I looked up the definition of poaching, you'll see why in a minute, and found first of all:
"Poaching is viewed by many people as an acceptable crime." This is relevant but is it right?
Then:
To cook in a simmering liquid
To become muddy or broken up from being trampled. Used of land.
To sink into soft earth when walking.
To take or appropriate unfairly or illegally.
Sports. To play (a ball) out of turn or in another's territory.
I've never heard of definitions 2 or 3, they are completely new to me, but it is the next one that is exercising my mind at the moment.
I am being poached. The man who used to be my boss has been moved sideways by the newly appointed Chief Exec and, quite frankly, treated abominably. He wants to set up a new organisation and wants me to follow him.
I am feeling very preoccupied.
A.,
ReplyDeleteWhat about the situation is setting up the conflict? Do you wish to go, but feel guilty about leaving your current job? Is he asking you to do something that is actually illegal - as in, you've signed an agreement as condition of employment not to leave within a certain period of time? Do you think maybe he is using you to get back at the new chief exec (although a rather Pyrrhic tactic, if he's leaving the job himself)? Or is it that you feel you don't have a dog in this fight, and you wish he'd left you out of it?
Speaking as someone who's not strong in the self-affirmation department, these kinds of offers were always a boost to my ego. But as I am also highly risk averse, I never did take any of them.
Good luck.
Oh janeway, that's made me think.
ReplyDeleteHe's definitely not asking me to do anything illegal so there is no problem there. There may be an element of revenge, yes, I think that's quite possible.
The thing is, I'm feeling uneasy about my job. The new chief exec comes from a huge multinational to our very small organisation. Although he has good ideas, he doesn't follow them through, probably because he would be used to having teams of people to do that for him. Things have become quite messy. He seems hell bent on splitting my job in two and removing from me some of its more interesting aspects.
As I write I'm becoming clearer that I do want to leave. I rejected a chance out of loyalty a few years ago and I have regretted it to some extent - in cancer sciences, I would have loved it, though of course you never do know.
Yes, you're right about the boost to the ego, though I even found myself asking him "Are you sure?Why would you want me?"
A.,
ReplyDeleteIt's kind of like becoming involved with someone who is cheating on his spouse. You know in the back of your mind that if he's done it to her, the chances are good he'll do it to you as well.
Looks like you do have a dog in the fight after all.
Yes, it's difficult, very very difficult. I will say in his defence that I've worked with the poacher for about ten years now, and I've never known him do anything even remotely dishonourable. And that sounds exactly the sort of justification someone might put forward about a spouse-cheater.
ReplyDeleteActually, I was speaking of your chief exec. My point, obviously obscured in the metaphor, was that if he (CEO) treated your boss this way, then it's certainly possible you would be treated similarly.
ReplyDeleteAh I see. I don't doubt it at all. I suspect he's just biding his time.
ReplyDelete