The biggest mistake I made in my life.

Yes it is true. I made the biggest mistake of my life. I was working in a company of 4000 people manufacturing hitech equipment for fertiliser, petroleum and petrochemicals, nuclear, power,defense and other industries. I was No.2 in the organisation. I was controlling about a dozen departments. I was running a well equipped R&D department which was developing missile components. In short I was working in a place which I was proud of. Suddenly I had an offer from a company in Chennai as Technical Director and I was recommended by one of my assistants who was working with me earlier and who has joined this company. At that time I was not aware of terms such as "Cost to the company". The salary offered appeared to be good but it was the "Cost to the Company. I later learnt that the salary included the rent for the flat, drivers salary etc. which effectively brought down my "Take home pay" which was not much higher from what I was getting from my previous job. For example, in my previous job I had an independent bungalow in half an acre of land with a garden, with subsidised electricity, water, a gardener, subsidised health benefits etc.By joining this the new company I lost all these benefits That was the first shock I got by joining the company. The next shock was my visit to the work shop which was located about 30 KM from Chennai. It was smaller than my R&D work shop in my previous organisation. There were some five or six welding machines which I learnt later was the property of the subcontractor. All the work was subcontracted hence there were no permanent workers. With such an arrangement quality was sacrificed. There was a GM who had no powers. His role was to beg for men and materials directly from MD. I was shattered and started wondering how long I will last in this Company. Incidentally, the turn over of the company was around Rupees twenty crores. The company I came from had a turn over of Rs.350 crores. Hence I was forced to think small.
The new company was manufacturing Filter and cleaning systems for Power Plants. The Managing Director was a middle aged man and there were three people who was MD's Ears and Eyes. One was M supposed to be an "Expert" in design and "Installation", another was R supposed to be a financial wizard and another was RK who was supposed to be an expert in Corporate Affairs.All the three spied on their colleagues and reported on them to MD every evening. Whom ever they found to be a potential competitor to them he was massacred by filling the ears of the MD.(Incidentally I was one of the victims). MD never even cross cross checked the info given to him. Such was the mislaid confidence in the THREE. These were the not the only people who were spying on the others. Even the lowest peon can walk in to MD's room and tell him on any one whom he disliked. This was not so in the previous organisation. There was hierarchy and only those who were directly reporting to MD can meet him only after fixing an appointment. Here it was chaos. Every body was telling on every body and hence the whole atmosphere was one of distrust. Once I made a comment that MD should sit in a different place so that even a messenger will not have access to him. This was twisted out of shape and R reported to MD that I want MD to leave his place and hand it over to me!
Orders were not got on merit. Officers at the execution level in Power Plants had no confidence in the equipment supplied. Whenever such difference of opinion occurred, the higher ups stepped and a deal was struck and the order was secured. Those who were stubborn not to recommend the order were neutralized. The MD had stooped to such a low level that he asked my secretary to furnish him at the end of the day who all met me and at time I went to work and what time I left for home. Those who were spying on their colleagues were rewarded and those who refused were punished.Obviously M, R and RK were rewarded beyond their expectations.
In such a dirty atmosphere I knew I cannot survive for long. M felt I am a stumbling block to his progress. He poisoned the mind of MD and a day came that I decided to quit by giving the mandatory three months notice. On my last working day MD wanted to give me three months pay as gratis. I had the supreme satisfaction of telling him "GO to Hell". Of course the company is doing well and has expanded and I hope that with growth openness has come to the company. Of course, M and R have become Directors and if they have to change their jobs then at best they can be accommodated as Senior Managers in a new company. Any one wants to join a tiny family owned company must be ready to give up his dignity and self respect.