Taming the Ego & Accepting The Things I Cannot Change – Office Politics

Taming the Ego & Accepting The Things I Cannot Change – Office Politics

When I first entered the corporate world at the age of 20, I was quickly identified as a top performer with the potential to achieve a high level of success in my chosen profession, consistently earned the highest ratings in my performance reviews, and began moving up the ladder rather quickly.

But at the age of 28 I had the opportunity to live in Asia courtesy of my then husband’s employer, Rockwell International. It would have been foolhardy to reject the experience of life as an expatriate. So, I resigned and lived the next 5 years living in Taipei and Hong Kong and traveling throughout this most fascinating part of the world.

Upon my return to the States I essentially had to start over and never recovered the momentum of my earlier success.  My ego kept getting in my way and I didn’t understand why my new employer didn’t appreciate my brilliance. I was no longer a “golden girl”. Nope, times had changed. I needed an attitude adjustment and struggled.  Fortunately, fate [in the guise of a recruiter that persistently called me to interview for my current employer] intervened and I finally [after being figuratively bashed in the head by a baseball bat] saw the light, took a chance, agreed to an interview and accepted an offer by the company that became my corporate home. I now bleed blue.

I quickly acclimated to my new environment.  The management team appreciated my contributions; and I began refocusing my energies on achieving corporate success. But I was now working in an environment filled with high achievers.  To succeed in this arena, I had to either tame my ego or decide success was worth mercilessly trampling over the competition.  By the time I turned 50, I realized I would be happier if I worked to tame my ego, express gratitude for my blessings, and accept that there are a multitude of things over which I have no control.  I have no control over the decisions made by others.  Even if I believe that I am the best candidate for a particular role, I must accept that others may not accept my reality and respond with grace and humility, and not sink future opportunities because of ego.

And I’ve learned that a new handbag and wallet make everything better!