The post was originally published in Polish on Szymon’s LinkedIn profile. Szymon kindly agreed to republish what we think is of great value to our readers.
Szymon Janiak, Co-Founder and Managing Partner at Czysta3.VC
Employees get treated like children were treated in the 90s. They are to obey. They are to carry out their duties. They are not to oppose. They are not supposed to question. If they break the rules—they get punished. If they behave, they get a reward. Everything by the book.
If you work in a company that has its roots and mentality still stuck in this time period, even for a lot of money—think twice. After all, it makes it easy to understand what it can mean in practice that a company is like a family…
You have a choice.
The comment section adds:
‘They are to obey. They are not to oppose. They are not supposed to question’ is the mentality not only of bosses or shareholders of companies, but also of superiors in many other institutions. I experienced it in a cruel way. And after thinking about it, I say NO. I do have the right to discuss, I do have the right to oppose. I do have the right to take care of myself.
– Dr Monika Cichorska, Law Professor
Families are different and people play different roles in them.
The concept of educating obedient workers derives from Prussian compulsory schooling. The bell played a key role, which may be a surprise for some, it turns out to be very coherent upon a moment of reflection. Of course, corporal punishment, which is confirmed by modern psychology – has a side effect in the upbringing of people who ‘obey’ even those commands that don’t make sense.
However, I would not presume that in general, harshness and brutality were the trademark of upbringing in the 90s.
– Wojciech Samek, Legal Advisor at Baligród Municipal Office
‘
We are like a family’—it’s a pity that nobody ever adds that it is dysfunctional and toxic.
– Aleksandra Jakimowicz, Lecturer at Uniwersytet WSB Merito Poznań
An interesting comparison… Families also have rules, good parents listen to their children’s voice, respect their individuality, help them develop their talents, give them space and a chance to experience, but it is the parents who are responsible for the children and it is the parents who ultimately make dozens of decisions every day, which are often contrary to the expectations of the children but translate into the functioning of the family. It is similar in the company, but perfect organizations do not exist. Parents can be dysfunctional, and children can cause many problems. There are external factors such as school, peers, other family members and probably a lot more…
– Emilia Kowalska, CEO at Crockett Media
Szymon Janiak is an investor and a business-driven Managing Director at czysta3.vc, a Venture Capital fund located in Poland. He has over 10 years of experience in the technology sector. Szymon is also a Member of the Supervisory Board at stockbroker Grupa Trinity S.A.
