You worked real hard day in and day out. You applied yourself to the very best of your abilities. Finally, you have reached the senior/executive management position. Now, you are the CFO, the Controller, the Director, "the right hand," "the most important person in the company without the title" – it doesn't matter what they call you: you've achieved it. And it's irrelevant that the business is small – in this small pond you are a big fish.Does this mean that now you can tell your boss, the owner of the company, to stop watching porn on your computer after work and leave it on overnight? Even my favorite columnist Randy Cohen, cannot give you a clear answer in his response to one of our peers' query in June 27th New York Times Magazine - The Ethicist: Porn in the Office.He is trying, though: yes, it is not right that the boss doesn't close the browser, that he leaves it for the next user to see, but he doesn't really do anything illegal either, etc, etc, blah, blah, blah…
The point is that our dear entrepreneurs do not separate themselves from their businesses. They treat their place of work as their second home: watching porn, meeting with their friends, letting their kids and pets run around. This could be a $200 million business you helped to build, but THEY REALLY DON'T CARE WHAT ANYBODY THINKS. It wouldn't even come to their minds to consider the possibility that somebody may be offended, or simply surprised, by the images on the computer screen. And it is not about porn. It's one thing today and another tomorrow – the principal (pun is always intended) attitude is always the same.
And the unfortunate truth is that no matter how important you are to the company, you cannot criticize them, because they will never forget it. They will hold the grudge forever, because subconsciously they feel that they are untouchable royalty in their little kingdoms and NOBODY dares to point out their shortcomings. And if you are experienced and shrewd enough, you will not say a boo (neither would I).
So, here you are, frustrated out of your mind by the unbalance between your professional achievements and organizational position on one side and inability to exercise your personal freedom on the other. All I can advise you to do at this point is to pick your favorite from my list of coping devices listed in One CFO's Personal Tools for Frustration Relief. That's all you can do.
The Frustrated CFO 