Remember
when you were younger and you would overhear elders complain about the young
generation. The older folks would say things like, “I worry about the future of
our country with the next generation in charge.” I heard that a lot when I was
younger and I think things are going ok now; not great but we aren’t at our
demise.
I came full circle this week when a
funny thing happened. Actually, a very scary thing happened to me
this week. I help chaperon an 8th grade on-day field trip to DC on Wednesday
– we left at 5am and got back at 11:30pm. I haven't event gotten to the scary part yet.
While
in a museum gift store one of the young boys decided he wanted to purchase a
$28 item. He handed me a large wad of cash and asked, “Do I have enough
to get this?” Holding the cash I looked at him and asked, “Are you serious?” He was! I counted over eight dollar. As I handed the money back to him I said to
myself, “oh Lord, our country is in trouble.”
Important
Dates
April
18 Last day to change exam if you have 3 or more in 24 hours
April 19
Fall 2014, Add/Drop Opens
May 2
Last Day to Course
Withdraw
May
7 Last Day of
Classes
May
16 Fall 2014, Add/Drop Closes
Helpful Tools
Reviewing our topic
of 4 generations in the work place at one time; we have learned the different
generations and a little about the semantics. I’m sure some of you are wondering
why this is an important topic.
Imagine
if you will a work place factory where they make a flobbergaster (my made up
manufactured part that fixes everything). You are new to the factory as a
materials engineering in R&D. Within the plant there are people of all
types, ages, and backgrounds. Learning your role you observe things carefully.
There is this one older gentleman, Jack, that doesn’t seem to belong to any one
department. You have convinced yourself he is a charity case – senile old man
who is somehow allowed access to the plant.
About
6 months go by and a machine in your area appears to be broken. You speak to
your supervisor about the machine – hoping to request a new one. He indicates
that he will get Jack to come over later today. Soon this man that you have no
regard for shows up to look at your machine. In a flash it is working again and
Jack shows you how it was ‘stuck.’ Speechless you stand there as Jack meanders
off.
Over
lunch you share this crazy thing Jack did with a co-worker. “Yeah, Jack is
amazing. The bosses are worried about what is going to happen when he retires.”
Your co-worker explains that Jack has been with the company for 45 years, held
every position in on the factory floor, half the office jobs … Jack is the
company.
Ask
yourself, how to you replace Jack? How do you retain his knowledge and
understanding of the company? Of the manufacturing process? Of each machine?
Can Jack be cloned?
Random
When eels are babies, they look like they
are made of glass! This appearance comes as the eels transition between the
larval and the juvenile stage of life when they reach full pigmentation.
Ut Prosim
We
make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give – Winston Churchill.
Sandbox
My
Schedule
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show. Currently, meeting times are available through April 30.
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