Testing Times at Work
By Shiva
@Shiva49 (26189)
Singapore
November 26, 2017 8:45am CST
I worked for others all my life in the accounts and finance area. I was holding senior positions and reporting to the CEO. I recall most had an axe to grind, in the sense, to safeguard their own interests and position.
One incident replays in my mind often. I was quite young and the CEO was anxious to impress the Board. This was before computers came into play to keep the accounts up to date. It was manual accounting and it was not possible to update accounts as the transactions were effected like today.
The CEO wished to go on a marketing trip to many countries. He wanted to show the company was doing well. He pressured me to present the financial performance within days of the year closing. I did not want to disappoint him and worked out the details that showed the company had lost money. That was not on and he wanted a profit to be shown which I said was not possible. Against my protestations he took a report that the company had made a small profit.
As the CFO, the ball was on my court by now. The audited report showed a loss and the CEO by then had his wish – a detailed trip covering many countries. He seemed to suffer from amnesia on how he played the crucial role to distort the report on the performance of the company.
I was quite dismayed at the turn of events but it ended well though I had sleepless nights for few months. The Chairman heard me patiently but I did not put the blame on the CEO and then he quipped “How did you manage to turn a profit into loss? I would have been happier if it had been the other way “
Do you have such experiences to share?
Image: The Scapegoat from Wikimedia Commons
5 people like this
5 responses
@Shiva49 (26189)
• Singapore
27 Nov 17
I tried to do that but then, maybe, I was more attuned to working for others despite the drawbacks.
Frankly, I wanted to have real family time as I involve too much when I take up an assignment.
In a way, others problems become mine, so I thought better to have problems of one than many clients! siva
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@Shiva49 (26189)
• Singapore
26 Nov 17
I did face few others as CFO positions require tact and firmness.
It is not easy when CEOs try to influence to have their way against the interest of the company.
The finance guy cannot be too friendly with others, yet need their cooperation - siva
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@Shiva49 (26189)
• Singapore
27 Nov 17
Yes it was a dicey situation for me.
I didn't want to let down the CEO though he was the real culprit.
He, sort of, let me carry the can which was not at all fair.
We carried lots of old stock which had to be written down and I told the Chairman it was the right time to bite the bullet and show the real picture. (That was why I had shown a loss in the first place.)
All in all it left a bad taste in my mouth, sort of impinging on my integrity and conscience, though I was an innocent party and used as a tool - siva .
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@Shiva49 (26189)
• Singapore
28 Nov 17
Now I understand teachers are also having a tough time as the parents have become more demanding.
I had no issues about my ability to deliver but some colleagues were not exactly cooperative and one rotten apple is enough to spoil the whole lot! siva
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@innertalks (20994)
• Australia
5 Dec 17
I remember one time when I was working for a very large Company, which was semi-Government run at the time. It operated independently, at arms length, so to speak, but it still reported to the Government of the day.
I was a young clerk there at the time, in charge of preparing the end of year accounts figures.
Come July, the Commonwealth auditors came into our office to check on the verity/accuracy of our figures.
The old man, that came to see me, was around sixty. He was a nice enough guy, endearing, a good conversationalist, charming, but for two weeks, he just sat on an empty desk next to me, just reading a paperback novel.
At the end of that time, he winked at me, as he said to me,
"All I do is to drag out last year's report, make a couple of cosmetic changes to it, and resubmit it again."
"This is the easiest job I have ever had, better than retirement."
I was astounded, shocked, at his laziness, and his cheating of the system, but as I was rather new there myself, I said nothing to anyone, and just let him get away with it.
After all, I knew that my own work was all properly done.
What would you have done??
What was the lesson for me there, should I have spoken up about this, or not?
Speaking up would make waves for others, staying quiet made waves within myself, and so the answer here for me I thought was just to play it straight myself, and to let his karma come back to him in its own time.
Maybe though, I should really have mentioned this to my own higher level boss, at the time.
@Shiva49 (26189)
• Singapore
6 Dec 17
I feel uneasy when others cheat the system.
I have been told by employers "everyone else is doing it" and the only way to survive is to "take advantage of loopholes". I used to put my foot down: thus far and no more.
Though a trained auditor myself, I cannot put up with some who have no idea how to go about their job. Some make it difficult just for the sake of it like requesting photocopies of documents which are sensitive to the concern. The standard varies with the person tasked to do the job.
I agree that person set a bad example and acted improperly, not sincere to his job. I had come across few who retire couple of years before the real event but still holding a responsible job! That attitude is not on.
You were in a tough position, I agree. Since he was a passing "guest" I would have also ignored him to his own devices. The lesson learned is how not to be like him! When auditors visit I like to get guidance to improve the system and he could have imparted his knowledge to you.
I learn from those who set examples worth emulating and do not stray from my path based on my conscience - siva
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@innertalks (20994)
• Australia
6 Dec 17
@Shiva49 Yes, he had retired already in his head, I suspect, and in his actions too.
Funny enough though, the same guy came back the following year again too. This time I could take it no more. I told my boss about this slackness.
The boss looked at me the same way as that auditor had looked at me, then he winked, and he said to me, "Do not look a gift horse in the mouth. They also still have big teeth, you know?"
I let it go then, but I was glad that the following year, we never used the Commonwealth auditors anymore.
We used some external legit auditors instead.
Things had changed, and these Commonwealth auditors were all gone by then. Public servants, to be sure, but not serving the Public, nor themselves.
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@Shiva49 (26189)
• Singapore
6 Dec 17
@innertalks I understand your angst due to his attitude and that of your boss.
No one wants to ruffle feathers but this behavior leaves a bad taste all around.
We should do what is right all the time and do honest work as otherwise it is not fair to the rest especially the toiling masses. We can only postpone the inevitable - siva
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