How to protect yourself at work when you can't see the game being played

On a recent long-haul flight, I watched Le Mans ’66 (released elsewhere as Ford v Ferrari). To be honest, I’m not a big petrol-head, but I thought I'd give it a go anyway.

I am so glad I did. What a film.

What I expected to be a boring racing film turned out to be something far more engaging. It is fast, absorbing and, for me, unexpectedly emotional. It's a story about pride, craftsmanship and what happens when people who understand the work collide with people who manage through hierarchy.

What Le Mans ’66 taught me about the workplace

Set during the 1960s, the film follows the uneasy partnership between Carroll Shelby, a former racing driver turned car designer, and Ken Miles, a talented and uncompromising British racing driver.

Their task is simple: help Ford beat Ferrari at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

But in reality, it is anything but simple.

What starts as corporate rivalry quickly becomes a story of trust, stubborn brilliance and the friction of corporate life. Shelby and Miles know how to build and race winning cars. Their problem is persuading Ford’s senior executives to give them the freedom to do it.

When expertise is tolerated rather than trusted

In the film there are the expected spectacular race scenes, but the quieter moments are just as important to the story.

They show the tension between doing the job properly and doing it in a way that keeps the big bosses at Ford happy. They also show the sacrifices Shelby and Miles made because they truly cared about their work. More importantly, the film shows how expertise is valued when it is helpful but met with resistance when it becomes inconvenient.

It's a reminder that during a career there may be times when your expertise is valued, right up until it conflicts with somebody else’s authority, ambition or preferred story.

How credit gets managed

Spoiler alert: Ford wins at Le Mans, but Ken Miles does not receive the ending that he or the people closest to the work deserved.

In the film, we see a Ford executive who has decided he needs the victory delivered on his terms. So credit is managed. Rules and instructions are used selectively to serve the company's preferred version of events. In the end, trust is exploited.

Over the years, I have noticed that Hollywood has a habit of simplifying and dramatising history, but the workplace dynamic I see in Le Mans ’66 is sadly recognisable. Without Miles, Ford’s success would have been far less likely. Yet being essential to the work did not give him control over how the result was presented or who received the recognition.

It's easy to fall into the trap of believing that if you work hard, produce results, and act with integrity, the organisation will treat you fairly. Often it will. But not always.

Shelby went on to leave an extraordinary legacy in performance car design. Miles was posthumously inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America. Both men were central to the development and racing success of the Ford GT40, although that success also depended on a much larger team.

Recognition sometimes arrives eventually. Unfortunately, that may be too late to protect you at the moment when it matters most.

The uncomfortable truth about workplace trust

As I watched this film, I was reminded of the uncomfortable truth that in all walks of life you should be careful of who you trust. However, don't become permanently suspicious of everyone around you. That is not a healthy place to be.

The good news is that not everyone at work is plotting against you. Most people are just trying to do their jobs while dealing with their own priorities, pressures and ambitions.

The problem is that their interests may not always align with yours. Sometimes you will spot this early. Sometimes you will not. What matters is how you respond once the situation becomes clear.

The day I learned to confirm important agreements

The film reminded me of a time in my distant past when I worked for a manager I liked and trusted. As I had a long commute, we agreed that I could work from home for one or two days a week. Believe it or not, working from home was unusual in those days. Shocking, I know!

The arrangement worked well. My manager was happy, I was productive, and there was no reason to think it would become a problem. Then the company, in its infinite wisdom, decided to let her go.

My new manager was determined to establish her authority, and one of her decisions was to end my working-from-home arrangement.

Naively, I had never asked for it to be confirmed in writing. A verbal agreement can still matter, but without a clear record, I found it much harder to show what had been agreed and on what basis.

The experience taught me a tough lesson. Even though you trust a person, it is ok to ask for confirmation in writing. Asking for an important agreement to be confirmed doesn't mean that you distrust your manager. It means that managers change, memories differ and organisations reorganise.

A short email could have protected me from that disagreement later.

How I fell into the resignation trap

My working life quickly became intolerable. So, what did I do?

I resigned.

I like to think I had built a good reputation within the company over several years and appeared to have promising career prospects. Instead, I left and started again somewhere else.

In the long run, the move worked out well for me. But that doesn't mean resigning was my only option. Looking back, I moved too quickly from “this is unfair” to “I need to leave”.

That is the resignation trap.

When something happens that feels personal or unjust, resignation can provide an immediate way out. You imagine the relief and joy of handing in your notice and walking away with your head held high. But resignation is also one of the most consequential decisions you can make at work. Once given, it is almost impossible to withdraw.

Before allowing somebody else’s decision to become your resignation, slow the situation down. That way you won't look back with sadness and wonder what might have been (as I still do, and I still miss working with that team).

Use SAFE before you decide to leave

When you discover that the workplace is not operating as you thought it was, use the SAFE Method.

Situation

Separate what you know from what you suspect. What exactly has changed? Who made the decision? What reason has been given? Was there a previous agreement, and is there any evidence of it?

Do not let a difficult conversation become the entire story. Establish the facts first.

Alternatives

Resignation is an option, but it is rarely the only one.

Could you ask for clarification? Propose a compromise? Request a trial period? Speak to HR, a more senior manager or your trade union? Use a formal grievance procedure? Obtain advice from Acas or an employment professional?

You may ultimately decide to leave. The objective is to ensure that it is a considered career decision rather than a reaction made at the worst moment.

Firm words

Explain your position calmly and precisely. For example:

“My understanding was that we had agreed I could work from home for two days each week. The arrangement has operated successfully since (date). Please can you confirm what has changed, the reason for the change and the alternatives that were considered?”

Firm words do not need to be aggressive. Their purpose is to remove ambiguity and make the other person respond to the actual issue.

Evidence

Keep appropriate records of agreements and decisions affecting your employment.

After an important conversation, send a short factual email confirming your understanding.

Retain copies of relevant contracts, objectives, performance reviews and correspondence where you are entitled to do so. Don't take confidential company information or breach data-protection requirements. The aim is to maintain a legitimate record, not to build a secret company archive.

Evidence can't prevent every unfair decision. It can, however, make it harder for an important agreement or sequence of events to be denied later.

Don't let being played define you

Being caught by surprise does not make you naïve or weak. Workplace relationships can change quickly, particularly when a manager leaves, a reorganisation takes place or a new leader arrives with a different agenda.

What happens next is what matters.

Don't allow somebody else’s manoeuvring to push you into an impulsive resignation.

Establish the situation, examine your alternatives, use firm words and preserve the evidence.

You may not be able to control the game being played. But you can protect your choices, your reputation and your career.

Careers are long. Integrity lasts longer.

If you do find yourself in a similar position, here are a couple of useful information sources for UK readers:

In the UK, verbally agreed employment terms can still be binding, although proving exactly what was agreed can be difficult. https://www.acas.org.uk/employment-contracts-and-the-law/types-of-terms-in-a-contract

Current UK guidance says employees can make a statutory flexible-working request from their first day and that an agreed request should be reflected in their contractual terms. https://www.gov.uk/flexible-working/applying-for-flexible-working