I Had to Respond to an EMail

[armycowboy]

A book I used to give all new managers is titled The First 90 Days by Michael Watkins.

New managers are very gung ho and want to make changes early on.

Doing so before understanding their department, it's people and culture, and the company can result in errors that damage the new manager's reputation. Especially if a decision has to be reversed (as Doge has had to do repeatedly).

So Watkins' advice is to spend the first 90 days gaining an understanding of the environment and building good relationships with the immediate team and company resource departments.

Elon could benefit from this book. Not only is he trying to fix stuff that might not be broken, he's ****ing up stuff that's probably not broken.

That sounds very similar to what we were taught as NCOs in the Army. When you get to a new unit the first inclination is to start making changes, but that's the wrong thing to do. You want to take time to assess what is working right and what isn't and then make changes as needed.

 

[ElChupacabra]

And yet nobody has ever attempted it before. Why is that?

That's what we have the GAO for. The thing is some folks have marveled at Musk's side show and taken him at his word, in part out of ignorance how these things work in the real world. We then have these folks parrot his unbiased claims and herald them as "wins", only to get the rug pulled out from them due to his ineptitude. This takes us back to his earlier claim about dead people receiving Social Security checks. How did that pan out?

 

[NOLA Dude]

That's what we have the GAO for. The thing is some folks have marveled at Musk's side show and taken him at his word, in part out of ignorance how these things work in the real world. We then have these folks parrot his unbiased claims and herald them as "wins", only to get the rug pulled out from them due to his ineptitude. This takes us back to his earlier claim about dead people receiving Social Security checks. How did that pan out?

What's GAO been doing this whole time? Hibernating?

 

[ElChupacabra]

A book I used to give all new managers is titled The First 90 Days by Michael Watkins.

New managers are very gung ho and want to make changes early on.

Doing so before understanding their department, it's people and culture, and the company can result in errors that damage the new manager's reputation. Especially if a decision has to be reversed (as Doge has had to do repeatedly).

So Watkins' advice is to spend the first 90 days gaining an understanding of the environment and building good relationships with the immediate team and company resource departments.

Elon could benefit from this book. Not only is he trying to fix stuff that might not be broken, he's ****ing up stuff that's probably not broken.

Fortunately my analytical and cautious nature has prevented me from making this mistake. Aside from that though, it's just always made sense to me to understand the "why" before you criticize and/or try to make changes. I do my best to ensure the effort I make yields positive results, and that usually takes time and perspective.

 

[MaryP]

This week I had to respond to an email from Pete Hegseth, our Secretary of Defense. The email requested that I provide 5 bullet points about what I accomplished in my DOD civilian job last week.

I found this completely demeaning to everyone who is serving our country. I served this nation for over 20 years in the US Army, retiring as a Master Sergeant and I now work for the Department of Defense. Meanwhile, our Secretary of Defense never commanded a unit greater than a Company, but is serving as Trump and Musk's lap dog.

I realize that this is nothing but political theater, since many Trump supporters literally hate government workers, but the vast majority of government workers work hard and serve this nation, but also need their job to provide for themselves and their families. Pay for government workers is less than 3% of the budget. I really worry about these people, who are affected by this garbage.

Fortunately I don't need the job. I tried the retirement thing, but got bored and went back to work. So, in case anyone reads them, which I doubt, my 5 bullet comments were:

-**** you
-**** you
-**** you
-**** you
-**** you

Well done!

 

[ElChupacabra]

What's GAO been doing this whole time? Hibernating?

No, they've been doing their job. What they haven't been doing is making ridiculous claims that later get debunked. Just because Musk has a legion of willing parrots to celebrate his "work" those who are les eager to take someone at their word will continue to call this out for what it is.

 

[MaryP]

Because it's MAGA political theatre.

These hard working people, many whom voted for Trump/Republicans, already have bosses.

My guess is that they won't be voting Republican in the next elections.

One might hppe so, but the Dems need to do some work first.

 

[MaryP]

What most people object to is having to take time and write something that will mean nothing to the person requesting it because they're not their manager/supervisor. So the first level of insult is wasting people's time when there are already effective ways of tracking this. The second part is wasting someone's time writing out a list of things for someone who has no clue about what each individual worker does, and has made unsupported claims about government workers being lazy. No serious person thinks the point of this is to assess what people are doing or how productive they are.

Army Cowboy's reply will be a test of whether they actually read those responses.

 

[MaryP]

You had shitty desk jobs.

He was probably a lawyer.

 

[Allan]

Fortunately my analytical and cautious nature has prevented me from making this mistake. Aside from that though, it's just always made sense to me to understand the "why" before you criticize and/or try to make changes. I do my best to ensure the effort I make yields positive results, and that usually takes time and perspective.

Good, thoughtful approach but it's not the default for a lot of new managers, especially if they're young.

They have a built in action orientation: "I must do something..." (to make an impression).

Lots of rookie errors subsequently ensue. That's what Doge is experiencing, in front of the whole world.

 

[ElChupacabra]

You obviously don't know why he sent out that email...even though he has told everyone why.

shrug...

He has, but we're discussing how ineffectual it is to make the determination he's claiming to be interested in.

Regarding your bullet comments...if you get fired, you'll know why.

Probably not, since some who got fired have been called back. This only happens as a result of ineptitude, when those responsible for laying people off don't fully understand the impacts of laying off people. Some of the people laid off had also received positive performance evaluations but in the email were told they were not performing to expectations.

 

[Mycroft]

He has, but we're discussing how ineffectual it is to make the determination he's claiming to be interested in.


Probably not, since some who got fired have been called back. This only happens as a result of ineptitude, when those responsible for laying people off don't fully understand the impacts of laying off people. Some of the people laid off had also received positive performance evaluations but in the email were told they were not performing to expectations.

shrug...

You can discuss whatever you want. I'm responding to the OP's post.

 

[ElChupacabra]

shrug...

You can discuss whatever you want. I'm responding to the OP's post.

Which is what we're discussing.

 

[MAGAnificent]

This week I had to respond to an email from Pete Hegseth, our Secretary of Defense. The email requested that I provide 5 bullet points about what I accomplished in my DOD civilian job last week.

I found this completely demeaning to everyone who is serving our country. I served this nation for over 20 years in the US Army, retiring as a Master Sergeant and I now work for the Department of Defense. Meanwhile, our Secretary of Defense never commanded a unit greater than a Company, but is serving as Trump and Musk's lap dog.

I realize that this is nothing but political theater, since many Trump supporters literally hate government workers, but the vast majority of government workers work hard and serve this nation, but also need their job to provide for themselves and their families. Pay for government workers is less than 3% of the budget. I really worry about these people, who are affected by this garbage.

Fortunately I don't need the job. I tried the retirement thing, but got bored and went back to work. So, in case anyone reads them, which I doubt, my 5 bullet comments were:

-**** you
-**** you
-**** you
-**** you
-**** you

Sure you did.

 

[WorldWatcher]

Should be easy to do for anyone right?

No.

Just as one example. There employer would receive a W-2 on earnings. Yet there would be no tax filing for the W-2 issued.

And if you say that we’ll, the fraudster would just submit a 1040 for the dead person the fraudster would also submit the requested email.

So it still makes no sense.

WW

 

[mike2810]

To be honestly I think a lot of it is about reorganizing the gov to run more efficently. Musk is tasked with looking at ways to get the gov to do more with less.

and what exact proposals has Musk/DOGE presented to do "more with less"?

 

[markdc]

This week I had to respond to an email from Pete Hegseth, our Secretary of Defense. The email requested that I provide 5 bullet points about what I accomplished in my DOD civilian job last week.

I found this completely demeaning to everyone who is serving our country. I served this nation for over 20 years in the US Army, retiring as a Master Sergeant and I now work for the Department of Defense. Meanwhile, our Secretary of Defense never commanded a unit greater than a Company, but is serving as Trump and Musk's lap dog.

I realize that this is nothing but political theater, since many Trump supporters literally hate government workers, but the vast majority of government workers work hard and serve this nation, but also need their job to provide for themselves and their families. Pay for government workers is less than 3% of the budget. I really worry about these people, who are affected by this garbage.

Fortunately I don't need the job. I tried the retirement thing, but got bored and went back to work. So, in case anyone reads them, which I doubt, my 5 bullet comments were:

-**** you
-**** you
-**** you
-**** you
-**** you

You should have asked the SecDef how his AA meetings are coming along.

Mark

 

[Lutherf]

This week I had to respond to an email from Pete Hegseth, our Secretary of Defense. The email requested that I provide 5 bullet points about what I accomplished in my DOD civilian job last week.

I found this completely demeaning to everyone who is serving our country. I served this nation for over 20 years in the US Army, retiring as a Master Sergeant and I now work for the Department of Defense. Meanwhile, our Secretary of Defense never commanded a unit greater than a Company, but is serving as Trump and Musk's lap dog.

I realize that this is nothing but political theater, since many Trump supporters literally hate government workers, but the vast majority of government workers work hard and serve this nation, but also need their job to provide for themselves and their families. Pay for government workers is less than 3% of the budget. I really worry about these people, who are affected by this garbage.

Fortunately I don't need the job. I tried the retirement thing, but got bored and went back to work. So, in case anyone reads them, which I doubt, my 5 bullet comments were:

-**** you
-**** you
-**** you
-**** you
-**** you

That aughtta show 'em!

I have no doubt but that whoever had to read your reply is now contemplating their choices in life and wondering how the nation could have given up on someone that was obviously a great employee.

 

[Lursa]

So far they appear to be strengthening the economy. They are expanding the private sector workforce and shrinking the public sector simultaneously. That is economically healthy.

Where are they doing the bold? Please prove your claim. Oh and please support this one too:

Employment opprotunities are on the rise.

Expecting *crickets*

 

[mike2810]

What's GAO been doing this whole time? Hibernating?

More importantly what has Congress been doing this whole time? The size of the federal government is not a one Party issue. Everyone who has been a member of Congress and currently is a member is responsible for the size of the federal government.

Again, what has Congress been doing the last 20 years?

 

[iguanaman]

Why do so many people apparently find it "demeaning" to report on what they did? Pretty much every desk job I've ever had I've had to report on every minute I was at work. 30 minutes doing this, 1.5 hours doing that, etc... I've only ever worked in the private sector.

I guess you must be an excon or something. What did you do to make your boss distrust you like that?

 

[Grizzly Adams]

This week I had to respond to an email from Pete Hegseth, our Secretary of Defense. The email requested that I provide 5 bullet points about what I accomplished in my DOD civilian job last week.

I found this completely demeaning to everyone who is serving our country. I served this nation for over 20 years in the US Army, retiring as a Master Sergeant and I now work for the Department of Defense. Meanwhile, our Secretary of Defense never commanded a unit greater than a Company, but is serving as Trump and Musk's lap dog.

I realize that this is nothing but political theater, since many Trump supporters literally hate government workers, but the vast majority of government workers work hard and serve this nation, but also need their job to provide for themselves and their families. Pay for government workers is less than 3% of the budget. I really worry about these people, who are affected by this garbage.

Fortunately I don't need the job. I tried the retirement thing, but got bored and went back to work. So, in case anyone reads them, which I doubt, my 5 bullet comments were:

-**** you
-**** you
-**** you
-**** you
-**** you

And, since (I assume) you didn't do that to the requesting authority once let alone five times, you of course realize that you have exposed yourself to criminal prosecution for making false statements in a matter under the jurisdiction of the executive branch of the government of the United States in violation of 18 USC 1001(a)(2).

Probably the better thing to do would have been nothing at all.

 

[CaughtInThe]

That sounds very similar to what we were taught as NCOs in the Army. When you get to a new unit the first inclination is to start making changes, but that's the wrong thing to do. You want to take time to assess what is working right and what isn't and then make changes as needed.

That's way too freaking logical.

 

[CaughtInThe]

That's what we have the GAO for. The thing is some folks have marveled at Musk's side show and taken him at his word, in part out of ignorance how these things work in the real world. We then have these folks parrot his unbiased claims and herald them as "wins", only to get the rug pulled out from them due to his ineptitude. This takes us back to his earlier claim about dead people receiving Social Security checks. How did that pan out?

I've posted a gazillion times but not recently so I'm going to say it again.

I'm 100% convinced that the vast majority of MAGA have never been in Corporate America (in any leadership role), never owned a business where they had to manage a bunch of people and never had to develop complex plans for large groups of people.

Which makes it easy for them to say "just fire them!!!!!!".

Hell, they won't feel the repercussions for months/years so why would they care now?

It's being short-sighted at its worst.

 

[CaughtInThe]

One might hppe so, but the Dems need to do some work first.

The first thing the Democrats need to do is get rid of Jeffries.

He would be a great leader in decades past where there was decorum and decency.

Right now we need a street dog to fight the mafia that is the Republican party.