I grew up with parents who each owned their own companies, so when I entered the working world, I had a bit of a unique perspective on working for a company—at least for someone who had just graduated from college. The bosses’ various jobs and overhead expenses and round-the-clock company mindfulness weren’t unknown or esoteric aspects to me, but ones I had grown up with and respected. My job was to help my bosses to do their jobs—to do the best work I could to make their professional lives easier and better. That mindset has made me sensitive to deadlines and company needs, but often leads me to be less vocal about my own.
Now that I have worked remotely for Mustang Marketing from beautiful San Francisco for nearly four years, this mindset is even more dangerous because I’m not physically around for anyone to check in with (here’s a shock—there’s no office nanny to check on all the employees!). When my computer goes in and out of technological comas or I’m in need of a critical office tool or have been working overtime for a week just to manage my workload, it is solely my responsibility to make the Mustang headquarters aware of the situation. No one can see my computer freeze or tap my shoulder and ask why I’m pulling my hair out—it’s up to me to make my voice heard from the other side of the state.
And while I may or may not have created a personal blog dedicated almost solely to complaining about the various petty injustices that invade my personal life, the professional sphere is an entirely different world for me, and one that I take seriously. Besides, having the sheer ability to both live in San Francisco and work for a great company like Mustang is a really special circumstance, and one that I would never take for granted. But in an effort to make this professional sphere a bit more harmonious and pleasant, I’ve come to realize that oftentimes in the workplace, the squeaky wheel really does get greased—it’s how to keep the company running efficiently and positively. You’ve got to speak up.
As long as my squeak doesn’t turn into a squawk, I think finding this new balance will only serve to benefit both my bosses and me. And if you never see another blog post from me, you’ll know I was wrong.