(This post was last modified: 01-09-2022, 04:54 PM by Marko.)
(01-08-2022, 06:39 PM)Fluffy Wrote: Well Marko your sentiment is a good one. But I would respectfully counter. That it is better to have friends that judge you, even harshly. So if you are making, or getting ready to make a mistake. Pull you aside and tell you, "Hey don't be a dumbass". Bob was a man that would tell it like it is. He rarely gave praise. And on the rare occasion that he did give you accolades. You took note. He most certainly had many people that really didn't like or understand him. He grew up in Montana. And PC was not even remotely part of his demeanor.
The only difference between him and I for the most part. Was that I am usually able to filter my "outdated" harsh criticisms of situations. I can only imagine his reaction to the last two years. He's prolly laughing at all of us. In my work enviroment thin skin is a terminal condition. Depending on the size of your mistake. Nicknames are created. Jokes are told and the half life of them is similar to uranium breaking down. I have noticed many of the guys we have hired recently that are younger. Say like under 30. Tend to have the worst time dealing with someone being critical of them. Many in the last 10 years or so. Have not stuck around too long. But we aren't mean just to be mean. There is a purpose. Just like in the military. You don't have the time or luxury to coddle someone. Mistakes can have huge consequences. People can get crippled or killed around our trucks and equipment. Being in the road out in traffic step out from between trucks without checking and get run over. My drill Sargent was anything but nice to me or my platoon. But he did get us ready be in the infantry.
Maybe a poor choice of words on my part. Anybody who will let you get away with BS or whatever isn’t a friend. I agree with everything you said above. Whether it’s coworkers, colleagues, your kids or your friends you aren’t doing them any favours by going soft on them. Life has a way of determining winners and losers and it’s usually harsh. Raising kids to believe that everyone’s a winner doesn’t prepare them properly. Like if your drill Sargent went soft on you. People would die. Both of my kids are in jobs where lives are at risk every minute of every shift - daughter is a NICU nurse and son is a mine engineer /shaft sinker. No margin for error in either role and no room for hurt feelings when direction/correction is necessary.