Tuesday, November 27, 2007

Irreplaceable You?

Once upon a time I had a job. It was a fulfilling gig, even though it didn't pay much. I loved the work. I loved being a part of something bigger than myself. I was responsible for how the city I worked in looked prior to the Super Bowl, responsible for riverfront development on an international border, responsible for neighborhood growth and aesthetics.

My co-workers became my good friends. I was active most of the time. And when I wasn't active, I at least thought about what I could be doing better. I had 2 people who directly reported to me and 18 indirect reports. As much as I did or thought I did, when I left they replaced me within the month and moved on.

Why does my assistant, who does one-eighth of the shit I did at that gig, making $10,000 more than I did, with one-twentieth of the responsibility in a city one-tenth the size of the one I worked in believe so adamantly he deserves a raise?

Every time I tell him "no", he comes at me from another angle. I hope at some point he says "fuck it" and quits. When he does, he'll be smug about it. He'll laugh to himself at what a barrel he has us over, how we'll never be able to find someone as good as he is at his job. He'll speculate that we wish we'd done him right, that we'd paid him what he was worth. He'll be pretty confident that he "got us".

And then we'll replace him and keep going.

I hope one day everybody gets that thunderbolt from the blue, that "moment of clarity", that lets them realize it's REALLY not personal. You're not as important as you think you are. It's the way business and government is set up.

So the next time you're in the office sulking about some slight or some time you were passed over and how much you contribute to your department's success, think about the entire picture. Then go sit the fuck down and shut the fuck up.

Peace,
KZ

16 comments:

BZ said...

I guess I should be happy that it took 10 months and six temps to find someone to permanently replace me when I left my former gig to head to VA. :-) And, now that I'm back in a different capacity, they offered me more money to return to that job. LOL

I do know what you mean, though. I don't consider myself irreplaceable. I'm just grateful and humbled when others think I am.

Hey - you going to FL for Christmas?

Blah Blah Blah said...

Whoever they replace me with...isn't gonna be worth the money. My boss the CEO is still tryna figure out what the hell I do. Shit, I'm trying to figure out what the hell I do.

Knockout Zed said...

@BZ
I was replaced, but not well. It doesn't matter. He's doing the job well now.

Nah. I'm done with FL for the rest of the year. Clearwater Beach was cold on Friday!!!

@BBB
I'm still trying to figure out how he hasn't stepped to you yet. LOL

KZ

A.u.n.t. Jackie said...

i thought we weren't gonna talk about work for a while? I'm trying to hear about your Mom's food, TAD, Black Friday and Florida beaches...

what's the haps?

Knockout Zed said...

@AJ
I planned to blog about all of that, but this muthafucka came at me again first thing in the morning after I was off for a fuckin' week. This was after him coming at me the last thing before I left out of the door on vacation. I'm truly fed up with this bullshit.

KZ

Anonymous said...

Even though it's fucked up, you are so right. Everyone weather they know it or not is replacement. In a social sense and in a business sense.

Anonymous said...

**whether** Re-reading is fundamental.

proacTiff said...

That's some reversed psycho babble we tell ourself. "Oh they gone be up shit creek when I'm gone." Actually that shit is sort'a true. Back at my husband's old school, the secretary didn't get along with the new female principal replacement and planned her transfer to another position. Mind you she had replaced the prior secretary who had been there for YEARS and left all of her files for the next-new-to-secretary-shit-person. Well, old girl got that transfer and dipped. Deleted every fucking file from the system. They tried to get a lawsuit her shit was so durty.

Guess irreplaceable determines your gangsta.

aquababie said...

can i forward this to the wench i work with? LMAO

i don't think i'm irreplaceable. i do know the one that comes behind me has some gigantic shoes to fill. that's my problem with the wench i work with. she wants to replace me...and i'm still here! thing is, she sucks rocks.

ChezNiki said...

What is it about long Holiday weekends that have the most annoying co-workers showing the crack of their a$$es on Monday? Almost like they sat around their turkey leftovers and plotted to do so.

Having worked in non-profit and government, Ive had complete staff turnover or organizations shut down after I leave. Im with Pro, on that Gangster tip. If you hurt me while Im here, you will hurt when Im gone, one way or the other.

Dude needs to go to private industry if he wants more money.

Now hurry and tell us about your hot (warm) weekend in the sun.

Aly Cat 121 said...

Well I learned something I never knew, if you want more money - get another job that's gonna give it to you. . . .I don't know WHY folks think they not replaceable, I mean really? *shakin head*

A.u.n.t. Jackie said...

Tell that simple minded dude to come take a dip in a bigger pond.

One thing I've learned by working in LA is that I swim with sharks on the regular and everyone in this town can be replaced with someone who will probably do YOUR job for less!

It ain't no joke! I've seen whole departments get layed off before lunch!

Knockout Zed said...

@All
We must be able to agree that there is some level of replaceability to everybody's gig. Raise your hand if you are in a newly created position? No one? I've been in one, and I was still replaceable.

Most places, even if they can't get YOU, they adapt and move on. Paying less for your replacement and getting by. I really want this muthafucka to go and test the waters. I'm itching for it.

KZ

Sheletha said...

ME!!!!!

well at least I will be starting Monday!

Little Brown Girl said...

you must not know bout' me...

Mr.Slish said...

I'm with Aunt Jackie...Tell us a story Uncle Zeddy....lol