How Do You Think That You Think You Do?

What does everyone think?  My Wife, Son, Mother, Brothers, Friends, Acquaintances, Co-Bloggers, Co-Workers and Work Supervisors.

Lots to be concerned with, there.  Hope I appear correct for all of them.  Think I’ll take a survey of them, and really find out.  Simple. 

Take the survey, and see just how confused I can remain.  Not that their opinions don’t count but, if I don’t have one other opinion, it is all for naught.  That one other opinion tips the scale, and counts for a minimum of 51%.

Mine.

I have final say so over, my deepest personality traits, composing; Me.  Some traits more engrained than others but, still,  I above anyone, choose.  I am the custodian, the trait keeper.  No one more fluent on the subject than I am.

That being true, then, why do we solicit, approval with everyone else except, too often, ourselves?  Are you a comfortable fit, for you?

How often in the work place, are you evaluated for your performance?  Many of those evaluations determine, or at least help determine a pay raise.  Maybe a promotion.  You are evaluated by, a minority of the constituency because, when it’s all over, the only thing directly from you on that evaluation, is your signature. Better luck next time.

Where, and when are the most fantastic improvements made? 

People are unique, and won’t necessarily end up at the intended destination with an absolute, prescribed course to re-write something already embedded.  An excellent Corporate Manager knows how to uniquely apply the corporate cookie cutter for each of their employees.

In the work place, the best managers bring their employees to the intended destination by, allowing each employee’s participation in a review.  That is what separates the excellent from the good.  ‘What do you think you did well, and possibly could improve upon?’

In the quote above, the manager asked the employee to self evaluate.  The Manager was asking, how, within your personality make-up can you help this employer. 

A good to average Manager would be surprised how, brutally honest an employee would be on their own review.  An excellent Manager already knows, and the excellent Manager knows each of the individuals, and their characteristics under their jurisdiction.

 So, why is it, Managers in work places are willing to give but, forget that receiving is part of the equation? Receive information about your individual employees from, your individual employees.  How can each of these unique individuals contribute the most to the work place?  Each of those workers are willing to teach you.

Have them be involved with their own development as only they can uniquely contribute. Give employees the opportunity to directly participate in self-management.

Now, everybody involved is, important.  Average Managers become excellent.  Good Employees become the best.  The combined effort of all involved seals a much greater chance of success for all concerned.

A review in the work place is typically a critique, and a plan of improvement.  Instead, it should be a review of improvements made, and how, and what the employee would like to achieve going forward. Most of that should be directly from the employee.

Where did all of this, start?  I’m fortunate.  I have an excellent Manager on the job.

 

Tattling For A Promotion

Work-place Discovery:  This is incorrect or, incomplete.  Thought:  I am first to see it!  Action:  Tell management what I have found. 

They will know on a daily basis just how good, I am.   I find these errors in the responsibility of others quite often.  I am so valuable.

There’s a fine line to taking management’s time with stories about  unsuccessful attempts in the work place by co-workers, and other topics of more importance.

Should someone be stealing from the work-place, there is an obligation to report it.  Threats from one to another need to be reported.  Those every day tasks that are incorrect or, incomplete will show themselves to a good Manager, anyway.

Most often, a Manager obtained the position because, they have the necessary skills to manage.  They will see the shortcomings within the work-place.  I am fortunate to have a Manager who is quite aware, and has principles with high ethics.

What if, everybody was a tattle tale?  All the time they’d be stealing from management,  just to tell the tale of someone’s minor mishaps.  Is there a line of tattlers at the Manger’s door or, just one?  Either way, those in line, lose.  Why?

Time spent tattling is time spent not paying attention to other responsibilities.  Good managers are very aware of that, and would rather not be bothered.

Alternative actions:  Skip going to management, and make a simple correction for success or,   go directly to the employee responsible with what has been found.  Either of those actions are faster, more direct, and more to the benefit of all concerned. 

Raises, and promotions are usually given for spending all that time for successful accomplishment.

In most professional work environments, one person doesn’t appear to look good only because, someone else has failed to look good.   Thinking about it, this is certainly not limited to the work-place.

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Singing For My Supper

In years gone by, I got to play out my employment dream as a radio disc-jockey but, who would have thought, I would still be in show-biz?

I never thought, I’d still be entertaining, and getting paid.  It’s not bad money, considering I play to very exclusive, small, cozy audiences.  Sometimes as few as five people, sometimes a dozen or, more.

Don’t have to go at night or, even the week-ends unless, there’s a no-show, and I fill in the vacancy.

You wouldn’t recognize me by, name or, sight.  I am however, recognized within the locale by, quite a few satisfied people who, return for a second or, even third time, and more.  Very loyal audience.

While the initial showing is, in person, parts are rebroadcast over the radio.

I have to admit my comedic skills are very good when, the reaction is; ‘That is so bad…..’  I cannot help my verbal affair with puns.  My Dad’s fault, really but, I can’t help myself.  It’s paid off for me in a rather weird way.  I’m looking for the ‘…so bad’  comment which is a successful sign of flattery when, it comes to punning.  The worst, the better!

I am more than just, a comedian.  I sing, too!  I know I must be relatively good.  At least that good.  My co-workers keep repeating my name with an exclamation point whenever I open the mic.

So, today I’ll arrive, grab my radio, and mic for another work day.

There will be statements from the audience like, ‘I need one of these,’ as they show me something they have in hand.  I’m usually bewildered because, they only need one, they have it, already, and what does that have to do with me?  Don’t they understand, I’m a locally-renowned, entertainer?

Sometimes, I’m asked for a price on something, they’d like to have as their own.  ‘I don’t know….’how about, under a thousand?!’  Smiles, laughter, etc.

I’m just saying if, you ignore the retail environment, I still make my living in show-biz.  A job is what you make of it.  You can dread it or, use your imagination when necessary, and enjoy it.

Related Articles

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DON’T SEND ME YOUR MONEY

A favorite buzz word running through the 1% of Americans who are a privileged class because, they can afford to buy legislation is, ‘uninformed’ when it comes to to the Wall Street Occupiers.  I have covered this previously but, now I want to inform some of the 1% freely throwing the word around to discredit them.

To the 1% who are uninformed.  I don’t want your money!  It is yours.  Could I use it?  Sure.  I’m not sure how to meet the basic obligations of our household since my wife took a demotion with a big pay cut from her employer because of a disability.  However, that’s my business.  I’m responsible, and must handle it.  In the end, I’ll take care of it.

How you conduct yourself whether it be finances or, otherwise is up to you. It will reflect on your character.  It will show what you are made of, your moral fiber.

We don’t want your money.  What we do want is, the same buying power for our money as you have for yours.  The same breaks within the system.  A fair tax code for all of us.  We want you to have no more, and no less of a break than, anyone else.  We want to have the same access to CONgress as you enjoy through lobbying tactics or, lobbyists should be thrown out, completely.

As employers, I want you to admit to deception.   I want you to admit you need no special favors from the system.  Admit that if the system allowed for equal status for all of us, if there was a correction to the imbalance, you would remain as an employer.  Why would you do that?  You would still be at the top of your income class.

Perhaps, instead of netting an arbitrary profit of $10m/yr., it would only be $5m/yr.  Further, you would employ no more, no less than it takes to get you there, just like you do, now.  You wouldn’t close the doors because as a profitable business person you would still be doing very well.  The difference; You would have to do well because you earn it, not because you can take advantage of the laws you bought.  You have to be good at what you do.

Your lobbying has been successful.  The system is full of breaks for you.  So, why is the ‘battle cry’ from especially the Republicans to the 99%;  ‘Don’t depend on the government, do it yourself!?’  Sounds good and, of course with that, they should have your campaign $upport.  After all, they want us to believe that statement applies only to the 99% when, all the laws, and legislation you have purchased allow you to depend on the government.  Some of you, even got a hefty bonus when TARP funds came in from the government.

The Occupiers on Wall Street are very well informed.  Perhaps the 99% might consider a more worthy donation to Occupy Wall Street, rather than a donation to your highly uninformed ‘fat cat career politician.’ 

Speaker of the House, John Boehner was quite correct when he asserted, ‘this is class warfare.’  For all the wrong reasons, John, you are correct.  It is most certainly class warfare.

 

JOBS ARE PLENTIFUL IF YOU’RE PERFECT

I am very lucky.  I have a job.  Wasn’t what I planned on when I was 17 but, I do have a job.  I’ve been with the same employer for 11 years.

American businesses are looking for skilled people.  Some employers are willing to train, others are not.

Some perspective employees have spelled out different skills on their resumes.  They are either qualified or, they are not qualified.  Some are over qualified but, willing to work.  Some under qualified but, willing to work.

As an employer, how do you know unless you have the very best HR department on earth (….and I’m willing to bet you don’t) you didn’t just turn down the next Henry Ford, Thomas Edison or, Steve Jobs?  How do you know you didn’t just send an American Icon across the street just because someone didn’t fit a textbook description of perfection by someone’s biased standard?

There was a time, resume aside, an employer had a good feeling about an applicant, and hired them.

Lots of American talent running around, unemployed that deserve better than what you offer judging from your lofty hiring practices.

 

 

 

RIGHT TO WORK

Right To Work laws were supposed to be one thing but yet, are really another.  Many states have initiated laws that originally would allow for perspective employees to opt out of union representation when available.  That was the purpose of Right To Work Laws.

Your state legislators, fearful of employers closing up shop, and moving down the road have taken the laws, and twisted them around the necks of employees.

Many states allow employment ‘at will‘ under the auspices of this law.  ‘At will’ means the common worker has virtually no leverage on the job, and can be fired for whatever convenient reason may suit an employer.

Right To Work Laws essentially give permission for an employer to treat a ‘liked’ worker differently than someone not as popular.  Job performance is irrelevant.

The legislators justify this kind of anti-worker legislation as a way to entice employers to enter, and continue to anchor in their respective states.  As for the quantity of common workers; There are plenty of us and good luck!

The employer can justify a ‘targeted dismissal’ of an employee on a whimsical muse.  Shoe lace untied, sneezing in the work place, taking vacation time, sick time, burping, taking your assigned day off, bringing your pet duck to work, leaving your pet duck at home, eating because you’re hungry but, the employer isn’t hungry, rooting for the wrong sports team, disliking sports, and inhaling or, exhaling.

Arbitrarily, an employer pulling in a net profit for themselves of five hundred million dollars a year can just decide to cast a long employed full time worker aside because it pulls another twenty thousand a year in to their pocket.

Being a mere worker, you’re out on the street without any severance, trying to figure how to feed the family next week.  Your replacement?  A part time employee who makes half of your former paycheck still leaving the employer who pockets five hundred  million dollars with another ten thousand dollars.

That same employer is paying the CEO of that company Twenty Five million per year.  The CEO can be fired but, not on a whim.  The CEO has a contract  outlining the terms for dismissal which usually includes a hefty severance regardless of performance.  More than enough for anyone including that CEO.

The question:  Would employers hang around the area because there are or, aren’t ‘Right To Work’ laws as they are currently written?  I would suggest employers be responsible to their employees by federal mandate. They will not just vacate their hefty incomes.

I have another way of legislating the issue.  It would require employer-employee written agreements in the public, and government sectors that are equal in stature from the CEO to the part time employee.  The severance would be one and the same by percentage.

It is hard to say if, employment figures would possibly improve but, at least the common worker is afforded the same protection as the CEO.

I would suggest to Speaker of the House, John Boehner we are dealing with Class Warfare.  No wonder they’re gathering on Wall St.

 

You Did It So Fix It….Now!

The Republicans and Democrats are a joke.  A very poor joke wasting America’s time and money.

America’s credit crunch belongs to both of them who have been setting the table for this tragedy for about five decades….together!

This current state of the economy belongs squarely with the Joint Houses of CONgress for the past 50 years from the far left to the far right.

CONgress has taken their work time that we pay for to become a verbose bunch of political juggernauts, placing blame on their political opposition which accomplishes exactly what?

Both the Democrats, and Republicans own this situation.

I don’t care who did it.  Fix it, now!

Now the question becomes, how do you fix it?  It is obvious the CONgress does not have a clue so, again like a bunch of unruly school kids they spend their time blaming each other.  Did I say their time?  I meant, our time.  The time that we pay for.

Jim Cramer of CNBC’s Mad Money has a suggestion.  America’s energy supply is vast, and far reaching.  We don’t need OPEC.  In fact, we haven’t since the late 50′s when this vast supply of oil, and gas was first deemed fact.  CONgress has ignored this since then.  No money to stimulate technology to get at it so, it was ignored, and covered up with some dirt.

The technology has arrived, and we are finally beginning to get at it to become energy independent.  Mr. Cramer’s suggestion had something to do with this project, and the many companies now involved for a quick as well as long term fix to jobs in the United States.  Has anyone in CONgress asked him to repeat it?  Why hasn’t the President asked to speak with Mr. Cramer?  What if he has suggested something viable that will work, right now and in the future?

Another question Mr. Cramer has brought up for the boys, and girls on the playground in CONgress is, why two readings on the cost of oil?   There is now a ‘Brent’ reading on the cost of oil.  Is this a bogus price to artificially maintain high prices at the pump?  Was this set up based on the idea that we are now getting closer to more oil to be delivered from home rather than OPEC?  Does this mean that we will finally in the near future declare ourselves energy independent but, ‘Brent’ will lend false credence to maintain high prices at the pump?

My message to CONgress:  Quit taking the people of the United States hostage in favor of political positioning, and power.  You all had a part in this so, as in pre-school, it is ‘quiet time,’  shut your mouths, and fix it……..now!