Dated December 26, 2009 – Please Note The Date!

As To Why I Had Left My Last Oil Company (LOC)!

Dated December 26, 2009 – Please Note The Date!

As To Why I Had Left My Last Oil Company (LOC)!

Or Why I Am So Angry A Person!

 

Today is approximately 10 years later from the date that I had left my last Oil Company that I had worked with. I had left on what is commonly referred to as EER – or Voluntary Enhanced Early Retirement. That is a polite and decent way of saying that I am tired of working with you – and I want my way out – and The Company asks now (out of all times!) – Is that so? Well we have no problem and or issue for you to go! (Good Riddance for Bad Rubbish!).

My request to leave was the fastest processed one (two weeks!)  – With my then Human Resources Director personally involved with Finance Department to ensure that it went through very quickly! That is lest I changed my mind! I had many times wanted to resign many times on my own – and had been to many job interviews here in Oman and UAE during the period – but my fate was sealed to remain in LOC and to get my Retirement Pension from them.

A few weeks back I had met this ex LOC Omani Engineer at a Social function – and he is now a General Manager of one State (National) firm. I was the one who had approached him in my Head Hunting (Executive Search and Selection) after leaving LOC and as a Free Lance Human Resources Consultant, Expert and Advisor. He was thanking me ‘graciously and with great appreciation and gratitude’ for ‘saving his life’ – because he too was planning to quit and had even considered accepting a Job Offer from war-torn strife Iraq from Saddam Hussein time! He was afraid that he might have ended dead during the Invasion!

I know the feeling because even me during the times I got a good job offer in one of the Local Banks in Human Resources – but my late Father (PBUH) begged me to re-consider and stay on in LOC – because ‘they sent you for studies in UK, gave you land, and they gave you a mortgage loan to build your own Villa – and remember your Brothers and Sisters and Others in The Family still working there. That is being faithful, loyal and dedicated in our older generation is all about Besides, I do not want you to work in Banks because of the ‘Interests’ (Islamic Ribbah) factor.

This is something Non Muslims will not understand and appreciate – though Banks in The Muslim world do a great volume of business in Interests – and that is part of the double dealings, hypocrisies, decadence, malaise and ugliness from what is being Preached and what is being Practised – but that is a different story for now!

I do not want to go into many details as to why I wanted to leave. If I go into details it could take me to my Next Book Three in Management – Book Six – Why I Quit Now! – But suffice that the Appended Article ‘Paak Ghaya’ can try to explain most reasons. Also the article The Lady In Red! I will only concentrate now for the last few years in LOC and in my last job as a Human Resources Planner.

When the Company reorganized into Business Units, I was transferred to the Unit from The Central Department and became as The Human Resources Services Supervisor looking over almost 1000 Staff – 250 that were Senior and International Staff. I was minding my own business and then one day I get a call to go and see my Business Unit Director a one Mr. JB – Dutch.

This is the guy I had clashed with in the article The Lady In Red. I had this fear and phobia that I was going to be terminated – and I went in with trembling fear and trepidations that I would lose my job now – and was anyway prepared because as far as I know I had not stolen even one Baizas from The Company – and had not overpaid any Staff or Company – though my budget in my last job was over 16 million USA Dollars per year – and I had full
control of this budget.

I must admit that the controls in place then were not forgery tamper proof – proved later when some other official was alleged to have taken over 100,000 Omani Rials in a lesser job. All I had to do was gang up with any Customer or Client – but I was brought up as Mr. Clean – Mr. Decent and Mr. Honest – and our late Father PBUH always expected us to live within our means – and not take anything that did not belong to you! He was particularly against taking bribes and corruption!

Do not ask me now why I was so much worried and concerned – on hindsight it was stupid and silly of me – especially in my job  I was expected also to interface with him as my Director! Though I usually got all my messages and orders  through my boss a British guy called DW.

He was Head of Training before he did something or perhaps the job was Omanised – one of the two. I always suspect these kind of guys to be here to be doing special jobs from home – and the job here is only a guise – but I have no way of proving or authenticating my case – and anyway is not my problem or concern here!

As I walked into his Office, the good man was smiling.He welcomed me in. He then gave me a bombshell! He told me that he wants me to do the Human Resources Planning (more senior) job. I looked at him aghast and dumbfounded – he saw clearly my eyes of surprise and amazement.

I asked him – Are you Sure? Did you check with the The Human Resources Director (a fellow Omani whom I knew clearly not only hated my guts but me too as a person!)  I knew that clearly. This man is covered in a lot of my books and column – because the feelings were mutual – but I did not cast the first stone – that is for sure – and God Is My witness here!

Mr. JB was visibly upset with me! He asked me to reply to his question first! I replied I was indeed interested and had been asking for a transfer to that position for more than 6 years – but I was seen as trouble and would rock the boat because I was a Firm Believer and Pusher of Omanisation (Localisation) – and for the National cause in this. I do not want to put in print what this Omani HR Director had told me before when he came to my room and saw all the National Slogans and Pieces in my Office. He is a very sick man now suffering from Cancer – and we had said forgiveness to each other when I went to Hajj 2 years ago – though he did not say it by words like I did – but was receptive by body signs!

He Mr. JB told me – this is my Unit – and even if he says NO – I will go to the MD to intervene. That is not your problem. I said emphatically YES – YES. So he told me – there is a meeting today at the Ras Al Hamra club to discuss Omanisation plans for my Unit. I was about to query again – but decided to go silent instead. Then he explained to me.

All the people looking after Human Resources Planning and Development in my Unit are Expatriates (it was true!). I need an Omani voice – and to be our Conscience Keeper (exact words he used). I want you to replace one Irish chap (totally useless – but he was a real good Christian who showed me the ropes when even told he was being Omanised by me). Lucky for him that he got a better job in The Training Centre of The Company looking after Overseas Training (though in my mind I would have preferred that job, as there were more cushions on top of my head to protect me than in this job).

I attended the meeting and was transferred to the HR Planning job. To make my job heavy, he Mr. JB added me to be responsible for Senior Staff Omanis in Job 7 and 6 – where there were many Omanis too in these cadres. He told me – Your Mr. SL refused you to be transferred to this job, but the MD stepped in! Continuing he said to me – He had told me – Yes you got him transferred – but he will not be promoted! I as The Functional Discipline Director have the last say in this (his words which I can swear to).

I can confirm this also to be true after what had happened next! I was the favourite of Mr. JB – and he became my Mentor and God Father. Ironies of ironies, his wife liked me too – and the Nigerian Director who came as his replacement did too – with me teaching his wife to drive too! I got invited many times for dinner with my wife – but she is not a ‘social animal’ and had to decline politely.

Then one morning he agitated Mr. JB called me. He told me he got a better job offer in Nigeria, and had to leave fast. He was sorry he would not be around to help, support and push me. He told me that he stood by me because I was ‘The right political candidate under current LOC climate of some families dominating the scene – the famous Airline thing – if you do not know it – don’t expect me to explain this highly inflammable exploitive thing here!

I was reporting directly to The HR Unit Manager , but now the responsibilities for Senior staff were taken away from me – and I had instead to report to my peer a FM –ex South Africa Dutch (his wife was the one that had clumsily admitted to us at our Department dinner party that it ‘was the first time for her to mix socially with ‘coloured peoples’ and this would not have happened in South Africa – so we should excuse her clumsiness and oddness because ‘she did not know what to talk or say to us’! Some of us did excuse ourselves – by moving to another table! That is how docile and weak we Omanis locals are – or in other words welcoming and accommodating!

Anyway, Mr. FM was one of my good bosses and he is the one that had stood and confronted one great personality still in PDO when he told me sharply and curtly – Cut the Crap and come to the Point. This in trying to explain politely and courteously why things asked for were not done. Late Mr. DP (British) after the Nigerian one was also very upset. God take him to Heaven – because he refused my early retirement request and wanted to know from me First Hand why – and if anyone was pushing or forcing me to leave.

He was the only person that had asked me this in the Company – no one else did! – which explains why in my books that Omanis have mainly felt more at ease and accepting the times when they were under Expatriate Management than fellow Omanis ‘that like The General that shoots at his own troops’ like I always like to say in my books and in my columns!

To make a long story short, Mr. FM (my Dutch boss now from Peer) went on holidays to Switzerland where he broke his leg in an icing accident. For three months and more, I became the Acting for his position too – and I looked after all the Staff including those taken away from me – God’s Mysterious Ways! Coincidence of coincidence, the jobs in the Job Profiling and Basket came to JG. 4 and 3 – and I was still a JG 5!

When I asked for my promotion, I was told that my CEP (currently Estimated Potential) was reduced to 5/4 and more a 5 – and I could not be promoted. My Omani Unit HR Manager (also a fellow peer now a Boss) told me that The Big Man is saying NO – emphatically and strongly – and taking the name of God in vain he told me as a Muslim I should know everything is in God’s Hands – and this fatalistic approach to blame God when it is you Humans saying NO in wickedness and in evilness always confuses and baffles me vis-à-vis my Religion – and my beliefs – to this very day!!

One day a fellow Omani Late Mr. MI looking after Relations and Services was very angry and he was shouting very loudly on the phone talking to someone. 3 or 4 times later after peeping in, he was now controlled and calm – and like Majid always his kind, I asked him what was the matter? He then told me things best kept in my heart as told in confidence (not positive) about the situation.

In short he was being pushed to take Voluntary Early Retirement – I did not know about these things then! That they really happened practically in life! How sad and pathetic that this LOC has now become – with Omanis in control and so-called highly educated Omanis in control!

Besides, and I think nobody would have had the guts and courage and to face me as Majid to tell me this vis-à-vis face to face to leave – because they know well what they will get in return and the reception from me!

I have faced my own  Father when needed – and I was always afraid and timid to him!

The maximum they can do is try to frustrate me purposefully by denying me due promotions or deserved merits – but nobody could force me to leave – unless I wanted to. Sadly and tragically, many people up to today feel the same things that I have said above – despite a good, decent and ethical NEW MD (British) – the good man!

I do not know if it is Shell Policy or just dirty murky office politics LOC has inherited and is continuing with here – or just a case of some individuals here– when they see you rocking the boat, or not a Team Player as a YES MAN.

So  I asked him if I could volunteer instead – because I HAD ENOUGH and wanted to leave – my exact words were if I continued staying here I would get ulcers, depression and even heart attack and other serious diseases – even early death – especially when seeing another fellow Omani – who was my subordinate before – was now going to be my next boss in the reorganization.

I always believe this – when peoples are unhappy and grumble in quietness, Allah God Takes Away Blessings in anything in life – even in your own home – so why not in a Company made of many homes too? Maybe that can explain the reduced oil and gas outputs and incomes generated!

At first they refused – because they had to let the important job go! But having been too vocal and loud in The LOC Forums (mistakenly thinking I would get my rights this way – even so far as writing to The Top Guy in Shell in The Forum on Omanisation – infuriating and upsetting those that wanted to show the boat was ‘sailing calmly’ in untroubled waters (nobody rocking it!). So they had to find a way to let me go – quick and fast!

It came into being when one Omani lady graduate intake taken for a Library job in The Training Centre was jobless so to speak when the Library was tendered out. I took her position number – and I trained, coached and mentored her to take my job. She is from one Royal Family thing.

When I had sent an Email for my farewell (already discussed with The Company Club to pay the difference to my entitlement, I was told to reduce the list (Engineering Conference Hall at the time) – but I think there was a great fear, concern and alarm what I will be saying in that Farewell Speech (I am not that naïve nor stupid as some think I am – nor do I burn my bridges behind me unless for very good reasons like a force sent out to attack me! – like being told in a Mosque here comes a Big shot because that week I was covered in the Press for opening my Consultancy after leaving!

In the end I got fed up, and volunteered to take the money instead – because M being M I  could not find any  worthwhile excuse to anyone that I had invited and now say Do Not Come for a silly reason and excuse – and then they come to know that the party really took place behind their backs! I am not that kind of person – and never will be!! I had only two plus months to get my 25 years award – but this too was denied to me. They gave me just a cheap watch as parting gift, the price I checked later (looking at a gift horse in the mouth).

What is happening in LOC like this? Looks like a Sandwich Shop in such lack of professionalism, principles and ethics!

And why were people allowed to stay on that acted like Dictators? Because they served a purpose – like Saddam Hussein did at one time? He was useful to fight the Demons in Iran – just to fight those not towing the line as the Multi National perhaps wanted or intimated – or could be the games the locals played to please The Masters – or played in The Master’s Voice (gramophone!).

I left LOC a very frustrated, unhappy, miserable and sad person – after giving it 25 years of my life and of my family – and my dedication, loyalty and commitment in my own good and principled, sincere, genuine and honest way – and being honest, sincere and faithful – because in my way PDO would have been much more a Happier Place To Work, An Equal Opportunity Employer, A Place of Choice to Work etc.

I was looking at the Bigger Picture, Thinking Outside The Box and being able To See the Forest from the Trees.

And to avoid bigger possible more problems and particularly in social disorder and breakups – and as I had seen in my time in  Tanzania after Independence and after the British Colonial Masters had left – but here are still being ruled, controlled and monitored – with the famous expression of Divide and Rule (Conquer) per se! Especially as al the Top Management amongst locals are Returning Omanis – and few sons of the land (indigenous ones).

There are many other things that went also wrong after leaving like for trying for business and being told in writing ‘Thank You for your uninvited bid for business’ or the abrupt raw treatment of The Training Job in LOC at OMR 650 in total from the resigned incumbent who got almost three times that – and done by peoples (so called Religious and Now Turning (or trying to) Religious.

This is My Story – and Closing Chapter of the stakes and Life in LOC.

I forgive everyone – because I believe sometimes you are being turned away from your focus and purpose in life will take you in another direction. Maybe even better for
you too!

Yes I lost my business, I am in Financial Crisis, all my Pension is taken by The Banks for Lost Business (and this done against us by Another National Company too that had paid 3 times to The International Contractor for the same job that my Consultancy did – and the let downs and betrayals that came in – Et Tu Brutus? (Even you Brutus? – by Julius Caesar).

But I am a happier man.

Finally I got what I wanted – TO WRITE! And I have never stopped since! It was my ambition to be a Journalist and Writer – since in Secondary Schools – and today I have become that! I can say that proudly and with conviction too!

I have 5 Five books to my Credit

A Cry For Help!   – (My Second Management Book)

Psychology of Arab Management Thinking –  (My First Management Book)

www.trafford.com/08-0889

The Sequel – Between Us Only!                   www.trafford.com/08-0890

Short Takes – Between Us Only!                 orders@booksurge.com

Between Us Only!                                                Published in Oman.

See also my site www.majidbooks.com – for more books information and details.

See also www.mas-trac.com – Business Link (Management and Human Resources etc).

My E-Mails

majid@mas-trac.com

majid@majidsuleimany.com

majidalsuleimany@gmail.com

majidsnalsuleimany@hotmail.com

majidalsuleimany@yahoo.com

With Sincere Apologies

Best wishes and Regards,

Majid bin Said bin Nasser Al Suleimany

Majid Al Suleimany