What do you do for a living

[Electrojake]

Been working 30+ years in Electronics/Electrical.

When I was young and sharp I was a technician.
Now that I'm old and dull I'm the boss.
Speaking of which. . .
Ya' ever notice that in a shop, the guys that are sharp never seem to get anywhere (except the most difficult troubleshooting work) but the guys that have no technical ability but can B.S. their way through, always seem to be the boss?
Yeah, well I finally figured that out about 15 years ago and I been the boss ever since.
Sad but so true.
-Ej-

P.S. Hey Mister, you perked up the thread. I'd expect nothing less! 

[Paulcet]

 

Ya' ever notice that in a shop, the guys that are sharp never seem to get anywhere (except the most difficult troubleshooting work) but the guys that have no technical ability but can B.S. their way through, always seem to be the boss?
Yeah, well I finally figured that out about 15 years ago and I been the boss ever since.
Sad but so true.

Reminds me of a story of an old gardener at a university campus.  His work was impeccable and his horticultural knowledge was on par with any professor.  He was questioned why he hadn't advanced his position in all these years.  He said he simply didn't want to be the boss.  He had been promoted on several occasions, whereupon he failed miserably.  He had found a position wherein he could excel, and enjoy his work. 

I think the story is in the book "The Peter Principle".  I think many people are promoted to a point just beyond their competence, and productivity, happiness, quality of life all suffer.

[Electrojake]

Expanding the topic but not derailing it (I think)...
After many years in the industry, I have had good bosses and bad alike but mostly what I learned from bosses is how NOT to treat people.
. . . Long post, sorry but here goes. . .

I like what I do, but not those I work for so I'm always looking for a way to burn or upset my employer.
As a Boss myself, I have found the two best ways to pis$-off the people I work for is to...
1.) Always follow the company safety rules.
2.) Always treat the men that work for me with respect.

Especially number two!
I have noticed that the men in the field (mostly IBEW workers) are treated pretty rough.
They are administered a heavy dose of discipline weather its needed or not, to the point of being disrespectful. The bosses here are frequently quite hard on the men. I guess that's how they became "the boss", They keep the men in-line. 

In an attempt to screw my company I use the exact opposite approach: As a Manager, rather than treat my group like filthy IBEW dogs, I try to get my guys the best test equipment, tools, gadgets & goodies I possibly can, and I know it pis$es off the other bosses.
Even something simple like; right before the Thanksgiving break in one of my material orders I included a case of rather expensive LED flashlights to hand out to the men. But as the Manager, "I"  didn't hand them out, I gave the case of lights to the Department Supervisor to hand out to the crew after I was gone.
In the long run the men know that "I" was the guy that paid for the stuff but they also realize that their Supervisor is indeed in the loop too, and everybody wins.
(Except the other bosses which hate me for "ruining" the men by treating them with human decency). <ha-ha> I love it!

Not all Supervisors & Managers I know are bung-holes, just most or them.
And to make it all the more fun I have way too much seniority to get rid of, I know my job extremely well, and I treat the Supervisors, & Technicians that work directly under my command with respect & dignity...
. . .and that is how I stab my employer in the back & twist the knife every single glorious day of my career.


Thank you Paulcet for the nudge!
It was kinda' nice to vent.
-Ej-

[madjak30]

It's a good thing that some people just want to show up, do their job & go home...not everyone can become management...in the trades it's the same...some people have no interest in being the foreman for the simple reason of not wanting to be responsible for anything but their own work...I can understand that...it's pretty frustrating getting in crap for something you didn't do, but someone on your crew did...but it forces you to do your job, which essentially is to coach your guys on the expectations of the company or client...

But if you don't do your follow up on tasks, you get crap for guys doing it their way because you didn't correct them and get them to do it to the expectation...(took me a while to figure that one out...thought being explicit in direction at the beginning of a job was clear enough...nope!!)

For me, I like to be the "Head Doodle"...I like to just do it my way...much easier than trying to meet others expectations...shareholders only care that you make money...I'm a firm believer in doing things the right way once, not get it done quickly and hope that you don't make a mistake...take the time to do it right the first time!! 

Later.

[madjak30]

In an attempt to screw my company I use the exact opposite approach: As a Manager, rather than treat my group like filthy IBEW dogs, I try to get my guys the best test equipment, tools, gadgets & goodies I possibly can, and I know it pis$es off the other bosses.
Even something simple like; right before the Thanksgiving break in one of my material orders I included a case of rather expensive LED flashlights to hand out to the men. But as the Manager, "I"  didn't hand them out, I gave the case of lights to the Department Supervisor to hand out to the crew after I was gone.
In the long run the men know that "I" was the guy that paid for the stuff but they also realize that their Supervisor is indeed in the loop too, and everybody wins.
(Except the other bosses which hate me for "ruining" the men by treating them with human decency). <ha-ha> I love it!

Not all Supervisors & Managers I know are bung-holes, just most or them.
And to make it all the more fun I have way too much seniority to get rid of, I know my job extremely well, and I treat the Supervisors, & Technicians that work directly under my command with respect & dignity...
. . .and that is how I stab my employer in the back & twist the knife every single glorious day of my career.


Thank you Paulcet for the nudge!
It was kinda' nice to vent.
-Ej-

The nice thing about being hated for that reason is that you don't have any issue manning your projects...guys find out who is running the job and start puting their numbers in for the call out...I was an IBEW dog as a first year...but the union is more for journeymen than apprentices (personal opinion of course), so I left...I even had a pretty good foreman at the time...but the lull between call outs didn't work for me...

Ej, you out east or west?

Later.

[Electrojake]

Ej, you out east or west?

I'm East.
A bit of New York City area, all of NJ, and a little of the east part of Penn are where my guys work.
(I rather not disclose the corporate name for obvious reasons) 
Disclaimer: As the years go by, enforcing common-sense safety rules is getting much easier and the typical drunken, uneducated, nasty, "my way or the highway" type of Foremen are getting less and less around here.

We've come a long way in the 30 years that I have been here but it's mostly about the "boys club" mentality, and I am convinced that the best way to punish the company is to always do a good job and treat subordinates with dignity. The "boys club" here HATES it, so therefore I LOVE it.
And since I'm senior management, tough crap to all of them. I paid my dues and I'll never forget the obnoxious, vile, swine (mostly bosses) I had to climb through to get here.

Thanks for asking MJ30.
You have a good approach in your post too.
-Ej-

[madjak30]

For some reason I thought you were in Canada...thought it would be interesting to go for a coffee with management from the other side of the fence...we probably have alot of the same issues...

I think it's funny how the companies have their corporate values, but don't really follow them...as long as jobs are making money, they turn a blind eye to the violations of the values that are posted on the wall...

Our #1 value is Integrity: Do the Right Thing ...but it should have the disclaimer "unless you think you can get away with it..." or "as long as it doesn't hurt the bottom line..."

That's not with all the management, but the "old guard" is programmed that way...the old Cowboy "gitter done" system...

So when I do audits on jobsites I call them out on it...my audits don't normally go to the client, but sometimes they do...mostly they go to the VPs...so deaf ears...since they sit next to the bean counters and answer to share holders...

Man, I sound disgruntled...but I'm not, I like the company I work for and most of the people that I work with...we just have some areas for improvement...



Later.

[Electrojake]

MJ30, I agree with your outlook, especially that last sentence.
I guess it's like this. . .
It doesn't matter if you're a tech working on a classified government project, or the night foreman in a commercial bakery churning out cakes & pies somewhere in a suburb of New York City. . .
It's about the people. If you can get a mixed group together and get them a little motivated, anything is possible.
Sorry we hijacked the thread, but thank you ghostrider_23 for getting this thread rolling in the first place!
-Ej-

[ghostrider_23]

No problems. 

I have enjoyed this thread reading the different backgrounds of our GSer's Really is kool that everyone isn't a doctor or lawyer if you catch my drift. lol

I think we have some good down to earth people in here that offer a lot.

Thanks to everyone that had some input 

[Big Rich]

Nah, all the lawyers, doctors, and dentists ride Harley.

[ghostrider_23]

Exactly my point

[Electrojake]

Agreed!
The fact that we all ride the humble (but incredibly underestimated) Suzuki GS500 is the reason we are all on the same frequency here.
Plus this is a pretty good forum community.
The topic police here are rather easy-going too. They usually let the flames die down naturally, etc...

I work several other biker boards, and this is indeed one of the more entertaining crews.
-Ej-

[spc]

Currently, still self-employed and it's covering the bills and the nasty habits I've picked up along the way (british cars, good cigars and even better Scotch)

Previously: Bouncer, auto tech, server, bartender, food service, thoroughbred training, Army Guard....
and most recently, part time assistant manager for a non-profit....that one went really south....really fast....
and not for the reasons most would suspect....it did however leave me very messed up and very bitter towards a certain religious institution...
FTR....screwing over a former intel specialist with a mean streak...life could get interesting...

[Shaddow]

@Mister, nice reply and it was what I expected.
Shite jobs come and go. You know what I say to someone that is employed even in a shite job. Least you are employed and earning your own way. People that won't even take a crap job just to have a job annoy the hell out of me in Australia. It never means you have to stay with that job forever but at least work, contribute and stop bleeding the system cause you think you are better. Its far easier to get employment when you are employed. I'd rather employ the kid that pushes trollies than the one that thinks they are too good for it.
I've done process line work, offal cleanup, hell I even used to unloaded split firewood from a semi trailer by hand. Two of us could unload 32 ton in just under 2.5 hours. That is picking up each piece and throwing it over the side. Funnily it was a job I actually really enjoyed. Paid well for the low hours and I was younger so I spent the rest of the time at the beach or being a tool.
I loathe being in a office all day but that is where I am at the moment and I'm trying to make the best of it. Hopefully in a few years time I'll have managed to sell a novel or two and I can cut back to a part time job of some sort and just write. That's me aim work wise.
Wait how did I start dribbling on that line? I was suppose to be on my high horse still.

[Leigh101]

Comms tech at an iron mine. FMG Clouldbreak in Western Australia. Working week on week off FIFO of Perth. Not a bad job exept it starting to get hot 40 deg c + most days now. Get to ride most days on my time off which is all good.

Cheers

Leigh

[Phil B]

I'm a CompSci guy, slacking off being a unix sysadmin.
Have to say, I'm surprised at all the computer techies on here. Particularly since the gs is notably free of any computer tech
Maybe it's suggesting that computer techs are practical, and thrifty too.  Yeah, that must be it

[JustinLonghorn]

I am a Printed Circuit Board designer. Yep. I connect dots for a living.

[LAKRx]

Nah, all the lawyers, doctors, and dentists ride Harley.

Hey, I'm finishing up my pharmacy degree in May, so not ALL doctors ride Harleys!

[mister]

Have to say, I'm surprised at all the computer techies on here. Particularly since the gs is notably free of any computer tech

Not really that surprising. Years ago a certain car was big among the silicon valley techies. That car....



Michael

[TheGoodGuy]

Environmental Scientist with the State of CA