Being Sincere in a Mad, Mad World

It's been ten years since I graduated from college and six years since I completed my masters and I'm onto my 11th organization. Eleven?!? Yes, 11 coz I've been working since I was in college and I got moved around a lot due to product ownership. I must say I've found THE ONE and I'm sticking around for as long as I can.

Getting moved around a lot also means you get to experience different kinds of organizational culture, norms, morals; bosses of all shapes, sizes, moods, hair color and whatever. You get seasoned by that and I believe all the products I've handled were great. I was passionate about all of them and I gave my best for each one of them.

But I believe it takes more than a great product for it to be successful. Being sincere in your objectives is key.

On the ground level, I remember handling several bookstores for prepaid card distribution. You'd know from the staff if the store manager is accommodating and has customers foremost in her mind because it reflects on how they treat their customers (both buyers and suppliers). The staff mimic their boss. On the executive level, I remember having a very progressive boss. He's a Wharton Business School graduate and I learned a lot from him because he's a forward (futuristic) thinker. He would be in a business today that would be the next best thing tomorrow. But sadly, the people under him do not see his vision. His sincerity is lost because his minions are all only after their own objectives.

I've seen products and services go down the drain, not because of lack of support, strategy or programs, but because of the lack of sincerity of people running the organization.

Provide what people need and the rewards will follow. Be sincere. It shows ya know.