The corporate game/people gaming corporate

[wood]

slog, I really like your post. I reasonate with the Gervais Principle in the same way. I occasionally return to this article series and always pick up on something new I had not noticed before.

I belong to the Losers table, and I slack off at work. Here's what I spend my non-working hours on between 9 and 5, in order of time spent:
- writing a book
- working on a future potential blog/webpage
- exploring forums, reading articles, trying to get smarter, solve the puzzle of life
- play with my excel sheets and follow up my real estate business on the side
- follow up other small projects, hobbies or otherwise stuff that helps my ERE
- play games and mess with colleagues
- stay in touch with friends and family
- documenting and creating statistics that show my production is top notch among our group

Of course there are days I play games all day long. But on average, very little time is spent unproductively. My unproductive days usually occur when physically and mentally fatigued, and they make me happy. I could have made a bigger work effort, but the increased effort doesn't match up with the expected increase in salary/promotion/joy of working. I enjoy being productive. I do not enjoy work.

[EdithKeeler]

It’s funny; I found myself thinking about this thread today while at work.

I used to be a total go-getting--identifying problems, proposing solutions to problems kind of a person. I always worried when I wasn’t busy enough, was concerned about my future promotions, etc. etc. My career went OK--I made decent money, made some advancements, but it became clear I wasn’t exactly headed for the corner office. But I kept slogging away--60 hour weeks, week after week after week, because That’s What You’re Supposed To Do. But it took a substantial toll on my physical and mental health, and I was NOT happy.

Then I took a step off the management track due to the health problems, my mother’s health problems, the fact that I was starting to have anxiety attacks on my way to work because my boss was INSANE, etc. I rented my house to a tenant, took a lower-key, non-management position in the “backwater” office where I was promoted out of, and moved back to the closest thing I have to a “home town.”

The weird thing is, after a period of adjustment where I had to get used to not being on the fast track, I found I didn’t mind it. I worked my 8-5 and went home. Sometimes I spent some time surfing the internet, I’ve written more than one short story at work…. but my work got done. I even took some industry exams, which I studied for at work, because it was “work related,” and I didn’t have anything else to do. (Each one I passed, I got a bonus, too).

Here’s the thing: after 4 years of essentially being a slacker (at least by my definition, compared to how I used to be), I was nominated for a BIG award at work. Don’t know yet if I’ll win--I hope I do, but am not counting on it. It’s a yearly thing, company wide, and after 12 years with the company, this is the first time I got nominated.

It wasn’t those crazy hours I worked, or all the brain-wracking I did trying to find creative solutions, or running around like a chicken with my head cut off trying to figure things out or handle the latest crisis. Turns out it’s (apparently) getting good solid work done, having a little free time to help other people out when they need it, and being the person your boss can count on when she needs you. I can’t believe that my net surfing and cell-phone checking has gone unnoticed… I’m also late to work pretty much every day…. But I guess I bring other stuff to the table. Someone commented to me the other day that getting nominated for this award will get me a promotion offer, and it might. But I’m surprised to find myself not eager to step back onto that management track.

I do consider myself a slacker now and I certainly never used to. I think I’ve always been one and just didn’t realize it or let my true self come out.

[Dragline]

Here’s the thing: after 4 years of essentially being a slacker (at least by my definition, compared to how I used to be), I was nominated for a BIG award at work. Don’t know yet if I’ll win--I hope I do, but am not counting on it. It’s a yearly thing, company wide, and after 12 years with the company, this is the first time I got nominated.

It wasn’t those crazy hours I worked, or all the brain-wracking I did trying to find creative solutions, or running around like a chicken with my head cut off trying to figure things out or handle the latest crisis. Turns out it’s (apparently) getting good solid work done, having a little free time to help other people out when they need it, and being the person your boss can count on when she needs you. I can’t believe that my net surfing and cell-phone checking has gone unnoticed… I’m also late to work pretty much every day…. But I guess I bring other stuff to the table. Someone commented to me the other day that getting nominated for this award will get me a promotion offer, and it might. But I’m surprised to find myself not eager to step back onto that management track.

I do consider myself a slacker now and I certainly never used to. I think I’ve always been one and just didn’t realize it or let my true self come out.

Bravo! I think work environments in large organizations are often more negotiable than people think, especially if you are there a long time -- and just having a reputation for being steady, pleasant and reliable can go a long way. But you do have to put aside any visions of grandeur.

[BlueNote]

I have found that having walk away money (fuck you money or whatever you want to call it) has been seriously positive for my career.

I give very few shits for office politics and increasingly just call people out on it.

You know this guy/gal?:



Well that's the typical middle manager BS I get a lot from my employer and I don't stand for it.

I do have a strong work ethic, possibly irrationally strong, so I have to find ways to tame it. Personally that means treating my employment as a series of project proposals. I accept the interesting ones and reject/duff on the uninteresting. I'll put in about 5% of my total effort on stuff I don't like, just enough to keep the train on the tracks and devote the rest of my time to interesting areas. Sometimes the TPS report train derails, meetings are held and work ends up being re-allocated so it's no biggie. If my employer doesn't like it they can fire me. However they seem to just adapt by promoting me and moving me into large budget corporate project work. Without FU money I would have probably toiled and did whatever was asked and ended up a typical worker bee, misery for me.

[SimpleLife]

This desire really sprang on me after watching the RV and Sailing channels on youtube. Especially SV Delos sailing.

If you haven't yet, check out "Sailing La Vagabond". Man, I love their videos (muc much more than Devos)

I've watched a few of their episodes. I can't relate to.it as much as sv delos, plus their show is a little slower to me. Just them, were as sv delos has rotating passengers.

You might check out Justin Credible on there, he has a similar living setup as you. I do think he bought an RV now though.

[SimpleLife]

@BlueNote

I feel ya. Same here. I had a munchkin glorified admin assistant try to tell me to come in x day. I laughed. He didn't say crap when I didn't. Seen him since then even.

Another tried to get me to do their busy work. I told them that as a developer organizing their files was outside the scope of my job, but within theirs. Make no mistake, I have a posh job, but I have FI and FU money on top of that. Only so much bs one can take.

[cmonkey]

I have found that having walk away money (fuck you money or whatever you want to call it) has been seriously positive for my career.

Same here, but I'm not quite to the point you describe. I'm definitely more assertive in my work/relationships with coworkers. Even something as simple as ignoring a request or question from someone that I would consider a pest has become easier the more FU money I have. It's a great feeling.

[ducknalddon]

I'm pretty sure it's better for the business as well although having a skilled employee handling routine paperwork doesn't make sense at all.

My first taste of this freedom was contracting, I didn't have FU money but did have enough to walk away from any individual customer or piece of work.

[Andre900]

Even if you get fired, why hide in shame at home when you can squeeze out another 125K in savings in 2 years at another job that you will inevitably get?

How are they continually getting hired for these well-paying jobs? I've found the competition for good-paying jobs to be crushing. Hiring managers and HR get buried in resumes and have their pick of the cream of the crop. Getting fired from a job and frequent job-hopping are big red flags for HR and would likely torpedo any prospective job offer. We've all read stories and know people that have had very looong periods of unemployment after a layoff; people have blown through their life savings while unemployed for lengthy periods.

...a strategy my old colleague and I seem to have; work a job as long as the work is tolerable for the pay and benefits and change jobs when it no longer meets that criteria. Repeat as necessary.

Yes, this had been my (mostly unsuccessful) strategy for the past 30 years.

...people who work just enough, about 10 hours a week, not to get fired

This was the strategy for the code-monkeys at IniTech.

[lillo9546]

In my past work experiences, I've noticed a common pattern. The main boss would typically direct employees, telling them what to do, while maintaining relationships with clients. Beneath the boss, there were managers, individuals who were socially adept, often mirroring the boss's behavior. They would frequently flatter the boss, enjoy mocking others, and engage in gossiping or snitching. These behaviors are generally considered unattractive or of low value in a person. Expecially if you're a man.
These individuals were also often lazy, yet skilled at taking credit for work they hadn't done. When they did contribute, they would make it seem like an extraordinary achievement. Below the boss and these managers were the genuine workers. They were the ones who produced the most value but were paid only a fraction of what they contributed. Typically, these workers were good people with strong moral compasses.

A consistent pattern emerges in these situations:
- The bosses and managers, despite being more socially skilled, often had poor relationships with friends and partners. They were heavily materialistic, focusing on displaying their wealth to outdo others. It was clear that they were not genuine. That their life was all faking. Their marriages just for the public image, while they were sleeping in two separate houses.

- In contrast, the workers had healthy relationships with friends and partners and were not driven by materialism. They embodied the principles of living simply and authentically, similar to those who practice ERE. They were genuine individuals.

A person with a discerning mind can easily observe this structure in their workplace. It's a recurring theme. The real question we should ask ourselves is this:
"If I am a healthy person and my boss or manager is not, do I need to pretend, mock others, manipulate, or flatter to achieve that position? Would I have to become like them? Is this acceptable to me?"

I've tried to emulate their behavior myself, but it didn't benefit my mental health. I am a healthy person, and I intend to remain that way.

Now, there is a very very very little percentage of healthy bosses who runs company, and that is a healthy worker who actually found out a way to have profit, while still being healthy and sane.

[thai_tong]

My boss was doing this at my last job. Basically using his reputation to sway things in his favour was enough to look like he was productive.

But he was bored out of his mind, fell asleep at his desk, ruined his posture, was browsing online shopping a few hours a day.

I felt sorry for him and sometimes gave my boss something to do, some initiative he would be interested in. And he wanted to get involved.

If I was doing this I'd have to have a way to do something to keep engaged throughout the day.

[jacob]

Time to re-read the Gervais Principle?