Looking at my picture on the blog, I was shocked to see that my aggressive, sleek Atomu picture had morphed into something hideous. Being on the road, its not in my laptop. So I hope you enjoy the new me for a few days.
Actually it was probably an appropriate view of me the past couple of days. Feeling better today. Getting work done and trying my best to get out of here as soon as I can….like tomorrow. Given my deprived ability to sustain long term partying, I will probably go straight back to Tokyo (with of course the usual packed aircraft full of Indonesians……..).
There are times I think I am not cut out to work in the new corporate Navy. I’m an old school kind of guy. Wheel, deal, and get the job done, preferably as quickly as possible so we can all still make happy hour.
Unfortunately, the “new breed” does not look to that. Instead they tend to just speak in platitudes and focus only on the negative. In particular there are too many senior leaders who think the “Chainsaw approach” dealing with problems that come up is the way to go. Just keep firing people till you get the desired result. I believe it is a function of the recent trend to view people as just another commodity, to be budgeted for and shoved aside when the cost (financial and emotional) gets too hard.
In dealing with our particular bunch of knuckleheads, the powers that be miss the point that their inability to detail and hire quality people for a location that people do not want to go to, as well as the dynamics of living here.
( unaccompanied, many out in town and no guilt about working people long hours…….The only way I would want to be out here is as a civilian so I have the option to quit if I need to.) makes it a not a good way to bring out the best. You’ll get some guys to volunteer, but in some cases its motivated by the “greed factor”, especially with military facing the choice of going to a ship, or going here where they can at least drink beer.
Plus there are just too many people here. I still think that many of the headquarters functions can be out sourced to other more hospitable and family friendly locations ( such as our headquarters is……). There is a side benefit, because having every one co-located with the big boss in theater means everyone is walking around worrying how not get beat up instead of doing long range planning.
It would seem to me that would be obvious, but one of the things I keep running into is a very territorial mindset. That makes it hard to convince people to do the right thing.
I could be wrong, but I think I’m not.
