How to manage corporate america, how do you manage the coffee machine, the photocopier, the chats about westchester, when you dont quite fit in. You want to be the rebel  show them they dont have to pretend like this  there must be better ways of doing business. Why are people still wearing suits to work?

-- j doe (cwarburton@hotmail.com), October 11, 2000

Answers

When you see a party of fools why would you ask for the invitation. Instead decide right now who you want to feel sorry for, for people who don't have much of a life, or for yourself because you watch them.

Saving the world is a job for Superman. Even Superman has to use a dirty telephone booth to get undressed before he can help anyone, but for you, yes there is a better way of doing business; "do the work" and do it so well and be so focused that the company see's that your the person for the CEO position.

Once your the CEO, then you can "show them they don't have to pretend like this", and they will take one look at you and leave. Then you can hire more rebellious types who don't pretend, but don't be shocked when they want to tell you of better ways of doing business. Sometimes the truth hurts far more than the watercooler antics will ever do, so at the end of the day it just depends if everyone else really believe that you have the better plan; and if someone does ask to see your business plan you better have prepared a really good one.

-- Mark Zorro (zorromark@consultant.com), October 11, 2000.