The Leech

Then there was the Leech.

I think I've had my fair share of leeches in my life, from those in school to those in the workplace, it's funny how they never really change.

As previously and repeatedly stated, my experience in the workplace is not as long as most people and neither do I claim any expertise in the subject matter of business, all of this is purely my interpretation of my work life, and to be very honest it's not going so great right now. Well where do we start? How about we start with a problem. A big one, the type that would get you on the spot where the General Manager will be sending a very well worded email to your manager and to all managers calling you out for your actions, so hence I was there, right at the firing range waiting for the bullets and thinking if i were to dodge. Now after all the onslaught I was right there bleeding, wounded, and yeah shamed, I stood up and went back to work.

Then there was the Leech, what is a Leech per se? In my most humble and clearly biased opinion, it is a person who will use you so that they can benefit from you regardless of your situation. With the definitions out of the way, let's go back, I was clearly in waist-deep mess, and I just wanted the day to end, like literally end. Then this Leech came prancing into the room like he owned the place and well acting like he always does. It wasn't the first time I had to deal with him and his tricks but it's not like I have a choice. He asks me to do these tasks, like a whole lot of them completely neglecting that I have much more important things to do rather than just what he asks and the damned ass even goes the extra mile telling that it was the bidding of the general manager. Okay, I had to pause that moment, allowing the cogs in my brain to work, maybe it was really a directive, giving him the benefit of the doubt, I agreed. Given the situation it was clear that with the pretense that he was fixing the problem he is the one to gain the praises, he is the one to be commended for the actions even if he just gave an order. It's that simple, he is literally leeching off of you, both your demise and efforts! In the end of the day you are just the person that screwed up a job and your ratings will fall, while the leech will be known as the person who fixed it and be praised.

Yes I know this is a rant, but it's the reality of things. We are all playing a part in this ecosystem, like it or not one day you feel like the Lion next day you're just a lowly mushroom. Despite all of that, there will always be a Leech, sinking it's sharp teeth into your skin sucking your blood as much as it can 'til it doubles in size. Behind your every success he is there, your failure he is also there, using you all the way. Until one day you wake up seeing it surpass you. It will sting, it will hurt all the way, because whatever the Leech is doing it happens with you being against it and every time the Leech sucks up your blood you feel the pain race through your skin like a thousand needles pricking through your skin.

In your corporate life the leech can be anyone, your co-worker, your boss, a client, anyone who can use or assert any means of power over you to do their bidding to meet their desired goals. They will suck you dry if needed, they will revel in your despair and steal the gleam of your success. A Leech is one who seeks attention for achievements and use your mistakes against you. In reality if you are a new blood in your own corporate jungle you are the one most susceptible to the Leeches as you are clueless and would tend to readily trust anyone with more experience than yourself. You will see it as their way of leading and imparting skills but when everything blows up they are the first to give blame and take credit for the clean up. Be careful young bloods, do not fall for their pretenses, you must be vigilant.

There will come a time that you as a person will be a Leech as well, unintentionally as it may be, you may find yourself in that spot, you may not know it but you are coat tailing on someone else at this very moment. Be wary, you may not know it but you may be inflicting harm towards that person. If anything be a remora not a Leech. A remora is a person who shares on the success and defeat but never did take credit for himself. Do not let your authority blind you from your actions and end up being the bad guy. You need to remember the feeling of being the person who was hurt when you were used and blamed, remember how you felt and how much you wanted to dump a bucket of salt on that Leech that made you miserable. Remember and never imitate.

The Leech is always going to be there with their slimy black bodies and mouth filled with hundreds of vampiric teeth ready to sink into your flesh and get their share of your blood. If needed to take precautions, bring salt. It doesn't just keeps demons away but also Leeches! Use it when necessary, do not allow yourself to be abused, fight back, but in the nicest way possible, never be rude. Regardless of their attitude and haughty behaviour show them an ounce of respect, show them that you are a better person, that way they will lay off of you but stay in their good side. In this jungle you must remember to play on your strengths and use whatever way there is  available to survive, because you may never know when you can use the influence and connections. Remember the jungle is fickle, you must do all that you can do to survive after all, in this jungle no one is safe.