Ever had a job where it seems like the longer you are there, the more you struggle?

[mikewood]

Levels of complexity.
Yes, I worked for a company like that. It started pretty simply. Develop an engineering package to install a device in a chemical plant. That sounds simple enough. Present the package for approval and if approved with comments make corrections and issue for construction. Then reissue if changes were made. Within two years we added the policy the client is always right. So the client stared making changes. For example issue a job in 26 parts with three parts every week and changes coming back every two weeks. You can see the cascade of changes flowing thru the parts as the packages are issued, corrected, reissued and so on. Like a snowball it became insane and failed which was really sad because the project was not difficult if managed properly.

 

[August West]

I hope my comments are not misconstrued as management bashing. I retired out as one. I have seen all sides, including union and non-union shops through the years. My success as a manager was a result of a 'my people' first attitude, an open door policy, and accessibility throughout the day. I took a great deal of heat from my superiors because I skipped conference calls, refused to attend frivolous meetings, and never was concerned about impressing someone in the 'matrix' I never met. My contention was I cannot be available to my people in the field(internal customers) and external customers if I am continually distracted in a meeting or conference call. My people loved me and my superiors tolerated me. I achieved results. Frankly, my butt was saved by the regional manager who was ex-military and we had an understanding. I was in the trucking industry, both private and public, union and non-union. I was technically in a 'lead' position which is not truly management in the purest sense of the word.

 

[auk1124]

Every job I've had. Those who went with the flow got promoted. Those, like me, who questioned and challenged thosewhoweremysuperiors didn't.

Where I work, even going with the flow isn't enough; you have to also be highly connected to even be considered for a promotion. If you aren't a Golden Child, you can expect to retire making the same salary you started at.

It is enough to make you weep, when you think about it. Two entire generations of the American workforce (Gen X forward) that have been expected to have the highest level of productivity in the world, while at the same time being paid wages that have been stagnant for four decades.

I am convinced that future generations will look back at us a few centuries from now and consider this a very dark age, in a lot of ways.

 

[emwolf]

Yes. Doing more with less mantra. Management was trying to figure out why there was a high level of customer dissatisfaction as the morning truck deliveries were unacceptably late. Well, when you eliminate the third shift in the warehouse there is no personnel to load the trucks to accommodate a 0600 delivery as that is the reporting time of the first warehouse shift. We as drivers couldn't leave any earlier than 0700 in most cases. Much later in many cases. It is beyond me that they could not see that coming and plan accordingly.

modern business management is very shortsighted. what makes me money right now is the only concern. planning for the future is so old fashioned.

 

[Cash_Stronomer]

When you find out quick that challenging and questioning won't help you, get something on them. They want you to play their game, so turn it around and make them play yours for awhile. Then get up a few steps on the ladder and never speak to anyone so they don't get something on you.

 

[Doraemon]

The old conundrum is that customers pay as little as they can for what they buy, employers pay as little as they can for the amount of labor they get, and workers perform the minimum amount of work for the pay they receive. It is an age-old conflict, but more or less works out, so long as either eventually get what they need. "Need" is the operative word here; in the real world you will not get everything you want. Customers want higher quality, and lower prices, employers want higher profits, employees want higher salaries. In the end, a kind of balance between all three is achieved, left alone it works amazingly well.

I started working for myself a few years ago, and now I no longer complain about about managers or executives. But working for yourself is not so easy to get used to, it is actually quite hard. You can no longer get away with goofing off, milking the clock, or doing the minimum amount of work necessary to earn your pay. And you end up being directly responsible for the business choices you make, which can be daunting. There is a lot to worry about, and even when you are not working, you are still thinking about work. But, if you do it right, you can do much better for yourself and for your family, and once you get the hang of it, it can be quite enjoyable.

 

[oc_in_fw]

Yes. Doing more with less mantra. Management was trying to figure out why there was a high level of customer dissatisfaction as the morning truck deliveries were unacceptably late. Well, when you eliminate the third shift in the warehouse there is no personnel to load the trucks to accommodate a 0600 delivery as that is the reporting time of the first warehouse shift. We as drivers couldn't leave any earlier than 0700 in most cases. Much later in many cases. It is beyond me that they could not see that coming and plan accordingly.

Workers have to do more with less. Management keeps getting more (pay raises/bonuses) for less (work)

 

[OkieStubble]

When I was a young first line supervisor (Sergeant) years ago, I had a very heated verbal disagreement with my Captain about some changes in SOP's. I was a young inexperienced hot head, and he was older and wiser than I. I felt very fortunate, while he patiently listened to me vent and complain. He kindly listened to my entire speech, even when I insisted he was wrong and I was right. Made some great points too.

Then, he calmly responded with a smile and said, "Sergeant, I can really tell, that you are having trouble with this, so I am going to help you out." He then very respectfully, and assertively said, "You don't have to like what I am saying, you don't even have to agree with it. You just have to do it."


I Replied, "yes sir Captain, you're right, that helps me out alot".

 

[4ever3]

This thread is a microcosm of the world at large...

republicans suck, no democrats suck, management sucks, no employees suck

The sad truth is everyone sucks but no one wants to admit it. Can management do their jobs without the employees? Nope! Can the employees do their jobs without management? Nope! I see the same crap all day every day here (at work not necessarily B&B) and it gets old.

 

[brians_myth]

This thread is a microcosm of the world at large...

republicans suck, no democrats suck, management sucks, no employees suck

The sad truth is everyone sucks but no one wants to admit it. Can management do their jobs without the employees? Nope! Can the employees do their jobs without management? Nope! I see the same crap all day every day here (at work not necessarily B&B) and it gets old.

 

[Cash_Stronomer]

And so it shall forever be!

 

[aldomarino]

The nutshell problem is that too many people and organizations have substituted data for leadership.

 

[August West]

The nutshell problem is that too many people and organizations have substituted data for leadership.

I like this. May I use it?

 

[aldomarino]

Be my guest. Should have thought it was painfully obvious.

 

[MichaelRB88]

Why? Because we have the audacity to say something when we see someone with no working understanding of the job take a system that has been in place and running seamlessly for decades and screw it up?

This is accurate. It amazes me that, at least at my job, someone who can't perform a job is able to instruct someone else of the best way to do it.

 

[JaredB]

All I will say is this: As management in my industry "evolves", it is rapidly becoming more educated, while not necessarily maintaining their knowledge about a damn thing regarding any of the actual processes involved in keeping the business afloat. The people who did know all of those processes, either are retiring or dragging up. They continue to be replaced by better educated people, instead of moving up experienced workers. A lot of these engineers and project managers have the best of intentions, but again, no real idea how things actually work, and generally don't appreciate input from the unwashed masses.

I don't think this is really anything new, I am maybe just getting old.

 

[Cash_Stronomer]

Where I am we have the 'square footage' problem that I refer to it as. I have a small team doing work in equally divided square footage across the buildings. The problem is, is that each section has different challenges. One section is painfully hard, whilst another section you can bring a book and a coffee, etc.. I always argue that people need to have their work spread out better and evened up, but they always come back with the square footage argument and that it IS fair. THAT is the problem there with higher ups and the whole data vs leadership mentioned above. This is also why I need a better environment, and of course the bit I mentioned earlier.

 

[emwolf]

Has anyone ever read The Peter Principle?

 

[GeorgeTheGreek]

"Sergeant, I can really tell, that you are having trouble with this, so I am going to help you out." He then very respectfully, and assertively said, "You don't have to like what I am saying, you don't even have to agree with it. You just have to do it."

Love it. Direct and to the point

 

[4ever3]

This is accurate. It amazes me that, at least at my job, someone who can't perform a job is able to instruct someone else of the best way to do it.

This is happening where I work. The seasoned engineers are being "downsized" and replaced with guys straight out of college and know nothing of the aviation industry. I assume they are replacing the other engineers for cost saving purposes, however, by the time the disposition is written in a way that the parts can be repaired, thousands of dollars have been poured down the drain.

Has anyone ever read The Peter Principle?

i just hit the highlights of it and it would be a riot if it weren't so true...