Wednesday, January 19, 2011

"I Got Your Back"

I love TV shows or movies that are about lawyers or have to do with the criminal justice system.  I was a big fan of LA LawThe Practice, Law and Order SVU, and currently, The Good Wife.  I am addicted to that show!  In tonight's episode there was a scene where  one of  the partners upon noticing that one of his most talented employee was unhappy and considering leaving the firm, asked her what he could do to change her mind and make her stay.  The employee told him she wanted a substantial raise, even gave him an astronomical number and then walked out.  Well the partner met with his other partner and told him that they were going to give her a raise and if she didn't get it, "the waters would not be calm."  In the end, she got the raise and the partner told her, "I got your back, I hope you have mine."  to which she replied, "I always do."  Now, maybe to some of you or all of you, none of this will make sense or will matter.  But to me, it meant everything.  Knowing that no matter what, your boss has "your back" is a great feeling and mood booster and more importantly, a security blanket of confidence.  Having worked for lawyers for a hundred years now, I can tell you that loyalty from an employer to an employee is not common in my parts.  I have been with very few attorneys in my career, who have been not only loyal, but also almost like a part of my family.  And that feeling is mutual.  To this day, I remain close to all of them.  But, "I got your back" can only be functional if it works both ways.  Sadly, this is not always the case.  And not just in the legal field I'm sure.  Wouldn't it be phenomenal if we all could feel that secure or that at peace with our employer(s)?  Think about it! How happy would we be?  But alas, I know that it is all make believe.  In the real world, "I got your back" is more often replaced with, "You're on your own!"

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

That's life...

This is Walgreens :P

http://theadorkableditzmissteps.blogspot.com/

Shady Del Knight said...

"I got your back," most of my bosses would say, "and I'm sticking a great big knife in it." You're right. It's everywhere. I worked for more than a dozen different companies and I can count on one FINGER the number that made me feel secure and treated me like family.

Belle said...

My daughter, Sandy, used to tell me, "Mom, you don't know how lucky you are not to be out there working."

Robin said...

You are right. Most people are always looking out for #1 and living by the CYA (cover your ass) policy. "I got your back." That is how you know it was just TV. Fiction. But it makes for good story.

Yvonne said...

Thanks guys! Glad I'm not the only one!

Cinderita said...

I love Adorkable Ditz's comment. LOL.

I have to admit, my boss, he's got my back. Sometimes it doesn't look quite that way, but he really does. He supports me taking on additional projects that he knows I love, he has supported me to take 4 months and go work in Beijing while still getting paid, (mind you I was still doing a government job there too), he supported me to be gone for 5 months while working at the Olympics in Vancouver. Yah. He's got my back. So I guess it's not everywhere...

Yvonne said...

Rita - I've had bosses who had 'my back' too. Isn't it fantastic? You're very fortunate to work for someone that allows you so much. :)

Chapter 56

The sunlight peeping through the curtains, stir her from her sleep.  Her eyes open and she rubs them a bit before sitting up in bed.  Eyes n...