My Boss - The Necessary Evil

In my entire working life of two decades so far, I have been with a number of “Bosses” with obvious different characteristics that can be told apart easily, but due to some of the strikingly similar attributes in their ways of getting things done will make them fall in the same category with hardly two among all being exceptions.  On their arrival, it was a usual practice observed in their greetings with some variations such as a wordless grin, nodding with merely soft face accompanying some frowns signaling a warning of nothing else at all, flat-faced greeting, and no greeting at all with an expressionless countenance; as if it was some rule to maintain their workplace persona with all airs and graces.  

Now, having been done with “The Preamble Thingy”, I can’t wait to bring forward; the most bizarre - a-never-having-been-seen kind of Boss, who never got off my nerves. A mixture of both pluses and minuses to the highest humanly possible level that can get anybody into a feeling of being ambivalent about her. What just a cursory look can do is just enough to notice this tall, strong, dominating, abrasive tongue (usually in the matters of things not done on time), pretty good at fear tactics, and expecting others to read her mind rather than her being in the mode of putting efforts to put her point across.

On entering, she - unlike the usual bosses - greets with a smile, but when she gets into her office, things jump out to be noticed, and if not placed there in a manner she likes, it ignites her and that means - trouble for the one responsible for that and if he/she is not around, whoever comes into sight makes up their minds to bear the brunt of it. As the day ticks by, she goes deep in her work which is so comforting for the rest unless it requires some specific team member to be summoned with a valid reason to save his neck. If the nature of the task makes her move around which she, nowadays, doesn’t seem like much because of the backbreaking pain - “Lumbago”, she can be furious. She likes things being done swimmingly - distributing the task, always sort of tough with a deadline, expecting no argument over it, and if that happens, you are so unfortunate to be in her bad books which keep moving around with her invitingly.

I remember mentioning her a mixture of pluses and minuses, but I focused on only the second one - first. Now let’s see one of her other personality colors reflecting her a fresh grad speaking the vernacular laden with the most recent circulating slangs - not the Taboos - whose behavior is baffling when you get to know her since she can be just like one of your friends; giving you five, patting on your back, manhandling you and you name it. She is pretty good at creating close proximity to every single individual that they find themselves very comfortable to open up before her without having known her long enough.

She even becomes the point of contact for those who don’t actually have a direct association with her. People don’t hesitate to bypass their immediate bosses frequenting her office, speaking their heart and bringing their concerns, as it is so typical of her to get people quick-fix to their issues. This accounts, presumably for a soft corner of her heart, but it doesn’t get activated all the times - means she has it what it takes to be a “Fairy godmother”, but this one is the one of her own kind whose moves can’t be predictable.

She, being a typical paradox, doesn’t see who she is going to help or support; it is really regardless of their gender or designation. Reasoning with the higher authorities for the due rights of her team members or co-workers is something she can’t help.

It’s been a while since I have been a crucial cog in the machine run under her supervision. I was also of the opinion, having seen the rest that I should be geared up or else I would suffer too. But with the passage of time, I realized that she would respect me or my gray beard and would always keep a civil tongue. Not only this, she would take care of me like a daughter and proved it practically too, by taking me to the hospital once. I don’t exactly remember, but others said she had never ever been seen so worried.

Days went by till that heartbreaking moment came when she couldn’t help shouting at me making me feel like everybody else there. I started shivering, couldn’t stop my tears rolling down on my cheeks with a lump in my throat, making it very difficult to say even one word. The more I tried to choke my tears back, the more they were out. Seeing me so upset, there was a wave of worry on her face. I kept trying harder and harder to regain my composure and finally I left for my room and asked my assistant to leave me alone. He just then was out of the room. I could hardly bounce back and the entire day dragged heavily on me. I had never felt so humiliated and I don’t know why it came from somebody I thought to be different for me. It was so overwhelming that even now I am tearful.

She is much younger than me and just like my daughter was what calmed me down and kept me going on. She then made an apology, which was very kind of her.

In my whole life, I couldn’t stay at a place where my justified right was taken away and self-respect was hurt. I don’t know what held me back from being who I used to be; taking decisions without any let or hindrance. However, I feel connected to her and many more who are with me. They really are lovely people and I, as good luck would have it, find myself fortunate to be surrounded by such souls. I pray to  God to grant her blessings and keep all sorts of troubles away.