Random thought about CEO/VP Personalities

[Godfather]

So I'm really not sure how to put this thought I've been having into words. If you don't care about the corporate world or my ramblings... ignore thread :lol:

I've had some major exposure to the CEO and VP's at the company I work for lately (got to go to head office and spend time with them as I helped launch a new brand recently). It's a smaller company (under 400 people) but established and well respected. Under their leadership the company has been doing incredibly well recently so I have nothing bad to say about their work....

It's really their personalities that I'm not quite sure what to think of. Most of them were promoted from within. They've all been around the industry, worked in lower positions where the 'day to day' work gets done.... but it's like they've all drank the Kool-aid.

Each and every VP, CEO, CIO, etc. is jacked-up, super excited about everything. At announcements they're jumping up and down, getting super stoked about these high-level words and far-off goals that don't actually have hard plans to them yet. You speak to any of them individually off-hours and they're still just incredibly enthusiastic about all sorts of stuff that seems to me to be far-off and often times will never amount to anything real-world. You have to nod and smile and play along but really you're just thinking "oh please lord don't let them try and change things that aren't broke"

I know I could work towards being in their positions one day, but honestly I'll never be like these people. I'm just a cynical, fact-based person who likes to work more and talk less. I don't believe in stupid buzz worlds like 'synergy' or 'multi-faceted approach' or whatever these big guys sling around.

My question is:

Have you guys had much exposure to these types in their younger days, before they were VP's/CEO?

Were they always like that, or is it something about being so close to the top that makes them feel the need to be constantly positive, upbeat, even unafraid to dance around and look loony-toons about some target or goal that nobody cares about?

I just don't get it...

[Pony]

I'd have to guess that most of them have always been like that, Over enthusiastic and a love of kissing ass of the higher ups= fast track to promotions.

[Godfather]

I'm fucked then :lol:

It's not a lack of respect or that I don't care about performing as well as possible...It's just about not wanting to kiss ass or fake being THRILLED to hear about our Q4 targets. Good for these people I guess, they make the real decisions and crazy money.

[fricnjay]

More than likely its been trained into them. That overly exited about everything is a motivation technique taught by marketing companies to help motivate the "worker bees" of the company. Synergy is just the idea that teamwork will produce an overall better result than if each person within the group were working toward the same goal individually. Again just a marketing term used to motivate "worker bees".

[Muddy]

I have to converse with people like that at times so I have to return the lingo.. It all feels like such a fake buzz word convention.. I feel like saying "Ok, look.. lets cut the shit" :lol:

[Noilly Pratt]

I find a lot of them start believing their own press. If enough lower down people suck up enough, you start to believe you're this THING.

I think everyone in the corporate world has this paranoid fear that someone is going to burst into their office and say "We've found you out - we KNOW!" Everyone at some point feels like they're really just that kid wearing dad's tie, suit and oversize shoes and aren't deserving - the higher the position, the more paranoia. So "fake it to make it" and be the corporate person you know that will work. Underneath, they're real people but they feel they have to put on a veneer.

But some I find, the rare exception, are very REAL. And sadly they usually are stuck in Middle management. But they're the real people and they make a difference. In the corporate world, you have to feel your way to where you want to be.

I have been at it for 25+ years, and I know guys who started at the same time as me are now official department heads at head office. They're off on ulcers, and stress leave. I am not a department head - could have been but chose not to apply.

I like it better - and I work at home and never see the people I work with...last time was 4 years ago. We telephone-meet once a week. We are all peers and the jobs get done. The guy who's what's called my "Team Lead" gets maybe 7k more a year than me but had 5x more of the headaches. His boss gets 10K more and has 15x more problems.

I have a townhouse, they have houses. I get to work the hours I want - they get to work weekends too, so that extra pay really isn't a lot considering the extra hours they are putting in. It's a fine balance, but make home life the priority in your decision making and you can't go wrong. My Life (with a capital L) is outside the career. Keep it this way and you'll be OK - don't and you'll be job-driven and wake up one day like those guys you despise in that meeting you were in.

Good Luck - from a guy who's been in small and large corporations. But, don't forget - I started in my 20's and am now 50 -- I would not expect you to have the same thoughts as I do!