Belligerent (Me) should just Be More Quiet (Shut My Mouth)

To be belligerent, is to have behaviour that is aggressive or warlike.

I tend to by this way when I believe I have more knowledge about a topic, or, feel threatened.

It can be an effective tool when getting the job done. It can cause a lot of damage, as it can strain relationships.

I don't mind being belligerent, or on the receiving end, as it can lead to stuff getting done.
It can also be quite amusing and entertaining if done just right.

But it does cause me consternation when I clash with someone for no justifiable reason.
Particularly, when the other person has more political connections than me.

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The Encounter

The story goes, well, from my perspective at least, this way...

There was a conversation about customer payments.
What type of payments do we receive? EFT, Cash, Cheque and so on... all pretty harmless.

They asked each country if any customers paid by cash.

A couple of countries, including mine, nodded that, although rare, it does happen.

A politically strong lady, piped up,
"We should not be receiving any cash payments from customers. It is just too much risk."

Ok, my brain said to me, "This lady does not know what she is talking about!"

So, I contend with, "It is very rare, but the customer sometimes needs to pay with cash."

She flatly refused to accept what I said.

I said, "Sometimes, a customer who is not known to us, is supporting our equipment and someone turns up, after business hours, holding $3,000 in cash, wanting a product for an immediate repair. There is no other option other than to receive the cash."

She rolled her eyes at me.

I continued, "To mitigate the risk, we need a process in place so that the staff understand how to deal with the situation."

She just reiterated that it was unprofessional, for our company to accept cash payments. Too much risk. There must be a better way.

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My Outtake

I guess it is not overly belligerent. But, it is unnecessary for me to have commented.
My boss often says to me, less is more

My brain needs to switch off a little more in these meetings.

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Some Facts

• The lady is leaving next week anyway.
• She is not even from our department - she is responsible for another department entirely.
• She didn't talk to me for the rest of the week.
• She was having whisper sessions with my "other" boss (I have 2 bosses). (My "other" boss is constantly at odds with me. He constantly sifts through for things that he can benefit from and has thrown me under a bus from time to time.
  I said in one meeting "Aren't we on one team? I think I should change seats so that I am sitting together with you guys"
• The political web of association - more on that later - but basically "Home Ground Advantage".
• What's my purpose? "To pass butter"

Political Web Of Association = Home Ground Advantage

In sports, the term home ground advantage is that the home team has the advantage.

Familiarity and confidence in being where they are.
The supporters tend to be more vocal - in a good way for the home team and in a huge sounding "Boooo" for the away team.
They know the layout of the arena, the location of the arena, it is all an extension of the team.

So, when I am in my office, in my hometown, I have automatic support from most of the people.
Those that don't support me, tend to support me a bit, as there is a benefit of, "you scratch my back, and I will scratch yours".

I am not from that country. My local concerns mean little to them unless they are experiencing the same concern. Most of those people have had lunch together, shared stories, know intimate details about each others' lives, and so on.
Everyone gets a sense of how everyone else is. They are part of the furniture.

I am not.

It was funny that my Japanese colleague knew that I had been to Taiwan. He knew that I liked ants.

But not in a good way... my "other" boss has told many people about me.
I guess in a matter of fact way, with, maybe, a roll of the eyes.

Without home ground advantage, and, with limited political support = Just Keep My Mouth Shut.

MYOFB

I am just a worker.

I get the job done.

If I am not doing it the way you want, and, you truly don't want my opinion, or, don't want to give me an option, then;

Don't pretend to give me an option

Just tell me how you want it, and, I'll make it work.

I am not a meeting type of person.

I am a nerd who likes forests, routine, family, ants (insects), gaming, movies -

I battle constantly with overthinking, and my, 60/40, Introvert/Extrovert personality paradox.

Cultural Bias, Male / Female, Bullcrap

Multiculturalism is fine to me.

People from all sorts of cultures, races and nationalities are all ok.

Women, Men, Transgender, and every other option is fine - so long as I get to be ME TOO!!

• My teeth clench when I am excluded from a conversation because I am male.
• My teeth clench when my opinion/thoughts/beliefs are automatically assumed.
• My teeth clench when obstacles, or issues that fire up my most unattractive position, are thrown deliberately in front of me.

If I am tired, leave me alone

or Ice'll Scream