The last thread is cut
In a former blog ("Albert, just amaze me...) I mentioned that I had a job. Well that ended (sorta) last year at the beginning of July. I have spent this year attempting to find another job (as I had for the two years before the layoff) because of the guy who I worked for. Lets just say that this guy couldn't lead another person to water if both of them were on an island. He lives in his own private little world and avoids any kind of confrontation... I think he's attention deficit and a text book passive/aggresive He makes promises on the spur and then forgets the promises he made, leaving the results to chance or hysteria. And if he notices that there's a problem he wants to talk about it, but hears nothing that anyone has to say...maybe for a few hours but soon its like it never happened-He suffers from the disposition that all he has to do is pretend that he hears you and everything will be fine. He trusts the people that take advantage of him, but the ones who have no interest in taking advantage of him he dogs like a bloodhound on the trail of a convict. See, there are two cabinet making firms in the same space. One belongs to the contractors who own the building and the other my former employer. It used to be that he did the lion's share of their cabinet work. So, they decided to buy the machines and make their own...and despite the fact that they told him they wouldn't compete with him on other work...He took this as some sorta betrayal. Then they told him he was too expensive. Its true, he is the most expensive cabinet maker in the area...he uses these Draconian methods that we have long since developed time saving machinery to not have to do...but this is his way and he'd rather die then admit he's wrong. I could get technical... but I won't. Leave it at, his method of doing things was current about 80 years ago...This methodology takes time, thus the added expense. And as with all things, the more time you take, the more money it costs, the less money you make. Now don't get me wrong...I am all about working smart and not hard to do things... I like hand tools, and most power tools. I get handed the jobs that must be handled delicately...with precision and a knowledge of more then one way to skin the cat. But his attitude about some things can only be explained as obtuse. He must always be the only one who truly knows whats going on, ( he told a former employer of mine that its his way of keeping control.) He likes to give you just enough information so that you can take it to a point...then he'll tell you what you are to do next. Problem is 1/2 the time he's out running errands or involved with other things...so it waits till it needs to be delivered the next day, then he runs around hysterically like at any minute his dick is going to fall off. When you point this out to him, he swears things will be different, next day it's back to the same old thing....I've been trying to get away from this clown now for 3 years.
Anyway...The other firm that shares our space asked me to step into the shoes of their shop foreman for a week while he's on Vacation. Seems they have a rush job that requires somebody with an understanding of how to get it done...SO, I asked my former employer if he had a problem with it (knowing full well in his mind I was turning to the dark side)...He said he didn't and he wouldn't hold it against me, after all I had to do what I had to do. I explained it was only for a week. He said he understood.
Well today was my first full day, I asked to have a couple of days to get a feel for the job, their shop and to have a bit of training on the whats and wherefores of their machinery. Every shaper is like a woman, it has it own ways, its own problems and if you take your eyes off it for a minute it will cost you blood and stitches.
Well, today before lunch my former employer announced that he wanted his keys to the shop and the tool room back. "SO, I'm not coming back to work for you?" (this was something he had been saying for a year, despite the fact that he would rather pay some kid who he has to train under the table to help him then to have me there working for the same money under the table as he was paying the kid, as I had offered to do.) "No, it doesn't look like it." (Did I mention that this guy is a classic passive/aggressive?) Ok, I gave him his keys back. I also removed the few things that I had left-namely my cart that I built with my own materials and kept the few materials I used when I was working on my stuff for the last year (I'd come into work on my stuff on Mondays before my life drawing class)- I won't stay where I'm not wanted. This suited him very well cause all he did was smile as I loaded my stuff up. See this guy has been trying to get rid of me for a while. I'm not one to roll over, I didn't act like everything was hunky Dory when it wasn't, I'm not afraid to call an asshole an asshole to their face, no matter what his position, and I knew how to do about anything he could but I had a few other tricks up my sleeve, thus being able to claim that NO his way wasn't the only way. SO, after 8 years and 9 months its over.
I am the first to admit that I'm not the easiest person to get along with-there isn't a bear on my business card cause I have little button eyes- But I am easier to get along with if shown a small amount of respect, When I pull your nuts out of the fire at least let me know you appreciate it, and If I make a suggestion at least listen to it. Discount me, hover around me like a fly while I'm working, come up behind me while I'm in the process and Yell "What the hell are you doing and why are you doing it that way!?!" When it was what you told me to do, and the way that you told me to do it 15 minutes before, and then when I stop and explain that to you don't shrug and say "oh, well go back to work-and hurry up this needs to get done [at least 5 times a day] or Insist on talking to me while I'm running a machine (RULE 1 in High School Shop class: DO NOT DISTRACT SOMEONE USING A POWER TOOL. IF YOU MUST SPEAK TO THEM LET THEM SEE YOU AND ALLOW THEM TO TURN THE MACHINE OFF.) and don't blame me when What I tell you was going to happen, happens because you were too stubborn to think maybe I might know what I'm talking about.
I've worked in a total of 12 shops over the last 20+ years, some I lasted in a few for years, some for months. I've been asked to leave about half of them. At first cause I didn't get the process, and a few because I have little tolerance for fools who insist that because you work for them-they think that they own you. I also insist on being asked to do something. In short, don't treat me like one of your hand hand tools...as a matter of fact, he took better care of his hand tools then he did his employees. So when I took issue with this treatment of me, it was on. And as anyone can tell you- I make no secret of the fact that I'm not happy. The end was inevitable.
NOW, that you listened to this drivel for a while, I'm sure you're just rolling your eyes and saying...'there's another 20 minutes of my life I'll never get back' I want you to know, I've decided it might be time for a change. I'm thinking that the next time I get employed, I'm going to say nothing at all. I'll either nod my head when I can do it and understand, or shake my head when the opposite is true. I shan't attempt to change things unless specifically asked to do so, I shan't improve things because I can and I will no longer take on the responsibility of telling the people in charge just how wrong they are. I will allow them to screw it up, come up with the same plan as I decided to keep to myself and allow them to think that they and they alone know what's going on, In short feed into this need they have to think that they are omnipotent. That's right folks...you just heard me tell you that the with the next job I have, the sun will rise in the west, Chickens will breed with pigs and have gofers, and I will allow my employer to hang himself by his balls and not help him to get out of it till he comes up with a plan. Even if mine is better. I need to go to the library and find a copy of "the prince" by Machiavelli". Until next time....Good luck and maintain.
Anyway...The other firm that shares our space asked me to step into the shoes of their shop foreman for a week while he's on Vacation. Seems they have a rush job that requires somebody with an understanding of how to get it done...SO, I asked my former employer if he had a problem with it (knowing full well in his mind I was turning to the dark side)...He said he didn't and he wouldn't hold it against me, after all I had to do what I had to do. I explained it was only for a week. He said he understood.
Well today was my first full day, I asked to have a couple of days to get a feel for the job, their shop and to have a bit of training on the whats and wherefores of their machinery. Every shaper is like a woman, it has it own ways, its own problems and if you take your eyes off it for a minute it will cost you blood and stitches.
Well, today before lunch my former employer announced that he wanted his keys to the shop and the tool room back. "SO, I'm not coming back to work for you?" (this was something he had been saying for a year, despite the fact that he would rather pay some kid who he has to train under the table to help him then to have me there working for the same money under the table as he was paying the kid, as I had offered to do.) "No, it doesn't look like it." (Did I mention that this guy is a classic passive/aggressive?) Ok, I gave him his keys back. I also removed the few things that I had left-namely my cart that I built with my own materials and kept the few materials I used when I was working on my stuff for the last year (I'd come into work on my stuff on Mondays before my life drawing class)- I won't stay where I'm not wanted. This suited him very well cause all he did was smile as I loaded my stuff up. See this guy has been trying to get rid of me for a while. I'm not one to roll over, I didn't act like everything was hunky Dory when it wasn't, I'm not afraid to call an asshole an asshole to their face, no matter what his position, and I knew how to do about anything he could but I had a few other tricks up my sleeve, thus being able to claim that NO his way wasn't the only way. SO, after 8 years and 9 months its over.
I am the first to admit that I'm not the easiest person to get along with-there isn't a bear on my business card cause I have little button eyes- But I am easier to get along with if shown a small amount of respect, When I pull your nuts out of the fire at least let me know you appreciate it, and If I make a suggestion at least listen to it. Discount me, hover around me like a fly while I'm working, come up behind me while I'm in the process and Yell "What the hell are you doing and why are you doing it that way!?!" When it was what you told me to do, and the way that you told me to do it 15 minutes before, and then when I stop and explain that to you don't shrug and say "oh, well go back to work-and hurry up this needs to get done [at least 5 times a day] or Insist on talking to me while I'm running a machine (RULE 1 in High School Shop class: DO NOT DISTRACT SOMEONE USING A POWER TOOL. IF YOU MUST SPEAK TO THEM LET THEM SEE YOU AND ALLOW THEM TO TURN THE MACHINE OFF.) and don't blame me when What I tell you was going to happen, happens because you were too stubborn to think maybe I might know what I'm talking about.
I've worked in a total of 12 shops over the last 20+ years, some I lasted in a few for years, some for months. I've been asked to leave about half of them. At first cause I didn't get the process, and a few because I have little tolerance for fools who insist that because you work for them-they think that they own you. I also insist on being asked to do something. In short, don't treat me like one of your hand hand tools...as a matter of fact, he took better care of his hand tools then he did his employees. So when I took issue with this treatment of me, it was on. And as anyone can tell you- I make no secret of the fact that I'm not happy. The end was inevitable.
NOW, that you listened to this drivel for a while, I'm sure you're just rolling your eyes and saying...'there's another 20 minutes of my life I'll never get back' I want you to know, I've decided it might be time for a change. I'm thinking that the next time I get employed, I'm going to say nothing at all. I'll either nod my head when I can do it and understand, or shake my head when the opposite is true. I shan't attempt to change things unless specifically asked to do so, I shan't improve things because I can and I will no longer take on the responsibility of telling the people in charge just how wrong they are. I will allow them to screw it up, come up with the same plan as I decided to keep to myself and allow them to think that they and they alone know what's going on, In short feed into this need they have to think that they are omnipotent. That's right folks...you just heard me tell you that the with the next job I have, the sun will rise in the west, Chickens will breed with pigs and have gofers, and I will allow my employer to hang himself by his balls and not help him to get out of it till he comes up with a plan. Even if mine is better. I need to go to the library and find a copy of "the prince" by Machiavelli". Until next time....Good luck and maintain.
posted by ak at 6:01 PM
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