I Suggest Mutiny

Fueled with the knowledge that Il Duce was soon departing, and feeling better about my job and this company than I had in two years, I met with the three managers who work for me and help me run the team. Each one of them has complained to me in the past about things Il Duce has done to make their lives difficult. Granted these were minor complaints (he is causing us too much extra work, he is not sensitive to the needs of the day-to-day staff) but enough to get me thinking that while probably don't feel exactly the same way I did, they might at least lean in that direction. If not individually, maybe in collectively as a group.

I explained to them how I felt and what I'd been seeing from Il Duce: the inequity in his decisions, the unethical behavior, the inefficient management in general. I told them how I was frustrated, and I put the question to them, without telling them of the plans afoot to move him away from us (which I had been asked not to reveal): "Why don't we just do things our own way? We know what's best for this team, much better than [Il Duce] does. Let's decide for ourselves how things should be run and do that instead. Let's put this team back on the right track." Then I told them: "All we have to do is tell Il Duce's own bosses that we have better ways of maximizing the efficiencies of this team and they'll support us on our ideas." And I knew they would.

They blanched, visibly, at the idea. "You're putting us in an impossible position," they said, almost in unison, an a capella of hasty retreat. "We can't do that. We need to do what Il Duce says. Period."

I was disheartened, but only a little. Did I really expect them to capitulate? Maybe. Was I a little early out of that gate? Possibly. But at the same time, I thought I'd get more support, especially from the two managers I have out here in North America. (The one I have in London, hired by Il Duce two years ago, I assumed would support him.)

So I backed down. I said, "No problem, don't worry about it." I told them in no uncertain terms that I would never put them in a position where Il Duce and I were playing tug-of-war with them as the rope. I said we'd just continue doing things as we always had. (For the next few months, anyway, as I was led to believe this change would happen before the end of the year.)

But things changed there, after that meeting, which was all of about 30 minutes on a Monday at the end of July in 2007. For me, I felt better. It was out in the open, my feelings about Il Duce, my frustrations. It was a weight off of me. Slight disappointment notwithstanding, the sell-out feeling was gone. I would not ask my managers to defy Il Duce, but I was going to, henceforth and with both feet planted in the ground.

For them, however, things also changed. Inextricably. Il Duce, it seems, does not treat mutineers lightly.