cool, or was it a genuine attempt to be honest? The lines were blurred.
To Work Hard or Not
Working hard was a universal piece of advice, but it wasn’t OP’s truth. She had found success without relentless effort, but was this a path she should illuminate for the new hires, or should she push the traditional lines of hard work equals success?
The Unspoken Office Dynamic
OP’s colleagues knew her work style and were aware that OP wasn’t the most industrious. Luck had been OP’s ally, but relying on it was a gamble. While it had worked in herfavor, would it be the same for the new hires?
Seeking Validation
OP’s internal conflict was evident. She questioned if she should have prioritized the expectations of her boss and colleagues over her own truth. Should she have delivered the company line or her tried-and-true experience?
Was The Employee’s Behavior Appropriate?
OP posted her story online for feedback and judgment from the internet community. The readers in the forum had a lot of mixed views on the matter.
Forum Responds
One reader said, “You made the buying experience of your original customers a pleasant one, and it was so enjoyable for them that they brought their friends to you because they trusted you to give them a similarly pleasant experience — which you then did.”
Another Commenter Thinks
Another responder wrote, “This is horrible guidance to give people while speaking at the workplace, in an official capacity (and your boss asking this is putting you in an official capacity/role, representing the firm at this time).”
A Third View on The Story
A different person stated, “First, working hard consistently means more opportunity to get ‘lucky.’ So it is about working hard. Second and more importantly, you missed the obvious implied ask that what you said be something the boss would approve of. You were clueless in that regard and have probably damaged your standing with your boss.”
A Final Perspective on the Matter
Another reader commented, “It’s ironic, given that your job is so relationship-driven, how badly you messed up your relationship with your boss.”
