I got a contract job working for IBM, but it was terminated.
In checking into why, I found out that when I left, assured that
quitting would not be held against me, my manager ticked
Do Not Rehire on my exit interview, behind my back.
I didn’t know I was negotiating the terms of my separation.
She suggested I resign by mutual consent, instead of quitting,
so I’d get 3½ weeks pay—a week for every year I’d worked there.
She didn’t say I would be admitting that I quit because I couldn’t perform
at their level. I had left because they would not raise their standard to mine.
When I asked her why she did this, she said, “Some of us have to work, you know.”
I said, “Where do you want to work?” I wouldn’t work anywhere that would do that
to me. That is, do that to her. Why didn’t she say, “That isn’t right and I won’t do it.”
Is it me who’s crazy? One of their basic beliefs was respect for the individual.
Another was an open communication between employee and manager.
Another was service to the customer.
Another was product leadership.
To me, they violated all four.
I honored them. In action.