http://execunet.blogspot.com/2007/06/fear-induced-lethargy.html
Friday, June 01, 2007
Fear Induced Lethargy
Dave Opton
***Begin Quote***
John came up with the phrase “fear induced lethargy” in a communication he was sending to one of the many folks who come to him for free advice regarding their search. John, who, like many of us, has far more experience in looking for a job than he would like, has what some might consider a pretty cynical outlook on a number of things. Said differently, the advice he dispenses from what is clearly a very giving and compassionate heart is neither “warm” nor “fuzzy.” It falls much more into the Howard Cosell school of career management circa 2007. Hence the phrase “fear induced lethargy.”
***End Quote***
But, I don’t have the rug, chew a cigar, or have a Dandy Don Meridith as a foil.
You have to remember that I’m an injineer, and not into “warm” and “fuzzy” “soft people skills”. Want that building built? Great here’s the plan, that’s the schedule, where’s the “go ahead”? I don’t have time, money, attention, or the will to worry if someone’s feelings are a little bruised.
(Although I am much more gentle with students fresh out of school, they don’t pretend to be experienced.)
Humans have the stubbornness of a burro – camel – <insert favorite animal>, and the density of concrete when they want to do what they want to do.
Someone once quipped that “insanity was doing the same thing and expecting different results”. Turkeys can send out tons of paper with no response, and will happily order another ream of paper to send some more.
Turkeys can be like the drunk looking for the lost keys by the light; not where they lost them. “But I got my last job as a junior programmer from Monster” says the CIO with great self-assurance.
Out on my “turkey farm”, (http://tinyurl.com/lxu93) I see senior people, who claim to be all sorts of great things, stuck in the “slop”. Sometime, like that proverbial mule, you have to give a “stuck turkey” a good swift kick. Actual a lot of harsh words and ruffled feathers, there’s no kicking at the turkey farm.
I’m sorry, but I would hope to be seen as the cute and cuddly Lew Gossage Jr. in an Officer and a Gentlemen. I’d like to salute all my graduated turkeys (135 by my count — since I started counting — who never sent me my dollar!) that are off earning big bucks and don’t much care how mean they thought I was. Heck, they rarely look back. I’m the reminder of Bad Times Past. It’s OK I’m paying off all the people that helped me.
Now excuse me, I have to get back in the slop, and help an old network turkey understand that he has only 15 seconds to “hook” a sucker … err, I mean a hiring manager.
Sigh!
Thanks for the kind words, even if they are a little harsh. ;-)
fjohn
the big fat old turkey hisself
Reinke Faces Life 