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Cactus by StockSnap on Pixabay |
“
I am you manager,” spewed the woman of average height, who seemed to suddenly tower over me. “You come to
me with your questions.”
I was seated at a temporary makeshift desk -- a rectangular table with a community chair and no cubicle walls to absorb the increased volume that I was sure echoing from my manager’s voice. I was the newest employee in that department at a food services company so a dedicated space wasn’t yet available for me. My colleagues were mute and stoic as they stared at their computer screens. They missed the who-the-fuck-do-you-think-you-are-talking-to look on my face as I glared back at the woman who was actually chastising me -- another grown woman -- for asking HR a payroll question. I mean, that’s not allowed?
I wasn’t accustomed to some mother-may-I type of company culture and I wasn’t about to be uncomfortable, intimidated or simply put into my entry-level place at that job or any job for that matter. Other than that experience, one of the greatest aspects of working a traditional 9-5 was the mutual respect between me and my colleagues and that included upper management. While there were office protocol and obvious chains of command, there was also an open door policy and a welcomed exchange of ideas. I could converse freely with any employee and executives didn’t spit condescending rhetoric as some reminder that I wasn’t a member of the c-suite. Positive working relationships were my norm for 20 years in corporate America. And a fair salary, might I add, although fair may be an inaccurate descriptor given the pay gap between black women and white men. Perhaps I should say “comfortable.” I earned comfortable pay.
The point is I’m motivated by a combination of autonomy and money. I chucked double deuces to food services and returned to the familiarity of good ol’ telecommunications where my expertise was valued and I was treated as a human. I felt trusted, appreciated and consequently obliged to exceed expectations in that environment.