Author Topic: Today, I concluded that I work for a cult  (Read 8393 times)

Miss Piggy

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Today, I concluded that I work for a cult
« on: June 13, 2018, 07:44:58 PM »
I've been with my current employer for about a year and a half. Starting at about Day 3, I got the vibe that there was some pretty major Kool-Aid drinking going on, but for the most part, it didn't affect me much, and I could ignore it. More recently, though, some things have happened that caused me to be pretty disillusioned about the place.

Two things are really keeping me up at night:

1. Putting two and two together on some recent comments, I have no other option but to believe that the unique skills/knowledge/offerings I bring to the table are not valued by the organization. Okay, fine. I know my work is appreciated by the people I serve, so I can live with that.

2. After hearing several pieces of new information at a meeting this morning, I have to conclude that I pretty much work for a corporate cult. This is an odd confirmation/realization for me. I kind of suspected some weird shit all along, but a meeting today pretty much solidified this understanding for me. The level of political bullshit that occurs there, and that people actively, happily participate in, is astounding.

I cannot drink this Kook-Aid. I do not play corporate bullshit posturing games "to gain visibility." But I can compartmentalize the bullshit for another year, at which time I plan to FIRE. If I last that long. I don't want to burn the bridge (I hope to do some consulting work after I FIRE), but if I end up with an epic FU story to share here, so be it. I'm ready.

The funny thing is I took the job not really giving a shit; I just wanted the benefits (read: healthcare coverage). Then I actually started to care about making a valuable contribution. Silly me. Now I have to get back to not giving a shit. Shouldn't take long, now that "I get it."

Thanks for listening.

Can any of you relate?

WildJager

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Re: Today, I concluded that I work for a cult
« Reply #1 on: June 13, 2018, 08:20:31 PM »
Sure, it's the same where I am.  There are those who actively reject it, and those who "play the game."  At this point, I feel it's a similar structure for any large-ish organization.  Lots of people acting fake in an attempt to appear as key players to the higher ups.  The nice part about FI is that you can reject said culture, take care of your people, and live an actual life outside of the facade.  I feel bad for the folks who need to play the game because getting fired would lead to financial ruin.  For those who play the game because they want to climb the ladder... good on them I guess?  I don't personally understand their motivation. 

Quote
“Now, I know advice is cheap and often suspect, but here goes. You’ve had a good start and there’s a long road in front of you, but always remember this: Your most difficult problem will be the people. In the military, they mostly divide themselves into four major categories: There are the ‘me-firsters’, the ‘me-tooers’ the ‘deadwood,’ and the ‘dedicated.’ You are among the minority, the ‘dedicated.’ Stick with them, search them out, and work hard to be worthy of their company. You won’t be popular with a lot of your bosses who act dedicated but really aren’t, and that can make life difficult at times. Beware of the ‘deadwood.’ Most of them mean well and, in their own way, try hard, are loyal, and even useful. But too often they’ll botch things up and get you and your outfit in trouble.

Watch out for the ‘me-tooers.’ These guys will tell you whatever they think you want to hear. They borrow thoughts and ideas from others and present them to you as though they were their own. They are opportunists who look for every avenue to advance themselves, without sticking their own necks out. They ride someone’s coattails and try to make themselves indispensible to the boss. Believe me, they are not to be trusted. You don’t want yes-men around you. But you can’t always avoid them.

The worst and the most dangerous are the ‘me-firsters.’ Most of them are intelligent and totally ruthless. They use the service for their own gain and will not hesitate to stick a knife in your back at the slightest indication you might stand in their way. They seem arrogant, but don’t be fooled; they are really completely lacking in true self-confidence. Do you understand that?”

USAF General Spaatz

Learn who is around you.  Every organization is broken, but there are those who truly want to help and do good.  Support them.  Ignore the kool-aid drinking "me-tooers" or "me-firsters." 

Miss Piggy

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Re: Today, I concluded that I work for a cult
« Reply #2 on: June 13, 2018, 08:29:56 PM »
Thanks. I needed that.

Lots of people acting fake in an attempt to appear as key players to the higher ups. 

This is what I don't get. How can the higher-ups not see through the act and the BS? (Rhetorical question, I suppose.) I guess they really are that stupid and gullible.

Uturn

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Re: Today, I concluded that I work for a cult
« Reply #3 on: June 13, 2018, 08:37:25 PM »
It was 2 employers ago.  I don't remember the details, but I remember asking my boss if I was there to run the best network that I am capable of running, or am I here to blindly follow policy?  He looked at me like I just grew a third eye and said that I am there to do as I am told and follow policy.  I am not there to question or do what is right.  I bucked the system and tried to run an efficient network.  Although I had a new boss a few months later, I was let go because I could not "get along."

Dave1442397

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Re: Today, I concluded that I work for a cult
« Reply #4 on: June 14, 2018, 06:50:25 AM »
Big corps are so clueless.

I work on a product that has 85% of the market share in the US, and we're talking big money here.

We don't have any deadwood in our department. Everyone is experienced and knows what they're doing. After multiple layoffs, the company decided to add offshore resources to our team. After two years of this, someone finally asked why our actual hours per project were so far above estimated hours. They researched it, and found that all the extra hours were the hours we put into fixing what the offshore people screwed up. Instead of getting rid of them, because, you know, we're "saving money", they now have them work on the most basic changes while we do the real work.

I look at it like sending your Ferrari to Jiffy Lube for service. Sure, you might get lucky if all they do is an oil change, but eventually they're going to destroy your car. I guess when you're a corporate exec with a golden handshake contract you don't care about the long term effects of your dumb policies.

Warlord1986

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Re: Today, I concluded that I work for a cult
« Reply #5 on: June 14, 2018, 07:19:49 AM »

The funny thing is I took the job not really giving a shit; I just wanted the benefits (read: healthcare coverage). Then I actually started to care about making a valuable contribution. Silly me. Now I have to get back to not giving a shit. Shouldn't take long, now that "I get it."


What you described is rampant in government, and, if posters on here are to be believed, in big corp. Do the best you can. For everything else, make the honey badger your spirit animal and don't give a fuck.

Spitfire

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Re: Today, I concluded that I work for a cult
« Reply #6 on: June 14, 2018, 08:33:14 AM »
We have a group of five here like that, my manager and I call them the Jetsons. George is the CFO, Jane is the Treasurer, Elroy is under George and Judy is under Jane. There is one under Elroy that we call Astro. They are all friendly with each other. As people above George have left, he has gotten promoted and the kids get promoted up to whatever he vacates for his move up.

My manager and I are a two man department with no room for growth. I put in the minimal effort to get the job done. Their corporate politics do not bother me. Maybe it helps that I can relate to this with my manager and we can poke fun at them together.

honeybbq

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Re: Today, I concluded that I work for a cult
« Reply #7 on: June 14, 2018, 09:28:35 AM »
I work in health care - the biggest cult of them all! (except maybe the white house)

Cezil

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Re: Today, I concluded that I work for a cult
« Reply #8 on: June 14, 2018, 10:12:16 AM »
Both my partner and I are drinking the kool-aid, though his is much more dosed than mine.  We both work at big companies (financial related) and I am lucky that I can either play along, or not, and it won't hurt me too much (individual contributor, and my boss (and his boss) try to keep me out of most of it, which I appreciate).  Seems like every year there is a new 'flavor' that trickles down from corporate; by the time it gets to me, it's been filtered and diluted.  No way am I playing the game to move on up into that shit storm, no thank you.  I just work my ass off to get good raises and bonuses each year, I take advantage of what I can in the perks/benefits area, and try to keep calm and earn the next paycheck.  My partner has it a bit worse than I do as manager-level and tries his best, but he does get sucked in to the departmental BS at times.  Sometimes I have to tell him it's okay to drink the kool-aid, follow the herd, because as long as he's making money, having good health insurance and other great perks, it's worth it to try to chameleon in.  Someday [sooner rather than later] we can both quit and breathe a gentle sigh of relief that we (hopefully!) didn't follow the herds off the cliff..

use2betrix

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Re: Today, I concluded that I work for a cult
« Reply #9 on: June 14, 2018, 10:39:48 AM »
I work as a contractor - so I come into these large corporations as an “outsider” in a higher management position, but not really in the “clique.”

This - I see these “cults” from a totally outsiders perspective. I’m “included” in the groups, but not totally, since I’m not a full time employee, if that makes sense.

Practically all these companies are the same. Tons of employees that bend over backwards to keep their jobs. They hold their company on this insanely high pedestal.

Fortunately, since I’m just there temporarily (usually a few months to nearly two years) I don’t really get involved, nor care, cause I’m just working myself out of a job. I like it that way.

That aside, I’ve sfill met some great, great employees who didn’t “drink the koolaid,” but that environment as a whole, is far more typical than not.

GuitarStv

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Re: Today, I concluded that I work for a cult
« Reply #10 on: June 14, 2018, 10:44:40 AM »

The funny thing is I took the job not really giving a shit; I just wanted the benefits (read: healthcare coverage). Then I actually started to care about making a valuable contribution. Silly me. Now I have to get back to not giving a shit. Shouldn't take long, now that "I get it."


What you described is rampant in government, and, if posters on here are to be believed, in big corp. Do the best you can. For everything else, make the honey badger your spirit animal and don't give a fuck.

I followed that advice for years, becoming both less productive and more miserable steadily until leaving my big corporate job for a smaller company that doesn't operate the same way.  Now I'm much happier.

My advice is to not put up with that shit, and look for a job that makes you happy.  You're a useful person, you don't have to put up with that shit for 8+ hours a day.

fattest_foot

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Re: Today, I concluded that I work for a cult
« Reply #11 on: June 14, 2018, 11:13:18 AM »
Sounds like you're probably a loser surrounded by a lot of clueless. I'd suggest finding other losers in your organization to relate to.

The Gervais Principle, Or The Office According to “The Office”


BrightFIRE

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Re: Today, I concluded that I work for a cult
« Reply #12 on: June 14, 2018, 11:13:43 AM »
Lots of people acting fake in an attempt to appear as key players to the higher ups. 

This is what I don't get. How can the higher-ups not see through the act and the BS? (Rhetorical question, I suppose.) I guess they really are that stupid and gullible.

More likely, that's the way they got to be a "higher up" and they see it as a good thing that their followers are, you know, following. It doesn't *matter* if it's an act. Surface level compliance is all they want. It's bureacracy.

I have made it a point to stay at individual contributor level and I just deal with my boss' inability to say no to anyone above her. It's worked well for her - she doesn't do the work, but she looks great for saying yes, and she's a director as a result.

ncornilsen

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Re: Today, I concluded that I work for a cult
« Reply #13 on: June 14, 2018, 11:30:34 AM »
Lots of people acting fake in an attempt to appear as key players to the higher ups. 

This is what I don't get. How can the higher-ups not see through the act and the BS? (Rhetorical question, I suppose.) I guess they really are that stupid and gullible.

More likely, that's the way they got to be a "higher up" and they see it as a good thing that their followers are, you know, following. It doesn't *matter* if it's an act. Surface level compliance is all they want. It's bureacracy.

I have made it a point to stay at individual contributor level and I just deal with my boss' inability to say no to anyone above her. It's worked well for her - she doesn't do the work, but she looks great for saying yes, and she's a director as a result.

My boss does is similar - makes these pipe dream promises for project turn arounds... looks like a hero... and hands it to me. When I dig in and find out it's going to take longer/cost more, I'm asked (literally. it's a catch phrase here.) "If china was invading and this would stop them, what would you do?"  I learned early that saying "I'd learn mandarin" isn't acceptable. Saying "A more reasonable estimate for the timeframe is XX weeks" ends up with my boss demanding me to document the shit out of that, ultimately making it take even longer....  so now I just do what I can, leave for home on time, and bounce from priority to priority as I get pressured, and things get done when they do, or, surprisingly often, get cancled since the project didn't make sense in the first place.

hadabeardonce

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Re: Today, I concluded that I work for a cult
« Reply #14 on: June 14, 2018, 11:47:38 AM »
There's some quote out there regarding starting a company that says something about how your first hires should be like missionaries, not mercenaries. You want employees who deeply(almost religiously) believe in the product/service.

Being a mercenary is fine. It's good to know who you are and that your identity isn't defined by your job title.

bacchi

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Re: Today, I concluded that I work for a cult
« Reply #15 on: June 14, 2018, 11:48:06 AM »
My boss does is similar - makes these pipe dream promises for project turn arounds... looks like a hero... and hands it to me. When I dig in and find out it's going to take longer/cost more, I'm asked (literally. it's a catch phrase here.) "If china was invading and this would stop them, what would you do?"  I learned early that saying "I'd learn mandarin" isn't acceptable. Saying "A more reasonable estimate for the timeframe is XX weeks" ends up with my boss demanding me to document the shit out of that, ultimately making it take even longer....  so now I just do what I can, leave for home on time, and bounce from priority to priority as I get pressured, and things get done when they do, or, surprisingly often, get cancled since the project didn't make sense in the first place.

Ha. That's a great response (for a stupid question).

Yeah, I found that ignoring certain requests just made things disappear. When it's feature ticket #6000 and you're fixing bugs at the #50000 level, no one cares about #6000 anymore. Changing a button to have a mauve background wasn't that important. Did I mention how much web dev sucks?


albireo13

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Re: Today, I concluded that I work for a cult
« Reply #16 on: June 14, 2018, 12:24:03 PM »
embrace the suck and keep cashing the checks!

Warlord1986

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Re: Today, I concluded that I work for a cult
« Reply #17 on: June 14, 2018, 12:57:01 PM »

The funny thing is I took the job not really giving a shit; I just wanted the benefits (read: healthcare coverage). Then I actually started to care about making a valuable contribution. Silly me. Now I have to get back to not giving a shit. Shouldn't take long, now that "I get it."


What you described is rampant in government, and, if posters on here are to be believed, in big corp. Do the best you can. For everything else, make the honey badger your spirit animal and don't give a fuck.

I followed that advice for years, becoming both less productive and more miserable steadily until leaving my big corporate job for a smaller company that doesn't operate the same way.  Now I'm much happier.

My advice is to not put up with that shit, and look for a job that makes you happy.  You're a useful person, you don't have to put up with that shit for 8+ hours a day.

Oh, I'm working on it. I did some research into my retirement benefits, which are in much better shape than I anticipated. I'm also planning to get a certification and network in an industry I want to enter, while training myself in a back up job that I find a lot of fun. The end isn't too far away, and my plan is flexible enough that I can change it if need be.

soulpatchmike

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Re: Today, I concluded that I work for a cult
« Reply #18 on: June 14, 2018, 01:12:56 PM »
Sounds like you're probably a loser surrounded by a lot of clueless. I'd suggest finding other losers in your organization to relate to.

The Gervais Principle, Or The Office According to “The Office”



This is one of the better explanations of corporate America that I have ever read.  I love it.

The dumbing down of society is real.  There is nothing wrong with collaborating with organizational losers until FIRE.  This way you leave the stupid triangle all together on your own terms.


jacquespluto

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Re: Today, I concluded that I work for a cult
« Reply #19 on: June 14, 2018, 01:49:22 PM »
"I don't drink the kool-aid, I make the f**king kool-aid"

Something I've heard from a VP at my large company. 

It's everywhere and I'm always surprised when people that have worked at my company as long as I have are still gulping it down.

fattest_foot

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Re: Today, I concluded that I work for a cult
« Reply #20 on: June 14, 2018, 02:46:32 PM »
This is one of the better explanations of corporate America that I have ever read.  I love it.

The dumbing down of society is real.  There is nothing wrong with collaborating with organizational losers until FIRE.  This way you leave the stupid triangle all together on your own terms.

Yeah, it's a long read, but I think most people in the FIRE community are probably losers or sociopaths. We realize it's a raw deal and rather than just put our time in, we're looking for the quickest way to the exit. The thing that separates the two groups for FIRE is the sociopaths are more willing to take risks to make it happen, and the losers are content just punching the clock and stashing as much away as possible.

nick663

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Re: Today, I concluded that I work for a cult
« Reply #21 on: June 14, 2018, 04:48:37 PM »
I work in health care - the biggest cult of them all! (except maybe the white house)
A borderline criminal organization.

Michael in ABQ

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Re: Today, I concluded that I work for a cult
« Reply #22 on: June 14, 2018, 05:11:44 PM »
I just started working for the federal government. My boss hired me because she wanted someone who was motivated to get work done and fix things. I've worked in the private sector the last decade though I have some government experience from my 15 years in the National Guard. My boss was brought on less than a year ago for a similar reason, she wants to change and fix things. Unfortunately, her boss was the sidekick of a guy who was running things very badly for about 20 years. He was apparently a pretty toxic leader and happily hired and promoted people who were not qualified but who had put in their time. Because of all of this there are little or no processes in place and lots of people don't really seem to know what their job is, even if they've been doing it for years. My boss is very happy with me because I've just come in and started taking on projects that have languished for months or years because the current short-staffed office of contractors didn't know how to do it or just weren't motivated. She should be getting a new boss next month who will hopefully be supportive of the changes she is trying to make.

I look at it as a challenge. I'm not all that worried about getting fired or anything as bad as that. Even if I were, I can always go back to my old job - although I'd rather not since I was pretty burned out there. We're by no means close to FI - not with baby #6 on the way. But we're 100% debt free and have enough saved up to weather a couple of months of job loss if it came to that. I don't think I can fix the whole organization, or even our department in the next few months but I can do my best and try to make positive changes in my area and know that my immediate boss will support me.

Eric

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Re: Today, I concluded that I work for a cult
« Reply #23 on: June 14, 2018, 05:37:59 PM »
I cannot drink this Kook-Aid.

I'm pretty sure this is a typo, but it's hilarious nonetheless.  Kook-aid.  Drink it down you kooks!

Miss Piggy

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Re: Today, I concluded that I work for a cult
« Reply #24 on: June 14, 2018, 06:21:27 PM »
I cannot drink this Kook-Aid.

I'm pretty sure this is a typo, but it's hilarious nonetheless.  Kook-aid.  Drink it down you kooks!

Haha...yep, definitely a typo. Subliminal messaging, perhaps!

SwordGuy

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Re: Today, I concluded that I work for a cult
« Reply #25 on: June 14, 2018, 06:47:08 PM »
It's not always a bed of roses as a consultant, either.

We were on a crazy government project.   It had been horribly mismanaged for a year or two before I got there.
I won't bore you with the technical details of all the crazy stuff they were doing.   I will say I had 20 years experience at the time and I had never, ever seen anything to compare with it, though!

Some of my young, junior consultants were getting pissed off because things were being run so stupidly.   

I took them into a private room and drew this chart on the whiteboard.  After I explained that working with people who don't know how to do things the right way is our lot in life, they weren't mad anymore.  They now looked at it as the money-making opportunity it is.



mak1277

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Re: Today, I concluded that I work for a cult
« Reply #26 on: June 15, 2018, 07:32:54 AM »
This is an interesting thread, because one key principle for making sure strategy is successful is having alignment among a company's employees.  One person's "alignment" is another's "cult" I guess.  What I know for sure is that nothing works if there are a bunch of different low or mid-level people making their own decisions about strategic direction.

highlandterrier

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Re: Today, I concluded that I work for a cult
« Reply #27 on: June 15, 2018, 08:30:19 AM »
This is an interesting thread, because one key principle for making sure strategy is successful is having alignment among a company's employees.  One person's "alignment" is another's "cult" I guess.  What I know for sure is that nothing works if there are a bunch of different low or mid-level people making their own decisions about strategic direction.

Absolutely. At my work they have slowly offshored the work for years, making us less hands on and making about 80% of that skillset redundant. After the last round of redundancies it emerges another branch of the organisation has been working on bringing all the work onshore again, and now it's the strategy for all. The 20% left are expected to be skilled in everything that has happened offshore in the intervening period and be hands-on experts. You couldn't make it up.

I am not shy at calling them out as the muppets they are.

iris lily

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Re: Today, I concluded that I work for a cult
« Reply #28 on: June 15, 2018, 08:40:52 AM »
Sounds like you're probably a loser surrounded by a lot of clueless. I'd suggest finding other losers in your organization to relate to.

The Gervais Principle, Or The Office According to “The Office”


Ricky Gervaise is my God.

iris lily

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Re: Today, I concluded that I work for a cult
« Reply #29 on: June 15, 2018, 08:44:50 AM »
It's not always a bed of roses as a consultant, either.

We were on a crazy government project.   It had been horribly mismanaged for a year or two before I got there.
I won't bore you with the technical details of all the crazy stuff they were doing.   I will say I had 20 years experience at the time and I had never, ever seen anything to compare with it, though!

Some of my young, junior consultants were getting pissed off because things were being run so stupidly.   

I took them into a private room and drew this chart on the whiteboard.  After I explained that working with people who don't know how to do things the right way is our lot in life, they weren't mad anymore.  They now looked at it as the money-making opportunity it is.

This is nice. So clear, and the younguns will remember this forever.

mak1277

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Re: Today, I concluded that I work for a cult
« Reply #30 on: June 15, 2018, 08:45:12 AM »
Sounds like you're probably a loser surrounded by a lot of clueless. I'd suggest finding other losers in your organization to relate to.

The Gervais Principle, Or The Office According to “The Office”


Ricky Gervaise is my God.

Fascinating, but he didn't write that.

katsiki

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Re: Today, I concluded that I work for a cult
« Reply #31 on: June 15, 2018, 08:58:46 AM »
It's not always a bed of roses as a consultant, either.

We were on a crazy government project.   It had been horribly mismanaged for a year or two before I got there.
I won't bore you with the technical details of all the crazy stuff they were doing.   I will say I had 20 years experience at the time and I had never, ever seen anything to compare with it, though!

Some of my young, junior consultants were getting pissed off because things were being run so stupidly.   

I took them into a private room and drew this chart on the whiteboard.  After I explained that working with people who don't know how to do things the right way is our lot in life, they weren't mad anymore.  They now looked at it as the money-making opportunity it is.

Wow, this is great!  Also applies to depts that support other depts in a company, imo.

honeybbq

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Re: Today, I concluded that I work for a cult
« Reply #32 on: June 15, 2018, 10:50:16 AM »
I work in health care - the biggest cult of them all! (except maybe the white house)
A borderline criminal organization.

Definitely criminal. Unfortunately, a lucrative salary makes me a co-conspirator. I try to think I do some good, but healthcare is so broken in this country. People's lives should not be a for-profit industry.

Acastus

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Re: Today, I concluded that I work for a cult
« Reply #33 on: June 15, 2018, 11:20:46 AM »
The reality at many companies, and I just got this lecture where I work, is that your bosses' boss and his/her peers get a say in whether you are promoted or not. If you are not visible enough that they know who you are and 1 thing you have done, no promotion. I work at a fortune 50 company, and it is just a giant machine full of little cogs  workers.

I have been biding my time, and I also feel like I can't make a difference. 10 days to go.

Channel-Z

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Re: Today, I concluded that I work for a cult
« Reply #34 on: June 15, 2018, 02:22:52 PM »
My employer is about to be owned by Sinclair Broadcast Group. Now that's a cult.

use2betrix

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Re: Today, I concluded that I work for a cult
« Reply #35 on: June 15, 2018, 02:30:45 PM »
It's not always a bed of roses as a consultant, either.

We were on a crazy government project.   It had been horribly mismanaged for a year or two before I got there.
I won't bore you with the technical details of all the crazy stuff they were doing.   I will say I had 20 years experience at the time and I had never, ever seen anything to compare with it, though!

Some of my young, junior consultants were getting pissed off because things were being run so stupidly.   

I took them into a private room and drew this chart on the whiteboard.  After I explained that working with people who don't know how to do things the right way is our lot in life, they weren't mad anymore.  They now looked at it as the money-making opportunity it is.

While not always a bed of roses, as a consultant/contract employee, I often make $100k+ more than my full time employee counterpart in my industry. .

At one fortune 50 company, my full time employee counterpart made 90k a year, while I made 240k that year, and I had full benefits and 6 weeks off. I was 27/28 years old at the time, he had a degree, I didn’t. My contract ended after the project finished. Ive worked two other jobs since then, and now I’m starting back there next week for another 2 years. 

So while it’s not perfect, I can put up with a lot more garbage for an extra 150k lol.

rocketpj

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Re: Today, I concluded that I work for a cult
« Reply #36 on: June 15, 2018, 05:04:11 PM »
I've struggled to survive in a few work environments like that.  My ultimate conclusion is that I am not good at bullshitting or being fake, and cannot abide much in that department.

I am nothing special, I have flaws, but I try not to be an asshole and I try not to bullshit.  So now I am self employed, for better or worse.  I can't believe it took me until my 40s to realize that is really the only option for me to thrive.

jordanp123

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Re: Today, I concluded that I work for a cult
« Reply #37 on: June 15, 2018, 07:27:32 PM »
I've worked for the federal gov now as a EE for a few years now and its always been a whip lash type management. This year were entirely focused on "X", then after the new division manager comes in (They last about 8 months or so and then the inevitable screw up gets them kicked out or they're burned out), "X" is no longer our priority and we've been wrong the entire time, "Y" is now our new priority. More than a few times new equipment has needed to be purchased for these little "endeavors" only for the equipment to arrive after our focus has shifted. Then if by some miracle things are going smoothly, a problem must be found so that the DM can "correct" it so it looks good on him for the higher ups.

albireo13

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Re: Today, I concluded that I work for a cult
« Reply #38 on: June 15, 2018, 07:30:52 PM »
The reality at many companies, and I just got this lecture where I work, is that your bosses' boss and his/her peers get a say in whether you are promoted or not. If you are not visible enough that they know who you are and 1 thing you have done, no promotion. I work at a fortune 50 company, and it is just a giant machine full of little cogs  workers.

I have been biding my time, and I also feel like I can't make a difference. 10 days to go.

Sounds like you work in my MegaCorp!!   
It seems to be the employers responsibility to create "visibility".   
As opposed to management actually knowing what's going on and who is actually contributing.

Work goes on while they hide behind their spreadsheets !!!!




katsiki

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Re: Today, I concluded that I work for a cult
« Reply #39 on: June 15, 2018, 07:41:22 PM »
The reality at many companies, and I just got this lecture where I work, is that your bosses' boss and his/her peers get a say in whether you are promoted or not. If you are not visible enough that they know who you are and 1 thing you have done, no promotion. I work at a fortune 50 company, and it is just a giant machine full of little cogs  workers.

I have been biding my time, and I also feel like I can't make a difference. 10 days to go.

Sounds like you work in my MegaCorp!!   
It seems to be the employers responsibility to create "visibility".   
As opposed to management actually knowing what's going on and who is actually contributing.

Work goes on while they hide behind their spreadsheets !!!!

I think this happens at "mini corps" too.  At a certain level of success (for the company), it becomes easy for folks to hide if they don't have a work ethic / desire.  If management is poor, they can hide / do the minimum for years.

albireo13

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Re: Today, I concluded that I work for a cult
« Reply #40 on: June 15, 2018, 07:52:38 PM »
The reality at many companies, and I just got this lecture where I work, is that your bosses' boss and his/her peers get a say in whether you are promoted or not. If you are not visible enough that they know who you are and 1 thing you have done, no promotion. I work at a fortune 50 company, and it is just a giant machine full of little cogs  workers.

I have been biding my time, and I also feel like I can't make a difference. 10 days to go.

Sounds like you work in my MegaCorp!!   
It seems to be the employers responsibility to create "visibility".   
As opposed to management actually knowing what's going on and who is actually contributing.

Work goes on while they hide behind their spreadsheets !!!!

I think this happens at "mini corps" too.  At a certain level of success (for the company), it becomes easy for folks to hide if they don't have a work ethic / desire.  If management is poor, they can hide / do the minimum for years.


  While this may happen, I was referring to the converse.  Upper management is totally disconnected.  Their view of the the contribution landscape is through spreadsheets where contributors/employees are "resources".  "Resource" ... the unit measure of protein which engages in productive work.


FIREby35

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Re: Today, I concluded that I work for a cult
« Reply #41 on: June 15, 2018, 08:18:42 PM »
I've struggled to survive in a few work environments like that.  My ultimate conclusion is that I am not good at bullshitting or being fake, and cannot abide much in that department.

I am nothing special, I have flaws, but I try not to be an asshole and I try not to bullshit.  So now I am self employed, for better or worse.  I can't believe it took me until my 40s to realize that is really the only option for me to thrive.

Self-employed lurker, I'm right there with you. I flamed out in three months! Being self-employed has been great for me.

Missy B

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Re: Today, I concluded that I work for a cult
« Reply #42 on: June 15, 2018, 09:09:17 PM »
The thing that I find disheartening about working in these situations is that appearing to be is more important than what you actually are. The ones who fake agreement with the song and dance and 'corporate values' really well but don't pull their weight do better than the ones who work well but can't carry a tune.

I worked as a contractor for a major Canadian hotel chain for four years. I was very proud of my hotel, and the other staff were too. But at some point during my tenure, management brought in this 'Service Plus 2000' thing and that got wierd. It had lots of points like 'treat your fellow employees like guests' which was supposed to apply to all staff, but in practise really only lower staff.
The management who were responsible for indoctrinating their subordinates in Service Plus 2000 didn't feel obligated to change any of their own non-Service Plus 2000 behaviours. The hypocrisy was really wearing, and by the end of my time there I was convinced that, if it would make them more profit and was legal, they would have beat the staff every morning with a cat 'o nine tails instead.

One of the things I remember was this 4-page full color company newsletter -- propaganda rag, really -- that featured stories of outstanding service by staff. Every single story was about some staff person who went above and beyond... by doing volunteer work for the company. They had a guy who was head of housekeeping who always worked at least one extra hour each day without pay to make sure everything was just right.
There was a woman on PEI who took a half day to squire around a guest because there were no tours available at that time of year. A staff person in Whistler who pulled a double shift with a four-hour break in between, and spent the four-hour break driving a client's car to Vancouver, then taking the bus back so they could do the second shift. On their own time, and their own dime.
A woman who volunteered a full day every week with HR -- and did job fairs for them too -- all so she could 'train' to change positions. She was a chef, so you know she was already working her ass off the days she worked.
They never had a story about staff who actually got paid while they were delivering outstanding service.

Imma

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Re: Today, I concluded that I work for a cult
« Reply #43 on: June 16, 2018, 04:36:33 PM »
The reality at many companies, and I just got this lecture where I work, is that your bosses' boss and his/her peers get a say in whether you are promoted or not. If you are not visible enough that they know who you are and 1 thing you have done, no promotion. I work at a fortune 50 company, and it is just a giant machine full of little cogs  workers.

I have been biding my time, and I also feel like I can't make a difference. 10 days to go.

Sounds like you work in my MegaCorp!!   
It seems to be the employers responsibility to create "visibility".   
As opposed to management actually knowing what's going on and who is actually contributing.

Work goes on while they hide behind their spreadsheets !!!!

I think this happens at "mini corps" too.  At a certain level of success (for the company), it becomes easy for folks to hide if they don't have a work ethic / desire.  If management is poor, they can hide / do the minimum for years.

Yeah, I'm in a small business and it's definitely a little cult. I actually don't think sociopath is that far from the truth.

Very few people want to deal with this. I have a natural ability to put up with these kind of people without getting under their spell, and so far the sociopath is happy with me and throws money at me for staying. He is occasionally annoyed because he knows I'm not there out of personal loyalty like others are but for the money, but then again I think he sometimes appreciates that I'm not a "follower". I know we will fall out at some point in the future and that's why I have FU money. He's aware that I will walk out if I feel it's necessary.  I know his mission in life is to destroy people who cross him, which is why I'm fully prepared.

Why am I staying? I am looking for another position, but I simply can't find any job where I can make this much money for a job that's as easy as this one. I'm taking advantage of the current situation by going to grad school in September. Hopefully by this time next year I can walk into an even better paid job with this experience and a master's degree under my belt.

 

Wow, a phone plan for fifteen bucks!