The Retirement Thread
4 lurkers |
175 watchers
28 Nov
9:23am, 28 Nov 2024
2,708 posts
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MsG
Btw Flatlander and I do/did similar jobs but in different specialities.
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28 Nov
9:31am, 28 Nov 2024
28,495 posts
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TROSaracen
So organisation and boss dependent. The least meritocritous promotions I ever saw were in the former Nationalised industries of the 70s. It took BT a long time to unravel that culture of do as little as possible and promotions based on anything except your ability to do the job. There were also other ridiculous behaviours like the battle over your office size/location which was perceived as a massive part of your position in the hierarchy in the organisation. I saw people bring tape measures in and measuring their and other offices and kicking off if they felt the square meterage was not appropriate. And the Hell that was raised if someone if the same grade got a corner office when yours wasn’t. |
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28 Nov
9:41am, 28 Nov 2024
2,709 posts
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MsG
Happy, I think on reading your post again that you've misunderstood what I meant. I've been successful despite not being good at workplace politics, not that there aren't any workplace politics.
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28 Nov
10:17am, 28 Nov 2024
72,261 posts
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Velociraptor
I suspect the opportunities I missed out on because my face didn't fit will have been partly offset by the occasions when it did. I probably found my level and it wasn't very high.
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28 Nov
12:18pm, 28 Nov 2024
3,366 posts
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Flatlander
@Merry Christmas and Happy NewG(rrr) unfortunately, you also misinterpreted what I wrote. Whilst I was technically good at diagnosing infections, I was not recognised and successful in my workplace. Depends how one interprets "successful" - I was successful in my diagnostic work, but not in my career. Once I got to the bottom "management" level (a Senior), I was stuck at that level in the same department because I was unable, unlike MsG, to make my case well enough to get other jobs. I know that before or after interviewing prospective employees some employers check them out by "informally" sounding out their current manager. Even though my manager wasn't one of my references, they'd still have contacted him, and him being the type of person he was (we clashed a lot over his ineptitude and attitudes), he may well have deliberately given them a poor impression of me. My lack of networking was not helpful. |
28 Nov
12:28pm, 28 Nov 2024
51,448 posts
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HappyG(rrr)
Sorry for misinterpreting anyone's answers and thanks for correcting. But I think your example Flatlander is again where progression and reward gets hindered because decisions are made based on subjectivity, impression, personal relationships NOT on true merit and ability. That's my concern and criticism of the corporate or management world and if it also exists in science and academia that disappoints me even further! Great night out with 12 former colleagues from 10 - 15 years ago. Very jolly bunch, yummy food, great chat. Just proves how the main good bit (in my working experience) of work (apart from basic income covering accommodation and sustenance) is - people and some good pals!  G
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28 Nov
1:59pm, 28 Nov 2024
2,710 posts
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MsG
HappyG - I think this happens everywhere. Scientists and academics are also human, they're not existing on a higher plain
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28 Nov
2:04pm, 28 Nov 2024
9,077 posts
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um
I'm disappointed so many of you have such jaded views, or experiences. Maybe I was lucky. In 3 global US IT companies for most of my working life, Digital into Compaq into HP/HPE. And I never applied for a job after my initial application to Digital, the rest came by MADO. But, as a manager and responding to many requests for promotion, my first line was usually along the lines of 'being a good widget wobbler (or order entry or whatever) person doesn't necessarily take you beyond the top tier for widget wobblers (or order entry or whatever). Different skills are needed to progress, whether managing people, influencing others, setting and implementing strategic changes etc etc. And in a large global organisation much of 'management' (and 'leadership') is communication and also protecting teams. Budgets are always being cut, others are always keen to make sure they protect their domain at other's expense etc etc. Yes you had to be politically aware and astute, but generally no matter what I though of individuals characters, I could nearly always see why they were where they were. I don't really recognise the stereotypes you describe for management, anyone not delivering and not taking their team along didn't normally last long. |
28 Nov
6:25pm, 28 Nov 2024
6,567 posts
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Windsor Wool
I can thoroughly recommend @McGoohan's blog as a read for anyone who is retired and was thinking that they might actually miss work.
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28 Nov
6:27pm, 28 Nov 2024
6,568 posts
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Windsor Wool
and @um, for the last 10 years of my working life I worked in the most brilliant meritocracy where we tried very hard to value differing talents, perspectives, knowledge etc, etc. I really thought it worked well and I'm with you in being able to say that very talented people got on in the organisation. That didn't stop me hating work of course, per the post above!!
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