Work hierarchies are ARTIFICIAL

Just a quick reminder that hierarchies at work are ARTIFICIAL and CONSENSUAL. 

No-one you work with has any ACTUAL power over you. 

• They might have a different title. 
• They might give and review your work
• They might make decisions about your progress at that firm,

BUT…

They have no ACTUAL power over you OR your future career. 

You have total agency over yourself and your future.  

You CHOOSE to work for them because there is BENEFIT to you. You benefit from the opportunities and development they provide. Or, at the very least, the paycheck. 

If you’re not getting any of those things, I suggest you leave…

In any event, I wanted to make the point because some of you seem to believe that these people have power over you – and that is such a disempowering way to think! 

It actively causes stress because we feel like victims – trapped and powerless. 

I especially want to send this message to any of you experiencing a boss who falls short as manager. Who is reactive, unreasonable or just generally lacking in people skills. 

Please, PLEASE, don’t forget, that this person has no ACTUAL power over you. 

By all means do the work, listen to feedback that benefits you, take the experience, bite your tongue when they fall short, enjoy the paycheck…

But don’t forget that it’s 100% YOUR CHOICE to do that. 

You can leave whenever you like. You are VALUABLE to the market. 

And if your brain is offering you anything along the lines of:

• But, the market, the economy blah, blah blah
• But I’ve worked so hard to build my profile here
• But I was ‘lucky’ to get a job here, maybe I’m not good enough,

Just know that all of those stories will keep you feeling disempowered. 

If you wanted to leave, you could. 

That’s the truth. 

Own it.