Something about the word 'BANK'...
Ok, I LOVE my team.
I LOVE my department.
I LOVE my work.
I LOVE my 'guardians'.
BUT-
....something in me shudders everytime someone asks me if I am a member of the Young Bankers Association.
... after attending a whole day workshop on sustainability, the continual reference to the core business of the bank as 'making profit' was more than unrattling to me when the point was repeated over and over.
... I find myself to be more than just a little creative. People walk by my desk staring, and the other day in a meeting I was asked to 'go slower' because they usually do not see many diagrams in presentations. Hmmm ok, presentation? Guys I thought this was a meeting....
I found myself wandering in the session on financial transparency today thinking 'Mazzy, what are you doing here? You are not supposed to be in the financial services sector'.
It's weird to realise again, but good.
There is no way I am staying more than 6 months, but I am enjoying my time and the people. It would just be better if it was for an organisation that I actually believed in.
I LOVE my department.
I LOVE my work.
I LOVE my 'guardians'.
BUT-
....something in me shudders everytime someone asks me if I am a member of the Young Bankers Association.
... after attending a whole day workshop on sustainability, the continual reference to the core business of the bank as 'making profit' was more than unrattling to me when the point was repeated over and over.
... I find myself to be more than just a little creative. People walk by my desk staring, and the other day in a meeting I was asked to 'go slower' because they usually do not see many diagrams in presentations. Hmmm ok, presentation? Guys I thought this was a meeting....
I found myself wandering in the session on financial transparency today thinking 'Mazzy, what are you doing here? You are not supposed to be in the financial services sector'.
It's weird to realise again, but good.
There is no way I am staying more than 6 months, but I am enjoying my time and the people. It would just be better if it was for an organisation that I actually believed in.
13 Comments:
Any company that doesn't concentrate on being profitable do more harm than good to society.
There's a difference between concentrating on being profitable and having it as the core reason for your existance. Profitability is only beneficial to the change agent in the sense that it helps you to continue fulfilling some other reason to exist. As an end in itself it borders on worthless, driven by nothing but greed.
Mazzy, just take everything worthwhile that you can out of this experience and use it to help your future goals.
Mazzy, believe me I wentt through the same thing of asking myself why I am where I am. I finally feel much better and feel that I am doing something worthwhile. I don't know how long I will be in this, but I now honestly enjoy going to work. I just need to find something that fulfills me after work..for example doing some voluntary work etc.
Never say never, I remember having a conversation with you on MSN. It is your first couple of weeks there and remember that at times 6 months are not a lot for you to digest your experience and learning. I have been 4 months in my traineeship and even though I learnt so much I still feel I have sooooooooo much to learn.
Just learn as much as you can
Keep your dream alive, learn as much as possible to achieve that dream of yours...
love,
Mazz, we should meet soon....
Maria
Ahhh thanks guys.
Dody dude, totally agree. But Dan said what I was feeling more when I was writing. I am all for working for a company that wants to succeed (and profit being one important measure of success) but in a bank it is the core core of the core. As a person that is engaged by the bigger picture, the bigger picture is not that motivating.
Dan, I definately am using this experience. Like I said, I love my team and work - and for 6 months that is more than enough. I am very positive about this experience. It is just what I need :-)
Maria babe, YES let's meet soon. I am definately learning, my goodness and loving it :-) I just wanted to capture my thoughts from yesterday - capture my gut instinct when it hit me the hardest.
THANKS guys for your thoughts.
Hugs Mazzy xx
Shareholders interest is always first Maz - I think you need to look at your team and its goals as the driver - focussing on the bigger picture will always be a downer, no matter what the company...
Think yourself lucky that you love your team - not everyone gets it even that good.
By shuddering each time you are asked if you are a member of the YBA, you're accepting the stereotype of what a bank is. It seems like you're overwhelmed by a new environment (as most people are!), and auto-piloting back to the stereotype and your perceptions of what a bank is like.
What you're saying doesn't sound like you at all. The bank shouldn't be seen as an obstacle to overcome or something to bear out. You, of all people, should be seeing it as an opportunity. You're on the inside now, and perfectly placed to break down that stereotype if you so wish.
I think if you go down that path, you're probably likely to face strong resistance - after all, you'd be trying to change perceptions and stereotypes (I seem to love using that word in this comment) of an entire industry.
As to making a profit, that is one of the key objectives of a commercial entity. I remember talking to you about this, when you were adamant that you wouldn't work for ABN! I agree with Bretto. The interests of the shareholders, the owners, of the business are paramount. Always have been and always will be.
I'm curious why you feel so strongly against entities making profits, especially given some of your more recent posts.
I wonder if other people shuddered this way when we ask them about AIESEC...
Hmmmm maybe I am not being really clear.
I AM ALL FOR PROFIT. IT IS IMPORTANT, IT IS THE DRIVER.
I know that, I am not completely wacked out people, give me some credit.
Also, I don't want to have to continually say that I understand profit is important. I do.
And yes, I am lucky I have a good team.
But for me PERSONALLY, I have to say the bigger picture is important. That is why I wanted to capture it in my blog. I don't want to get to the point where I am saying to myself... I don't really feel aligned with the bigger picture of this organisation, but I love my team so its ok. For me, that is not acceptable.
Maybe I am too idealistic, I don't know. According to myers briggs I am.
But I realised last night that something in me says that I should not be in the financial sector very long. And as I base most of my decisions off intuition, and not rational reasons, that intuition was what I was putting in my blog.
That gut feeling, that something about this does not fit right.
I don't think I am stereotyping, if I was I would not be here in the first place. I DO see this as a place I can learn, and add a great deal of value too BUT maybe not the place that would make me the most happy in the long run.
I do shudder when I hear YBA not because of stereotype, but more because it is removed from what I think I know in my heart I would much rather be doing or aligbed with.
Maybe its hard to explain.... its a mazzy gut intuition thing.
Could be worse...
Before our departments merged into one, I used to have this conversation...
"So who are you and where are you from?"
"Hi. I'm Brett and I'm from fungicide..."
hahah that is HILARIOUS babe...
and listen, WHEN are you visiting me!!!
hey hey hey!!!
Brett from fungicide....that is awesome. Sounds like you're the bass player for a kick ass speedcore band.
I started writing an extended rant on this topic but it got a bit out of handed so it is posted on my blog now instead.
"But for me PERSONALLY, I have to say the bigger picture is important. That is why I wanted to capture it in my blog. I don't want to get to the point where I am saying to myself... I don't really feel aligned with the bigger picture of this organisation, but I love my team so its ok. For me, that is not acceptable."
A bank doesn't have a bigger picture other than profit; because its main reason for existance is to move capital for investments.
Grameen Bank is wildly profitable; the fact that it chooses to concentrate in personal investment in poor community and demand a strict return on its loan makes it successful.
There are so much wasted opportunities and capital around the world because banks choose to loan money to investments with motives other than profit.
Loved your post on your blog Tom, and also the passion behind it.
Well said.
Hugs Mazzy xx
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