My "power journey" in the workplace

The national story project198th story.

one

At the end of last year, Mr. Tang, the deputy general manager of the company, suddenly called my landline and asked me to drive him to a customer's home after work. I had a bad feeling after hanging up the phone.

It's the special time of the year. There will be great personnel changes in the company at the beginning of the year, which is also the preparation period for the adjustment of the company's organizational structure. Outside the company, it is a "special period" for year-end visits, which is very important and has a bearing on the stability of orders in the coming year.

According to my consistent cognition, the driver is generally responsible for Mr. Tang's trip. At present, several drivers in the company are here, but inexplicably asked me to drive him. I am the manager of the company's quality control department, not the direct subordinate of General Manager Tang. In any case, it is meaningless to drive him.

I guess General Tang's purpose is to win me over again.

General manager Tang is directly responsible for the sales department and production department of the company. Although General Manager Luo is in charge of the purchasing department, General Manager Luo is always hand-picked by General Manager Tang. Everyone knows who the real leader of the purchasing department is. At present, although the order volume of the sales department has been increasing, the product price has been kept down by customers, and the general manager has also talked about it several times at the regular management meeting. General manager Tang is under increasing pressure. If there are any more customer complaints, his position will be in jeopardy.

In our company, the quality of products has been very stable. If it is a general customer complaint, the spearhead will point to sales, thinking that they have not maintained a good customer relationship and will not blame the quality of the process at all. The customer's quality complaint information is sent directly to our department, so how I handle it has a great influence on the sales department.

Moreover, the quality of suppliers' incoming materials is also determined by our side, which is closely related to the assessment of suppliers and purchasing department.

So for a long time in the past, Mr. Tang took turns to be nice to me, trying to arrange someone to replace me, and always wanted to bring the quality control department into his own scope. In this way, he firmly controlled most of the key departments of the company and became the first real power figure under the boss.

However, he finally saw that I didn't want to attend any office political parties, which was harmless to people and animals. And because of the fairness of product quality, I am the only manager who is personally recruited by the general manager and directly under his jurisdiction, and I will not easily change people. Manager Tang has completely lost interest in me.

This time, I was suddenly instructed to drive for him. There must be something serious. My principle is still the same: don't do anything involving personnel disputes.

two

In the car in the afternoon, Mr. Tang told me his real purpose. He asked me to send a year-end gift to Mr. Ma, the quality director of the client company.

It is our practice to give gifts to several customers every year. It was normal to give people away before, and everyone was happy. But this year, Director Ma of the company just took office, and the oil and salt did not enter, which made the boss very headache.

"Gift money can't be sent out, that's my dereliction of duty. Xiao Wang, the sales department sent it several times without success. Both you and Mr. Ma are in charge of quality. You can chat together and hand out the red envelopes by the way, but you have done a great job in front of the boss. " Manager Tang told me.

It's so simple that I can't find a reason to refuse. It is an open secret of the company to issue an annuity to customers. In the past, the sales department was rejected. Usually, someone else will accompany others to eat and drink, and then send it, and it will be done. This director Ma is not easy to talk to, and he has been heard in our company for a long time. It is reasonable for Mr. Tang to give me this task.

I said yes at once. Mr. Tang asked me to drive to a community, said Mr. Ma's house number and asked me to knock at the door. He stayed in the car and waited for me. Just send him a small box and the task will be completed.

Things didn't go as smoothly as I expected. I have never met General Manager Ma. After knocking at the door, according to general manager Tang's instructions, as long as the box is received, the rest will be conveyed by general manager Tang. When I knocked at the door and saw Mr. Ma, the slim middle-aged man's first reaction was: Which company are you from?

I introduced myself, and Teacher Ma closed the door by saying, "If there is anything related to the company, go through the normal channels".

When I got back to the car with the box, Mr. Tang smiled and said, "It seems that this horse is really difficult to deal with." After a while, he said fiercely, "damn it, I'll go again by myself." If I can't send it out, I will give up this relationship. "

General manager Tang went and didn't come back for nearly an hour. When he came out, he took the box as usual. After getting on the bus, he opened the box with a thick red envelope inside. Mr. Tang took out a pile of money in the red envelope and said to Yangyang, "Forget it, give it to the company to give everyone benefits."

From the third day after we gave the gift, the company received a complaint from Hong Fei about the product quality. The email even went directly to our general manager's mailbox, accusing our products of serious technical defects.

Mr. Tang was criticized a lot, and my boss called me to explain how quality control was done. Both Mr. Tang and I feel wronged. It is clear that customers complain about the product process, not sales, but process guidance and quality control. My department also follows the process.

As a result, all the responsibilities shifted to the process department. Mr. Hu, who is in charge of the process department and the planning department, became the ultimate accountability object. Mr. Hu defended for a long time, but he couldn't resist the targeted complaints from customers, so he had to make a review to the boss first.

three

During the annual meeting, the winner of the outstanding department award was a shoo-in, but due to short-term customer complaints, the award was lost to the production department. In the last two weeks before the holiday, Mr. Hu was very depressed. He invited me for a drink to discuss whether the process complaints can be answered to customers, because the change of product process is not only time-consuming and laborious, but also risky.

In our company, the so-called work content that needs to eat, drink and chat after work often contains some ulterior actions. President Hu's "compromise" is to see if I can better understand the relationship between Hong and me through my docking window. I will understand when he asks me out.

I answered him in detail. Manager Ma was really difficult, and my personal relationship with Manager Tang was rejected.

President Hu touched a cup with me and said with a wry smile, "Hey, this relationship actually allows you to go out with President Tang, which is too embarrassing for the surname Ma."

I said yes, the relationship was originally a sales department matter, and now it has been sent to engage in public relations.

"Ha ha, this is a beautiful company. Come on, tell me about your specific public relations? "

I took another sip of wine and told the story of giving gifts to Mr. Tang that day.

"Oh," Mr. Hu said thoughtfully after hearing the glass in his hand, "Mr. Tang went to his house for an hour and didn't settle it?"

My mind suddenly became alert and realized what the problem was, so I made a few phone calls casually and didn't tell Mr. Hu again. Hu Bin didn't ask again.

The whole company knows that Mr. Hu and Mr. Tang have always been sworn enemies. Although there is no direct conflict between the two men, the tense atmosphere of each meeting between them is actually a transfer of momentum between the two vice presidents. Originally, I was very cautious in private contact with both of them, afraid of being labeled as "reform". I accidentally said some details this time, which made President Hu alert me almost at the same time.

Yes, Manager Tang went to Manager Ma's house alone to give gifts. Why did it take so long?

Finally, ginger is still old and spicy. I have no doubt about what I have experienced personally. Mr. Hu noticed the problem as soon as he heard it. We ate the food silently, and I smoothed the problem in my mind.

Why does Don always ask me to give gifts together? Why is it more important to let me go first, and then he will go alone instead of going to the door together? Why did he talk to Manager Ma for so long? What did you talk about? Why did he deliberately show me the returned red envelope? Why is there a continuous complaint against the process department? Why do some of Ma's customers complain directly to the boss instead of through normal channels? ...

According to my understanding of Mr. Tang, I immediately understood that he wanted to bring down Mr. Hu at this critical period.

But I still don't know how Tang always succeeded in capturing General Hu with General Ma's hand. Mr. Tang never revealed the details of that conversation to me. I think of Ma's tall and straight face when he saw me. I really can't imagine what tricks Tang Zong used in front of him. Looking at Mr. Hu in an instant, he continued to eat and drink slowly, with a relieved and calm face.

four

The technical department of the company is in the charge of General Manager Huo. At best, Mr. Huo is an honest and fair technical expert, but at worst, he is inhuman. His image in the company is a stubborn bull. Nobody else wants to deal with him.

After drinking that day, Mr. Hu took the initiative to care about Mr. Huo's son's promotion to middle school. Knowing that Mr. Huo's son will go to middle school in more than half a year, he told Mr. Huo that his wife's uncle is the grade director of the middle school attached to Normal University. When Mr. Huo heard about it, he pestered Mr. Hu in every way to help clear the relationship.

Of course, Mr. Hu agreed to help only after he had a good relationship with Mr. Huo. Mr. Huo also understood the truth and directly asked Mr. Hu how he needed to repay.

Mr. Hu went over and said that he didn't ask for anything in return, but asked him to eat, drink and be merry. Don't make things so complicated. Huo has always been a technical talent, but he is not good at office politics. He is happy when he listens. No problem, he can eat, drink and be merry at will.

Eating is a famous western restaurant in the city. They both ordered a lot of wine. During the dinner, Mr. Hu joked that Mr. Huo didn't have to worry about money. Once the son can be admitted to a prestigious school, it is right to spend money. Mr. Huo said vaguely that it must be, and it is worthwhile to spend more money. But after dinner, Mr. Hu quietly calculated an account and let Mr. Huo's main station stagger in front of the restaurant for a long time.

After dinner, Mr. Hu took Mr. Huo to KTV, ordered two accompanying drinks, and drank and sang until late at night. Under the arrangement of President Hu, the two young ladies took them upstairs to the private room. ...

Later, Mr. Huo mentioned it and said it was his first time fooling around outside. But I understand that this is the "warlords" that President Hu gave him. Only when they have done these things that betray their conscience together can they agree that the other party is "one of their own." The relationship between Mr. Huo and Mr. Hu warmed up linearly, and then went out privately, and I don't know how many times.

At first, they carried everyone behind their backs. Mr Hu knows that there is no windtight wall in the world. He seized the opportunity to show Mr. Huo his real purpose before the rumor spread.

It turns out that the biggest controlling party of Hong Fei Company is the Westernization School in the city. Mr. Hu inquired in many ways that Mr. Ma was the highest leader of Westernization Airborne. When Mr. Ma was in the Westernization School, he was always the secretary of Deputy Secretary Liang, and trained his cronies and followers for many years. Now, Deputy Secretary Liang is ready to take a back seat, ready to give this person a push, get a real power and give it to him.

Deputy Secretary Liang was the scientific research director of the Group Research Institute, and Mr. Huo was his favorite pupil. Over the years, Mr. Huo has always been a teacher-student relationship, and the relationship is extraordinary.

After understanding these relations, Mr. Hu began to approach Mr. Huo. Now he is invited to form a dinner party, and Secretary Liang and Mr. Ma are invited to join him. Mr. Huo said to give it a try and finally made an appointment to meet in a week.

At the dinner, Mr. Hu greeted him back and forth. He didn't mention anything, but said he wanted to meet him and have a light meal. Ma Zong naturally knew his purpose and saw that he had invited all his old leaders. Although I don't talk much, I still raise my glasses with Mr. Hu frequently.

After the banquet, Ma Ying-jeou and Hu Jintao talked alone for a while, and then they shook hands with Chunfeng to say goodbye.

five

In the end, General Manager Tang was sent abroad for one month on the grounds of rectifying the management of the branch factory, and General Manager Hu was temporarily in charge of the production department. Although the cause and effect spread secretly in the company, on the surface, all the executives involved will always have that kind and serious face.

That night, Mr. Ma told Mr. Hu alone that Mr. Tang did come to his house to look for him, but he didn't mention the gift from the company at first. But to cut to the chase, there is the most impartial quality control manager in the company to testify outside, you have not received a penny from our company, and the gift of the small box will not be given to you.

Manager Ma wondered. Manager Tang took another package out of his pocket and said it was his personal gift, which had nothing to do with the company and no third person would know.

Manager Ma asked his purpose. Mr. Tang said that he hoped to help him gain strength in the company from the side. As long as we help him bring down his opponent step by step, this secret donation will continue. Then Mr. Tang explained why he would never reveal it: of course he wouldn't dare. If he leaks out, he will get himself into trouble.

After consideration, General Ma accepted a personal gift from General Tang and promised to help him deal with General Hu step by step. However, even Mr. Ma himself didn't expect that just over a month later, he met Mr. Hu at the dinner party and told him the situation.

After I learned about it, I felt cold in my back and broke out in a cold sweat.

Mr. Tang asked me to witness his intentional gift-giving failure, so that no one would suspect that he had something to do with Mr. Ma. Even if everyone suspected that Mr. Ma was targeting Mr. Hu, it was hard to associate him. If he finally takes down President Hu, will I be next?

In essence, several executives understand that no one will be defeated, and all they can do is have more or less actual power in the company. The boss knows the struggles of several vice presidents like the back of his hand. His biggest difficulty is how to keep a long-term balance. Because he understands that each vice president has his own unique ability and resources, and the lack of anyone will bring serious losses to the company.

Ma's last promise to Mr. Hu was to stop the complaints from the guests and stop having any contact with Mr. Tang. After that, he didn't want to have a personal relationship with anyone in our company.

"The water in your company is too deep, and the relationship between the upper and lower levels is involved. There is a big tree behind everyone. I am too dangerous this time. " Ma Zong said with concern.

Mr. Tang Can only eats dumb losses. After the news spread, the executives were silent. If it is broken, the management will definitely be chaotic, which is extremely unfavorable to the company's operation. Mr. Tang, who was still in high spirits for the New Year years ago, can only go to a remote branch factory in frustration after the New Year.

six

In March this year, General Manager Tang came back, happily brought several packs of snacks to everyone, and continued to command the work of various departments nervously and busily. He seems completely unaffected by this incident. In April, Mr. Tang took the initiative to review at the regular meeting. Another big customer asked for a price reduction at the beginning of the year, but his sales work was not done well.

The general manager immediately announced that Mr. Tang would take me to provide quality support to customers during this period, try to meet other requirements of customers and keep the price. I know the boss is compromising with Mr. Tang. In addition to restoring the previous authority, he is now given some functions of the quality control department.

This customer who wants to reduce the price is the capital of general manager Tang of our company. One of his relatives is an it executive, so it is easy for us to guess the meaning behind the price change.

Sure enough, after I made a quality control plan for a week, this customer didn't mention the price reduction again.

Author Qi Yan, middle-level enterprise