ECN Forum Forums General Topics of the Trade General Discussion Area Say "Thanks"

Hello From South Dakota!!!

It's been a while since my last post, but I'm still hanging around in the shadows.

I have been working at this company now for 18 months, and it has become apparent that I will never recieve a thank you from the boss.

I have been in this wonderfull trade since 1989, and the one piece of advice I can give to those of you who own your own companies; Say "Thank you", "Good job", "Nice work", and "Hell of a job". Those are the best motivators I have ever found as a forman to my men.

On the other hand, if all you do is pick apart every little thing your guys do, they won't perform the way you want, and I will promise they won't be happy.

I just finished a large job in Sturgis, and the inspector gave me big kudos for doing such a great job, but when the boss showed up all he could do was to point out all the places I used extra straps on my pipe!
I finished the job a week ahead of schedual, saved 2000ft of 1", 2500' of 3/4, 5000' of 1/2, and all the wire that goes along with that just by taking a different route through the building than he bid.

I never heard anything but bad. Now I'm a little pissed.

So don't forget to say "Thank you!"

I know we are not working for the same guy.... Are we?

I have the same problem at times.

I personally think it's just the way some guys in the industry are...unfortunately social skills are not a qualification to become an electrician (esp commercial and ind. work) I worked with a forman who had such a bad attitude I finally left the job after giving him a few choice words...He was in a vault with me watching me mandril some 4 inch pipes and I swear I was wishing I could shove his beady little head in that 4 inch...it was humorous to visualize this and kept me from going insane that day...I doubt he knew what the chuckles were coming from me about...bottom line...treat people like you want to be treated...the other clowns burn their own bridges...or end up with no friends and miserable...peace

Sounds like a change of employment might be in order.

I used to work for a guy like that. I figured it was a tactic used on his part to keep me feeling like I wasn't worth any more than the scraps he was paying me. Then I wouldn't never get the crazy idea I was worth anything. Then when I put in my notice he finally offered to almost double my wage ($13 to $21). I was a little tempted and a little insulted. I left anyway.

I believe that if the reason behind this is to pay less, the opposite is true. You can probably keep a guy at lower paying shop by giving him a better reward than money. Make him enjoy getting up, coming to work, and feel satisfied at the end of the day.

Sometimes it may be even a little more than the pay issue; he may be fearful that you're the better electrician and doesn't want you to get the idea that you'd be able to pass him up.

If he gave credit where credit is due, I'd bet my lunch that it'd be both a monetary increase and an admission that you're beyond his level technically or reputation-wise.

He could become a true leader/manager (the good kind) and tout his skill in hiring terrific people if he weren't competing directly with your skills. But people living with or in fear can become jerks in a hurry and will do whatever it takes to ensure that they stay as high up on the heap as they can.

Thank you for reminding me, this is truly very important!