My first (and last) real encounter with Marco van Basten, known to football fans worldwide, was when he walked into the gym where I worked part-time as a receptionist while still a student.
He looked so familiar, not famous, that I greeted him with an almost deafening, “Hello!! How have you been?!” as if he were an old friend.
Despite being welcomed like he was my uncle Bob from Amsterdam, he did not respond with a “don’t you know who I am” attitude you might expect from one of the greatest strikers the world has ever known.
The humble football legend simply went along with my honest mistake as he realised it took me a minute (or ten) to register who he actually was. Shame on me but good on him. After all, I was just a ‘kid’.
That same gym was also often visited by a different kind of “celebrity” customer. These were usually young, very pretty women who were unbearably arrogant because of a fleeting brush with their ‘fifteen minutes of fame’, usually from hosting trivial TV game shows or promoting useless products on daytime television. I soon started secretly calling these Princesses of Pretence ‘The Wannabees.’
In hindsight, all of this took place in the nineties, before self-centred social media posts and selfish selfies became a trend. So, ‘The Wannabees’ were the predecessors of the Kardashian sisters or other ‘Celebrealities’ (yes, a real word) and at least one of them is now even a reality TV socialite herself. After I entered the world of work full-time, no longer a kid, I began to notice a rare type of professional who reminded me of ‘The Wannabees’: The Corporate Climber who displays what my late father called “kiss up, kick down” behaviour.
The Corporate Climber operates very hierarchically, flattering those they see as ‘superiors’ (kiss up) but often becoming exploitative, or even abusive, towards those they consider ‘subordinates’ (kick down). Whether in the spotlight or behind the scenes, they charm anyone with more power or status than themselves, yet micromanage or mistreat those lower on the ladder, often out of frustration at not having reached the top.
I never faced any real challenges with the leaders at the top of organisations I worked for, as they have always been open-minded, patient and receptive to fresh ideas, but the Corporate Climber was a different story.
Of all the corporate climbers I encountered, one former expatriate colleague stands out. Brilliant at her job in terms of content, she charmed superiors with her intellect and smiles, all while quietly undermining me and many of my Omani colleagues. Mind you: This was a person who should have guided me at the start of my career at the organisation we both worked for, yet she dominated and restricted growth.
Unlike most colleagues who greeted me warmly, this lady could not stand the sight of me. What appeared as tough guidance was in reality stifling creativity and opportunity. She blocked me from the job I was hired to do as a project manager, overloaded me with trivial and time-intensive Mickey Mouse tasks, and even shamelessly overtook opportunities. Her sense of superiority bordered on absurd; once she screamed at me for sharing a car with her to an event, leaving the chauffeur shocked.
Looking back, I see how this behaviour contrasts with true mentorship. Today, I am fortunate to work somewhere leaders actively encourage talent who are the age I was when I had my so-called mentor. Healthy workplaces foster growth and fulfilment, not fear or stagnation. True leaders do not feel threatened by the potential of younger people; they lift them up.
Bregje van Baaren
The writer is a freelance contributor
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