Although the term Professional Oppression feels like the correct term for these thoughts, I did a little research hoping to gain additional supporting thoughts on the subject. All I found was an over complicated and over verbalized mass of words and topics ranging anywhere from mental health jargon to comments about brutal dictators and totalitarian governments. Professional Oppression has nothing to do with those types of situations but could be considered a damaging form of oppression all the same.
In the United States of America there are so many processes, fees, insurances, regulations and other items that are part of starting up and running a business that it is highly probable that many potential business operators are deterred from going out on their own. Many new discoveries, inventions and technologies will never come about due to the amount of official obstacles that block inspiration and innovation. Governments vote in more taxes and regulations in a fit to generate more revenue to feed the hunger of the perpetual political machine that they have created. How many great ideas and potential life altering inventions are setting out there unable to rise to the surface as a result of this form of professional oppression?
There were some amazing experiments, inventions and technologies that came about during World War II. It is truly amazing what the human spirit can achieve when there are fewer obstacles in the way of creative thinking.
Being the person that is the "go to" person for certain needs can be a good feeling. We all need to feel important and useful. When someone else comes along with knowledge of your self-proclaimed specialty, it can feel like a threat to the security of your job. As they prove their abilities there are those who feel the need to take actions to "bring that person down to earth" or to "put them in their place". The thought is that there is a new person and they have not worked in the company long enough to make their own decisions or showcase their skills. The instigator in holding that person back is openly broadcasting the fact that they are intimidated by this person and they have decided to employee negative means in what they perceive as securing their position. It becomes obvious that the instigator is a bad person and as word gets out to other employees this person looses their credibility and trustworthiness with their co-workers. Would it not be better to take a positive and supportive approach and work closely with that person so that each is sharing their skills and knowledge and both of you end up being more capable and stronger in the profession. Allow me to repeat the above in a more comparative manner:
Professionally damaging the new person and as a result loosing your credibility and trustworthiness, makes both employees weaker. Sharing information and learning together will make both employees stronger.
When actions are taken that damage, destroy or professionally oppress others, the "attacker" will also end up on the loosing side of the equation. No one wins. Embracing the new person's abilities will free up time allowing for the expansion of knowledge into other areas. New skills and areas of specialty can be developed and professional advancement could come about as a result of the increased knowledge and skills.
We all know there are large egos in all industries and we all should know that there is always someone that can do our job better than we do. It is true that no one is indispensable and if you think that you are indispensable then perhaps you should check your ego before you get a surprise that is a surprise only to you.
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