27 it feels like heaven, you’re still young but not so dumb. Having been in and out of several jobs in different insurance companies, you’ve managed to get promoted every time you jumped ship. In fact, you just jumped right into a new job that you thought would finally be good for life – Assistant General Manager of the Chicago branch. You can do home insurance, car insurance, life insurance, health insurance, and best of all there’s only one guy above you and all the other employees are your subordinates here.
After spending three years for a college degree, worked six years in the industry, and paid off all your college loans you can finally tell your father you’re the boss of someone. Good job kid! You’re going places and climbing the corporate ladder. All your friends are jealous of your talented wife, two high-achieving kids, three brand new cars, and suburban house. Living the typical American dream – put your back in it and you’ll make it in life. Nice!
Pleasantly surprised at your first day in the office, you try to keep yoursed composed and not let the surprise show through your face. They gave you a prime parking spot for your shiny European car in the garage to keep it away from homeless vagrants roaming downtown streets. Your office is in the northeast corner of the building for a great view of the Lake. Leather chairs, oak tables, and a late model computer with three screens come standard. Just as you thought things were going well you hear a gentle knock on your door.
“Come in!” You beckon.
A young brunette walks into your office dressed in a smart-looking dress. She places a heavy black binder on your desk and says: “I’m Joanne, assistant to the AGM.”
You smile, shake her hand, and let her know that you’d like a cup of coffee with two milks and some biscuits to start the day. Moments later, she returns with a small tray containing a cup of milky coffee and four oatmeal biscuits. After you get to grips with how things operate in the company, you get to work and realize that apart from a few additional responsibilities, your duties and work remains largely similar to your old job. Sweet!
Come Friday afternoon, your only boss, the General Manager, asks you to have a drink with him in a bar nearby. While at the bar you share your hopes, dreams, ambitions, and desires with each other. You laugh, sympathize, understand, and engage in good fellowship with one another. You find out that apart from being 15 years your senior and having kids who are now in college, he’s not that different from you. He was a small town boy from Arkansas, attended state university, and worked his way up to where he was now.
Week after week, you have Monday morning updates, Wednesday midday meetings, and Friday evening fireside chats with your boss. Month after month, you check in on the quotas of each business team’s results and encourage them to work even harder. There was work then there life, now it’s just work and work.
15 years later, your boss retires, you send your children to you alma mater, and your 401k grows to a respectable size. You walk into a larger office with more leather chairs, and a young, tall lady walks into your office with a heavy black binder.
“Sir, I’m Allison, your new secretary, here’s everything you’ll need to get up to speed.” She informs you. “Your coffee with two milks and four oatmeal biscuits are on the tea table to your right.” She adds.
Sure enough, there they were, the milky coffee and four oatmeal biscuits you’ve had for the last 15 years. Every Monday you take the cair at the weekly updates, take charge of Wednesday midday meetings, and mentor your new Assistant General Manager every Friday evening. You’re almost certain that in another 15 years he’s going to take your palce and your kids are going to tell you, a proud father, that they’re the bosses of someone else. Just another 15 years till you retire, too.
