http://disqus.com/by/Kurr_Mudgeon/enSat, 23 Aug 2008 17:34:12 -0000http://www.askamanager.org/2008/08/abusive-interviewer-extends-job-offer.html#comment-1781279<p>I used to work for Jerry. Jerry wanted to hire this fellow just so he could have the pleasure of firing him later on. Some of the Jerrys out there like to make their employees squirm a few months before giving them the axe and a bad reference to go with it. Always, when in an interview, determine whether the boss hates his employees or not. If so, decline the offer - always. No exceptions.</p>Kurr_MudgeonSat, 23 Aug 2008 17:34:12 -0000http://www.askamanager.org/2008/08/telling-your-boss-about-slacker.html#comment-1724611<p>I would urge caution. People like that tend to get promoted and you don’t want them for enemies.</p><p>I asked one skater how he managed to move up the corporate ladder so fast and he told me it is a question of creative inactivity. If you’re doing a good job, he said, they will never promote you because they don’t want to lose the good services you are performing. But if you aren’t doing anything they don’t have anything to lose by kicking you upstairs. He moved up by telling his boss he was totally worthless and challenging the boss to motivate him. Each time a promotion failed to motivate him, he asked for another one and got it. There were several people on that company who did quite well for themselves using that strategy.</p><p>A couple of years later on another project I worked with a fellow from Afghanistan (before Bush invaded the place) who told me he was tired (at 49 years old) and just did not know how he could keep up this frenetic pace. He solved the problem by getting his check direct deposited and going home. Next thing I knew he was my boss. I left later, but by then he was moving up the corporate ladder like a bottle rocket on the fourth of July. He probably owns the place by now and he has never worked a day in his life. If he did anything he would not get promoted.</p><p>In other companies I have seen people who were foolish enough to work hard fired so the skaters could jump up and take credit for whatever they did. Credit is like money; it doesn’t matter who earns it.</p><p>The way to move up is to conserve your strength by not working and conserve time you can use for office politics, which is what companies are really all about.<br></p>Kurr_MudgeonThu, 21 Aug 2008 16:54:30 -0000http://www.adweek.com/galleycat/rushdie-random-gave-in-to-censorship-by-fear/8588#comment-1528680<p>Random House was right. They are running a business, not a fortress, and their responsibility is to their managers and editors. They can sit down for an author if they wish, but it is the author who must stand up for herself.</p>Kurr_MudgeonSat, 16 Aug 2008 13:42:53 -0000