Office Politics at the Higher Food Chain

I view myself as an instrument of the Company to create wealth, fortune and continuity in business in return for my livelihood. I have never an issue pertaining this statement and it held true when I was hired and for all the future I see as long I am involved in the business of prospering.

If all indications point out to you that you are a power-tool and a swiss-knife by your bosses, your colleagues, peers, suppliers and clients - there must be some kind of truth in what they say. The perception of my boss's boss is that I am a blunt saw, a chipped axe and a crooked nail.

It's all depicted very nicely here in this chart.

My chairman is "The boss". My immediate boss is the "Right Hand Manager". Me as the GM is the "Left Hand Manager". Both my boss and me have a sideline report to the CEO, "The Outsider" as shown. The Chairman usually have Visions every single night and his variety of visions come to him every single night without fail. He tries to implement them but fails miserably as his visions does not transpire easily and he has bad credence historically amongst his staff and industry people. He's rude, obnoxious and an angry man whose balls are hung up everytime he meets his wife, the CEO for a results review. My boss, the MD came into the picture as my respected father figure boss retired a couple of month back. My deal with him was this - he handles the Chairman and I'll get rest of the planet in line for reconstructing the business. He did not keep to his bargain. A few months back, he announced that his immediate boss is his "COO" thereby relegating me to head 2 business units. I accepted this decision but threw in a single condition. Autonomous region like Tibet - no one mess with me on the decision I make, I am answerable to no one except to him (coz i know the Chairman will micro-manage). Promised but not delivered. He has allowed the chairman to become the COO, providing me intructions I cannot follow (I can't because he's outright wrong for the past 20+ years and will continue to be wrong).

I do not know how to thrive in this political game. I am a professional manager who manages commercial issues, I lack the will and the ability for office politics.

Last week, I gave my ultimatum to my boss. I wanted out. I wanted to be transferred to some other company to at least have autonomy on the business decisions I make. He said no and assured me he will make ammends. I won't let him go off the hook so easily now.