Are you serious? That's too much freakin' work. I have never understood the "workplace." I guess that's why I worked for myself for most of my life.

No, the pay sucks most of the time. However, some manage to invest as they go and end up just fine.

No way would I take the initiative to do all those things to *help* fellow employees. I'd just stick 'em in the elevator and turn off the power. By the time they got out, all issues would have been resolved. ;) :D

As someone who ran their own business for a LONG time:

1. Incompetent people - most employees overestimate their own worth, their own influence, and their own IQ, while going the other way with other employees.

2. Favoritism - See 1. above, as a manager your primary job is to succeed, that requires putting the best people in place. I always showed favortism to the best people.

3. Unqualified people - They come and they go. See 2. above. And maybe 1. also.

4. Lack of support - It's a cruel world out there, hard to make a buck.

5. Lack of motivation - It's your job to motivate yourself to earn money. Got better opportunities? Go for it.

6. Lack of trust - I shared all necessary info with my employees. Your co-workers are your problem, give them reason to trust you.

7. Never been recognize for your achievements - Agreed.

8. People ignoring company rules and guidelines - Poor management allows that to happen. Speak up, explain how it hurts the company.

9. Managers looking the other way instead of resolving issues - Human nature, and poor management. But certain petty issues aren't worth fighting over.

Or I could just be a right wing b@stard....

Many folks think that todays labor system is no different than slavery and maybe there are some points that can be made in that respect. Some companies actually run more like gangs or cults - now thats actually more like it. Those are the ones that show up on the Forbes top 100 to work for. Check this chart out - very interesting from a guy that wrote a book on gangs in America:http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1285173555.jpg

Two words: Self employment.

Warn..Document...Warn..Document-fire-hire. There are a lot more people out there who would love to have a job.

I hate to tell you this but...
 

The above sums it up and... oopss here come the bo

All of those horrible things exist in a magnified form in a school district. I was always truthful, hard working, called a spade a spade, and led by example - and was a thorn in the side of most of those above me for those reasons. When describing me they would say I "marched to a different drummer." My retort was, "Sorry if I'm not a personal friend or don't wear a dress." I know it hurt my chances for advancement, but I just couldn't bring myself to suck up. The most irritating thing was that those who were the most incompetent but with the most political savvy went upward. By the time I was in a position to actually see the landscape, I already had too much time invested. Just one more reason things are going down the drain. Self employment is good advice as long as you don't create an organization large enough to get infected.

Those are all signs of poor management. Seriously. You need to turn it around and you won't be able to do it by giving up on them.

One of the departments I run had the same issues a couple years ago. They fired the old manager and threw me to the wolves, but it turned out the wolves weren't as bad as everone thought. They were actually pretty cool once they figured out that their success was important to me.

Tell yourself this:
It is your purpose in life to help these people be successful. Whether that means an atta boy, a kick in the pants, or a helping hand, it's up to you.

Maxwell said something along the lines of "every time I've failed in business, I was only looking out for myself. Every time I've succeeded, I was looking out for others".

Juan,
Hire me, I'll fix everything!

Wow all of that makes me so happy to work at a small place. We have a relaxed athmosphere, and know that the other guys will do their job right and promptly.

We send them packing to the civilian side of life since they cannot operate in the real world

Have you considered returning to the field...?

All of those to a T are reasons I left a senior managment position and returned to a contract individual contributor role. Even in a position of authority, there's always a game to be played and moral conundrums to be faced daily.

How much do you value looking into the eyes of the guy staring back at you in the mirror?

Learn to put up with it, go back to the field or move on. If you move up, there's no guarantee that you'll have support from above to do any good. Incompetence runs deep and politics is another issue. And if you did move up, don't spend your time on the bad apples, spend your time on those who produce. Those who produce don't like to see mgt spending time and energy on those who don't. BTDT.

It's amazing what constitutes good work and employees now a days.

Have you considered returning to the field...?

Every single minute! thats an instant 60K Raise :(:( it took me a year to make my decision, in the field I felt like a Rat without no way to go, a rich rat by the way, in the field food is bad, accommodations are bad, help is worst that some of the useless people in the office, never mind the noise, heat and all other things...................

Then I look at my 9 year old boy ( the primary reason I left the field) and seen him every day is priceless, no money can buy me that; don't get me wrong I'm not looking for a happy workplace but it sure be nice to be able to grow in a professional way and be proud of what you do without any holds bar :(

Honestly sometimes I think that theres something wrong with me, maybe I think that I'm better than others? but then again my 50% efficiency is far better that 110% of some people even if no one recognize that...

Seriously, which branch/department of the government do you work for?

There's not a damn thing wrong with you - you have standards and priorities and merely by askign teh question you've indicated that you've got your head on straighter than most folks.

Your standards and priorities are what drives your decisions. I don't blame you at all, being gone 60-70% of the time was a factor in my decision to move back into management again, but the kids were also a factor in my decision to move jobs out of management - I wasn't a very nice person and half the father I should have been when dealign with the 10 items that you listed as a ranking member of the chair force. I didn't like the stress of deciding which face I was going to wear today, and what game I was going to walk into each morning.

It probably wont get any better, honestly. I sincerely hope that it does for you. It's not all doom and gloom, there are good places and lots of very good people out there, it just a matter of finding them. My advice would be to define boundaries and your limits for the BS. You take only what you are willing to take and no more. Once that set point is crossed, you need to resolve yourself to taking action sometimes drastic sometimes not - but that's the only way that you will remain master of your own destiny. You control your future, and the best way to do that is to question everything, never doubt your instincts, and have teh guts to act when needed. Try putting the tagline "Non illegitmi carborundum" in your email tag line to remind yourself. It helps me.

Continue to be the man that your kid looks up to every day.

This must be a big organization.

If I give work to the competent people why is it Favoritism?