Following on from rc's post I remembered a document that was sent to me when I was chatting with a guy in Canada about mining back in 1993 (yes they had the interweb then)
Some interesting bits of advice that still stand and cross over into my world now even though it is not mining.
1. The most difficult lesson for a recent engineering graduate to
learn is how uneducated he is. Ignorance is bliss ... and bliss is
hard to spurn.
2. An apprenticeship of 6-12 months will be served at the beginning of
every job, and at every level. Pay the ante graciously and be admitted
to the game.
3. Two groups of people call themselves "engineers", managers and
practicing technical specialists. Only the latter has true claim to
the title, despite smoke/mirrors, and other feigned claims of
expertise.
4. A distinguishing peculiarity of a manager is an ability to prosper
in a world of lies, hypocrisy, and deception. This trait often is
manifested as overt manipulation, dubious ethics, gamesmanship, or a
proclivity to rationalize away personal motivations. The more lofty
the manager, the more lustrous is the facade that masks this trait.
5. Engineers who have spent time as a front-line supervisor making
concrete things happen are easily distinguished from academic
scholars. "Rank-and-file" miners can be fine "real world" teachers.
Education at this level is unavailable from academia and is valuable.
Seize it early and be open to instruction from anyone.
6. Make time to listen; hear what is being said. Seldom are all the
words in a conversation verbalized. And, of those that are, many are
not meant literally.
7. Do not assume managers are interested in optimizing anything but
their own salary.
8. It is irrelevant whether an engineer is right or wrong, he can only
prove management asinine in public a small and finite number of times
before he will be fired.
9. It is easier for management to tolerate conformity and mediocrity
than nonconformity and excellence. There is provision in predetermined
scales of measurement for mediocrity but not for excellence.
Submissive conformists seldom crusade for radical change or are
leaders in insurrection.
10. There are few truly imaginative/creative engineers. Consulting
firms have been created to allow major corporations continued access
to these individuals since they will be rejected from most corporate
cultures.
11. An engineer who cannot convey his ideas/work graphically,
verbally, and in written form is useless. Get a dictionary and use it.
12. Learn basic statistical analysis, accounting, and the many other
semi-legitimate MBA techniques used to distort the truth. These
frequently employed managerial devices can be convincingly used to
sell your story, or fraudulently destroy it.
13. "A picture is worth a thousand words . . . " The human mind is
like a multimedia computer with 90% of it's processing power dedicated
to image processing. Graphic images, therefore, are intuitively easier
to comprehend than tables of numbers. Learn how to make pretty
pictures to get your point across to the technically unsophisticated.
Take advantage of every opportunity to present your work to those who
count. Make sure your name is on every document that you generate.
14. Most people are untrained in managerial science when they are
promoted to a supervisory position and acquire little meaningful
training after that. 3-5 years after quitting technical work, a person
usually becomes obsolete in his field. It follows, therefore, that
most managers are inept by definition. Exceptions occur, but don't
expect more.
15. It is a bad assumption that dedication, and voluntary overtime
resulting in excellent work will be rewarded, acknowledged, or even
recognized by anyone but a colleague. Management is more likely to
plagiarize good work than laud it.
16. It is a bad assumption that a corporation will return the loyalty
you give it. To a corporation, technical professionals are budgetary
costs that should be jettisoned whenever possible, and are easily
replaced with lower cost modules when necessary.
17. Managers like to refer to themselves as a subordinate's
"superior". It follows, therefore, that they will see you as their
"inferior". Don't allow/accept/believe it.
18. Never underestimate the power of "bull shit" or "bean counters".
19. An incompetent supervisor is a heavy load.
20. Creativity is an important asset to every engineer. Learn what it
means. Cultivate it at every opportunity, and in every way possible.
21. There are two distinct and separate career paths for people with
engineering degrees, technical specialization and management. Decide
as early as possible which you want and actively seek out the
requisite experience and training. Be careful what you wish for, you
may get it.
22. The effortless answer for a manager is always "no". However, it is
taxing for an engineer to say "no" to a manager. Develop the chutzpa
to say "no" at appropriate times.
23. If you ignore something long enough, it will usually go away.
However, the third time a manager asks for something, do it, even if
it is nonsensical. You don't always know your manager's agenda.
24. There is no rational way to explain the "golden boy" syndrome but
it is real. Some people have to make their own luck; others have it
thrust upon them. Don't take undue credit if it happens to you. Don't
stop believing in yourself if it doesn't.
25. Find a mentor.
26. Keep in touch with people and organizations that you truly admire.
There won't be many, and the "good-ol-boy" network is a powerful ally.
27. Study management science. You may become a manager someday through
no fault of your own. Meanwhile, you will better understand what is
happening around you. Untrained managers (a majority) can themselves
be managed.
28. Never be responsible for endangering another person's health or
safety no matter who commands it.
29. Always give credit where credit is due. Always claim credit when
it is yours.
30. Managers seldom appreciate flamboyance or understand hyperbole.
31. An unsolicited complement goes a long way with secretaries.
32. Never stop learning or assume that you "know-it-all". Inspiration
comes from unexpected avenues.
33. Write down "brilliant" ideas that come to you in the middle of the
night if you have problems remembering. These ideas often are
brilliant. Some of your most productive times will occur when your
eyes are closed.
34. Be careful who you call enemies. Be even more careful who you call
friends. Betrayal by an enemy is to be expected. Betrayal by a friend
is devastating.
35. You cannot call yourself a mining professional until you have been
fired at least once. The first time you are fired, or otherwise
dismissed, is the most painful. It gets easier with practice.
36. Job offers seldom come one at a time. The best job often does not
offer the highest salary. There are hidden reasons for inordinately
high salary offers.
37. Truly excellent engineers are not draftsmen. Truly excellent
draftsmen are not engineers. These are two totally different creative
talents and should not be mistaken for each other. However, since the
only tangible product of an engineer is ink on paper, make that
product the best you can every time.
38. Quick and dirty estimates (often called preliminary results) are
usually just that, quick and dirty. They can't always be avoided but
make sure a list of caveats/exceptions/etc. is clearly stated.
Preliminary results are often quoted out of context by management.
39. Elegance is a key engineering concept and should always be sought,
although seldom attained. Elegantly simple solutions are the acme of
engineering work. Complexity usually means a problem hasn't been
completely thought out.
40. Quality of engineering work is often judged by the mass of paper
accompanying it. Verbal communication is of little value to managers
because it cannot be comprehended, retained, filed and plagiarized. A
single sheet summary will not be judged credible. A single sheet
summary attached to a mass of computer generated output will be judged
acceptable because it looks like you actually did something, and
reading time is minimal. "Tomes of Wisdom" with deeply imbedded
conclusions/recommendations never get read except by other technical
specialists. Best of all is a laser printed graph that can be
photocopied as a flawless transparency for misinterpretation in a
"manager's only" meeting.
41. Define a personal code of ethics. Professional registration is one
avenue toward this goal. Reconciliation between the concepts of
"Political Correctness" and professional ethics is an ongoing and
difficult personal process. Don't allow pressure to prostitute your
personal code of ethics.
42. An engineer's job is to analyze, draw conclusions, and advise. It
is management's job to make decisions and take actions. Don't allow
these roles to become confused. Document your work, maintain records,
and otherwise cover your ass, or you may become the scapegoat when
things go wrong.
43. If you don't understand, ask questions. Keep rephrasing and asking
the question until you understand. There truly is no such thing as a
bad question. A question becomes "stupid" only when it is asked
repeatedly by a person who will not listen to the answer.
44. Political correctness, amorality, and malevolence will overcome
youth, vigor, and righteousness every time. Be discreet around
politically correct elitists in any organization. Don't wage war with
sneaky old men.
LOVE IT!!
Not just engineering....
QuoteDon't wage war with sneaky old men.
Was this guy watching my overweight and out of shape dad decimate young, fit college students at racketball?