Showing posts with label rant. Show all posts
Showing posts with label rant. Show all posts

Friday, May 27, 2011

Of Despots and Tyranny



 I work with a tyrant.

No, 'with' is the wrong preposition; it implies some degree of mutual recognition and co-operation. 
I work around a tyrant.

In our small dictatorship, This Person (henceforth referred to as TP) 
pretty much has total control. 
Of everything.


TP has never heard of the word 'delegate'. In spite of having been to a number of management best practice courses and workshops, TP's methods would make up a substantial list of 'What Not To Do As A Manager'.


The List:
  • total control over all systems. if TP is ever run over by a bus, there are some areas of the 'state' which no-one else knows the workings of. Or the way in or out.
  • using personal guile and charms to get one's own way, eg flirting with members of the opposite sex.
  • bursting into tears when things don't go one's way, or when someone complains to the boss.
  • interrupting and putting people down at meetings.
  • publicly telling people off in front of other employees - or worse, in front of clients or members of the public.
 I could go on and on - but you get the picture, I suspect.
                                                      

We experience the results of this tyranny on a small scale, 
but it gives us an idea of what people in larger despotic states must feel:
  1. We feel undervalued. I know I am good at my job, that I am efficient and capable - but TP can make me feel useless.
  2. We lose heart. What is the point of trying to improve/suggest ideas, if ideas are pooh-poohed or not even acknowledged?
  3. We suffer from general malaise and loss of morale: what used to be a happy staff is an angry, frustrated, and in some cases fearful, staff.
Enough ranting. Happy Saturday.


Images from hereherehere, here and here.

Saturday, December 18, 2010

Why become extinct?

I am in increasing danger of becoming a dinosaur.

I'm not old. Sure I'm the other side of 50, but not by much. And 50 is only considered old by anyone under 18, or shop assistants. And computer technicians.

I'm not ancient, or elderly, or decrepit. But here's a few random indications that I am showing dinosaur tendencies:

  •  I like manners. 
Good manners are important. They oil the wheels of society and make it possible for people to get along smoothly.  I'm not talking here about whether you should eat your peas off your knife. I'm talking about treating each other with respect and consideration, about being aware of what would make someone else's day easier or more pleasant.
(Thomas Carlyle) 

  •  I believe in the apostrophe. 
The apostrophe is a valuable little creature. It has a purpose in life.  It has meaning. It has validity..... well it does when it's used properly.


Sigh.


What's so hard?  Why can't teachers teach kids to use it, and why can't people remember those rules?











What's even worse is when people aren't quite sure where and when to use an apostrophe.




So, they put one before every s.  

Just to be safe.


  • I cannot understand why people can't get along with each other.
I'm talking about families, neighbours, races, religions, countries. Why on earth do some people think that they are the ones with the answers, and everyone else is wrong?
Be nice to each other, folks. Guess what - it won't hurt you!


  • I don't like selfishness!
 We need to share stuff, ok? There is only so much food, air, land, fossil fuel etc to go round.

Maybe it's too late already. The world is in our hands.

Many countries around the world are about to celebrate what is euphemistically called the "Festive Season".

The nominal reason for these celebrations had a message for his followers, and that was to love one another. For 'love' include understand, tolerate, appreciate, like, care for, make allowances for......



Hmmm - I think I've moved away from the initial point of this post to some extent - I'd better stop right here, before I upset someone...