Desperate Moves

Being in a situation where desperation is visible or one is willling to compromise their morals is probably the easiest way to lose respect and admiration among people in your circle. It is a posiiton that should be deliberately avoided at all cost as the resultant effects can be irreversible.

A colleague at the office who is usually 'by the book', and in a position of authority has found himself in quite a situation lately. In a bid to meet his sales target (given to all supervisors) he made some rather unbecoming suggestions to one of his subordinates in order to close a deal. Luckily, she refused. When I found out about it, I felt compelled to talk some sense into him.

Yes, there is the very real possibility of the company taking action against those who do not meet their targets. This is probably his biggest concern. Yet I wonder what kind of team he'll face should he get it at the cost of a value system and authority he has built over years. I reckon such a situation will probably be as unwanted.

I've come to realize that in order not to fall for the desperation trap it is important that we are conscious and take measures to avaoid them. We have to be proactive before desperation makes us reactive to circumstances.