Generational Dynamics Forum - New Site

The following was posted on the fourth turning forum in response to my
article on Equifax:

X_4AD_84 wrote: > The average dumbshit does all of their banking and much commerce
> online, leaving a digital trail of critical info. The average
> dumbshit is completely "TMI" on their social media accounts and
> often have a global setting, allowing "Natasha" and others
> unmitigated complete access to their blatherings, the names and
> faces of their kids, the way their house looks, and so on.

> I've been a people and matrix manager for over 20 years and rather
> than figure out how to fire or silence Boomers I did much to help
> and extend their careers. When Boomers retire they typically take
> untold knowledge and experience with them. Most companies lack
> even the most rudimentary Knowledge Management practices and rely
> completely on tribal knowledge, so when people leave, overall
> knowledge and capability undergo a hit. It is the shame of a
> nation."
> http://generational-theory.com/forum/th ... l#pid29088

John, as per your, "OK, so here's my sad story about interacting with Gen-Xers"...wow. Like with H's, the wife and I enjoyed the read and epilogue result.

Other just-a-tid-bit wise...I've been retired since 2008 after 30 years Fed Gov work (8 with the Navy, 22 with the National Weather Service). The headaches with NWS staff was not so much the Gen-Xr's as it was my Dual-Boomer management bosses.

Not to bore you, and will make this long "Anger Management" classes story as brief as possible (yes, they both sent me up the psycho-babble river) was that the Counselor I was going to for these "classes" told me (this on the 1st day of 4 classes to follow each week mind you): "From what you've told me so far, both your bosses sound very-very dysfunctional. Much more dysfunctional than you, which of course is not helping matters." She went on to say that she would gladly call my management team and tell them I really didn't need to come the next 3 sessions. I decided though to keep going the next 3 sessions because, A) I got to get off work, and be paid for it, for the hour drive down to her office, the hour session, and the hour drive back to my office. B) The cigar I smoked on the way down and back added to the beauty of it all. C) Going to Louise for 4 weeks helped me to understand that I didn't have to SPEAK (that's right, from clock-in to clock-out) to any of the Boomer management members for the last 22 months of my 30 years of Fed Gov experience before I retired (I know you may think that sounds dysfunctional, but I got the OK from Louise to do it just so long as it didn't create problems when they needed to know something from me). At the end of the classes, where we mainly talked about the lovely weather and just about whatever, Louise said that in the years to come after I'm retired that I'll no doubt be regarded by staff, management too, as a guy that could do no wrong in the office. Be held on a pedestal if you please (case in point...Randy Moss at ESPN, my words, not workplace prophetic hers).

Keep up the excellent work John...always enjoy coming in here to see everyone's expertise on whatever is happening out there in the world. It keeps me and the wife centered. Well...maybe more-so me anyway, as my wife is centered enough.

John wrote:The following was posted on the fourth turning forum in response to my
article on Equifax:

X_4AD_84 wrote: > The average dumbshit does all of their banking and much commerce
> online, leaving a digital trail of critical info. The average
> dumbshit is completely "TMI" on their social media accounts and
> often have a global setting, allowing "Natasha" and others
> unmitigated complete access to their blatherings, the names and
> faces of their kids, the way their house looks, and so on.

> I've been a people and matrix manager for over 20 years and rather
> than figure out how to fire or silence Boomers I did much to help
> and extend their careers. When Boomers retire they typically take
> untold knowledge and experience with them. Most companies lack
> even the most rudimentary Knowledge Management practices and rely
> completely on tribal knowledge, so when people leave, overall
> knowledge and capability undergo a hit. It is the shame of a
> nation."
> http://generational-theory.com/forum/th ... l#pid29088

A friend/acquaintance of mine committed suicide about 15 years ago and left behind a small child which is now about 23. This child carried on to graduate first in her high school class of 400 plus, was a national merit finalist, had some top 10 school records in athletics, and had a 3.97 college GPA from a small liberal arts college. Knowing that there were some Boomer retirements coming up in my workplace and that there was no means in place to prevent that information from being lost, I talked to my Gen X managers about hiring this girl for an opening we had. I said she would be the ideal candidate to soak up that knowledge. Really a once in a decade opportunity for the company. I had talked to the girl's mother and said, you know, since she had lost her father under tragic circumstances, that I would take her under my wing and then get her to the senior staff who would be willing to train her. Knowing the senior staff and knowing the girl, I realized senior staff would be thrilled to have her. The girl and her mother were very excited about this because it was in an area she wanted to work. The pay was low and I thought for sure the company would hire her. The fit was so obvious. She applied and never got an interview.

A year later I was called up to the Division Director's office. The top people in the division of roughly 200 people (about 10 of them) were huddled in the office. The topic was there was a national emergency going on and our only staff person who was an expert in the topic was retiring at month end. I was called into the meeting because she thought I would be most qualified to ease the pain of the transition between her retirement and the hand-off to other senior staff. The question was asked by our Division Director, "Who knows what Ms Boomer knows?" The unanimous response - Nobody.

Iceman, I found Boomer managers to be dysfunctional too. They played a lot of dysfunctional psychological games which I've noted in years past. However, the fundamental problem I see with Gen X managers that I don't see with Boomer managers is: Gen X managers don't know how to do anything. And that is true dysfunctionality at its core.

And I'll reiterate because I think it's key. When I talk to an Xer and the topic becomes abstract in the sense I pull up a factoid we both encountered some months ago or make a complex analogy, I often see that faraway look I used to see in people's eyes who were 75+. And it shows what to me are the early markings of brain function deterioration. The drug and alcohol use of the early Xers was heavy and pervasive - I witnessed it but did not partake. There may also be environmental causes.

Higgenbotham wrote: > A friend/acquaintance of mine committed suicide about 15 years ago
> and left behind a small child which is now about 23. This child
> carried on to graduate first in her high school class of 400 plus,
> was a national merit finalist, had some top 10 school records in
> athletics, and had a 3.97 college GPA from a small liberal arts
> college. Knowing that there were some Boomer retirements coming up
> in my workplace and that there was no means in place to prevent
> that information from being lost, I talked to my Gen X managers
> about hiring this girl for an opening we had. I said she would be
> the ideal candidate to soak up that knowledge. Really a once in a
> decade opportunity for the company. I had talked to the girl's
> mother and said, you know, since she had lost her father under
> tragic circumstances, that I would take her under my wing and then
> get her to the senior staff who would be willing to train
> her. Knowing the senior staff and knowing the girl, I realized
> senior staff would be thrilled to have her. The girl and her
> mother were very excited about this because it was in an area she
> wanted to work. The pay was low and I thought for sure the company
> would hire her. The fit was so obvious. She applied and never got
> an interview.

A major issue with Gen-Xers is "respect," in particular that Boomers
don't respect them. That seems reasonable, until you understand what
it means. If you work harder than a Gen-Xer, they you're making him
look bad, so you don't "respect" him. If you win an argument with a
Gen-Xer, then you really don't "respect" him. In either of these
cases, he'll sabotage you or knife you in the back, as soon as he can.
The reason, as you suggest, is that people are stupid and don't have
any clue what's going on, and so if you work harder, then you make his
stupidity obvious, so you don't respect him.

The girl you described looks to you like an obvious choice --
ambitious, hard-working, very intelligent. But to the "senior staff,"
she's someone who will make them look like the idiots they are. So of
course she didn't get an interview.

I told Ms Boomer (the person who was retiring at the end of the month) the story and she first laughed and then said, "Oh, she's too smart to work here." I didn't really know what that meant but it sounds like she really meant, "Oh, she's too smart to get hired here."

I once read something in Inc magazine that comes to mind. The author said let's say there is an entrepreneur who is a 10. He can't hire all 10s but he can hire 9s. The 9s want to make themselves look good so they hire 8s. And so on. I related that thought to a colleague there and he thought it made a lot of sense.

I asked a Millie why she thought this girl wasn't interviewed. She said it was her best guess that her resume was screened out in human resources because it was missing key words. She said she was told by someone in HR to be super anal about including key words.

A very bright Xer who was hired onto our team after that position was filled told me in her experience there was no rhyme or reason to hiring decisions she had witnessed. She said she had applied to jobs she was eminently qualified for and not been selected, yet was selected for a job she was unqualified for (her current job).

Whatever the specific reasons may be, Xers don't know how to hire. Xers don't know how to do anything (big picture management-wise). In my experience, Boomers/Silents did know how to hire. I can never recall questioning a Boomer/Silent hiring decision.

The reasons you've given are undoubtedly correct, but don't overlook
the "respect" issue, because I've heard it any number of times from
Gen-Xers. It's a huge motivating factor for them.

http://www.zerohedge.com/sites/default/ ... 20iraq.jpg

ankara

Amurru and the Land of the Amorites. The ancient texts found in this city date from 18B.C. and are written in the Akkadian-language, and refer to the Amorites by the name of the warlike tribe, 'Banuyamina.' The meaning of the compound Hebrew name, Banu- Yamina is another form of the English name, Benjamin.

But when he came to it, he found only leaves, because it was not the right time for figs.

As was told to me "seen" the mid war is upon.

As before https://www.revolvy.com/topic/Trial%20o ... type=topic

I am saddened H that Sabbateans of effects is back as I feared. Few will understand the effect and more will
will be deceived not understanding the gravity of it.

I have been intent on affairs lately of effects that you have clearly covered. A facet of the generational dynamics is the teeth are sharper
closer to the nose of the beast and the hurt of those that covet.

But we are told = Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.…

It goes much deeper as we unwind some sunk cost analysis going forward in the supply chains also.

context: [The emergence of an omnipotent managerial class] was, on the contrary, an outgrowth of the interventionist policies consciously aiming at an elimination of the influence of the shareholders and at their virtual expropriation.
Ludwig von Mises 1949

Democrat AGs From 18 States Sue To Keep ACA Subsidies.

So how do you maintain Capital when they already spend more than they can be accountable for?
Alternatively, we seek to explain the differences between corporate governance structures by looking at the causal relationships between property rights, incentives, and government regulation, and by redefining the nature of government intervention.
This point is illustrated perfectly by their observation that corporations in civil-law countries are typically controlled by the State (such as in France), while corporations in common-law countries have been under dispersed ownership. Their comment about State-controlled corporations is without appeal; such corporations are “extremely inefficient” and expropriate minority shareholders. Moreover, they show that such countries are also marked by more corruption because of the strong bond with the political sphere (Shleifer and Vishny 1997, pp. 767–69).
A theory that explains duty doctrine will also explain strict liability doctrine.
http://gdxforum.com/forum/search.php?ke ... sf=msgonly

John wrote:The reasons you've given are undoubtedly correct, but don't overlook
the "respect" issue, because I've heard it any number of times from
Gen-Xers. It's a huge motivating factor for them.

As far as understanding the reasons Gen Xers do what they do or what motivates them, I'm open to anything you have to offer. Like I said earlier, using the "Scottsdale" example, I was completely, utterly baffled by the illogic of the Gen X branch manager's behavior. To me, it was a simple matter of adding lots of dollars to the bottom line or losing them. But maybe the Gen Xer felt that his ass-backwards definition of "respect" took precedence over doing his job and adding money to his company's bottom line. Maybe when we were filling out the app and he inappropriately mentioned something negative about Trump(?) that I didn't show "respect" and he decided then and there that he was going to get even by not paying out the money he promised. That would be consistent with Chris screwing you out of those 2 days of pay. I don't recall the exact nature of his political comments but I do remember they seemed important to him and I indicated (though not strongly) that I was not in agreement.