A difficult lesson I've learned in life, perphaps too late
 

is that your compensation isn't necessarily tied to what you bring to the table, but how much damage your departure can cause.

There's a subtle difference.

A top salesman is well-compensated because of his performance and the hit the company would take if he chooses to leave.

In contrast, an executive who doesn't do much can still be compensated well because he may have all the key contacts. In this case, he's paid entirely to stay rather than produce.

My advice to young men--Position yourself to be a lynchpin and reinforce it every chance you get. Do it in multiple areas. Be dangerous. Powerful people make deals with dangerous people. The rest are liquidated.

:2 cents:

topbucks is hiring.

I like pie.

great advice. make yourself of value to the company, especially if you were to leave, tehy would be screwed and you can get a lot more $$

avn also. good luck.

or just let it be known that you are wearing a vest of explosives that will detonate if terminated.

Me too! Do you like money? I do...

wtf is this corporate zen? sounds like a jeremiah wright sermon i heard once as a kid about making yourself inexpendable. k back to work, i thought by the title this was a serious thread...

It IS a serious thread... if you don't see the value in his statements you should take a while to ponder it. While it may be obvious to some, for all the new comers out there, it's valuable insight into how to play the corporate game...

I like money too. Pie tastes better, though.

What Jet says is entirely true, as sad as it is - the more damage caused by you departing is generally the reason why idiots who have little worth keep their jobs.

if you learnt this lesson after about 24 years of age, then yes, you learnt it too late.

the bigger lesson is how to play politics to get where you want in the corporate world

the bigger lesson is how to never be part of the corporate game and yet thrive.

If your definition of "thrive" includes making a lot of money it's neigh impossible to NOT come into corporate contact... The best you can do is start your own company and lay down your own rules to minimize the BS :P

that's a completely different school and a whole nother level. :1orglaugh