‘Dilbert’ on how to save your career

Confusopoly: Let’s tell everyone how wonderful we are… and not worry about the infractions along the way!
\
My advise to employers? Terminate responsibly.

I agree with the idea that flexibility is more important than money to many people. I took a $10,000/year de facto pay cut in order to go from a job where I worked 60+ hours/week to a job where I work 40 hours/week and have flex scheduling that allows me to get those 40 hours in 4 days instead of 5.

Believe Dilbert is correct to an extent and has played it very safe in his Answers.

One thing that I strongly agree with, is – “Work-Life Balance”, which can be a key differentiator during economic tough times for corporates and better employment opportunities available elsewhere. As mainly GenY focuses on WLB, as a primary requirement from their employer.

Confusopoly: I worked for a boss who would give one order in the morning and then ask for something entirely different in the afternoon, and blame me for not delivering the “unspoken.”
It got to the point where I insisted that the boss write down exactly what it was he wanted, and sign it.
I finally left the job after one incident where the boss wrote down what he wanted, signed it, and later complained that when I finished the task it wasn’t what he meant. Time to go

I am glad to read some people commenting that they have been striving to live confidently on their own feet, in pite of hardships, to protet theirselves and their loved ones.
To be honest, I’m not a tough person. In fact,I often sank in self-pity mood. But we can’t protect ourselves and our loved ones while whining. So I pretend to be tough. Alice is tough and mighty, and doesn’t care being hated. I envy her, but can’t be like her. So I try to be more tactical. Hence the importance of cool head. But a warm heart is no less important.

Great article, find it all very true, should be sent to all our bosses….

Annie, thank you. Your articles always come to my mailbox at such great timing. Through the years, Dilbert is therapy for me. Yes I have just joined the statistics of the unemployed. My boss told me that my work can be done by someone else. I find that extremely ironic when it took them months to source a person with the right skill set. I have been relocated from another country to fit the bill.
Anyway, I am pleasantly surprised by how at peace I am about all this. As T. Segerson puts it, this might really be the best thing that ever happened. For my equally laid-off colleagues around the world – I say, hang in there, be positive, be confident!

Scott Adams totally rocks. Always has and always will. His cartoons and his blog accurately depict what I see & hear from my desk every day. I cannot tell you how many times something utterly stupid has happened and I have thought, “I saw that on Dilbert!!” I work for the biggest bunch of blithering, insufferable idiots you ever heard of, but they pay well and provide health insurance so here I sit for my 12th year. It’s a trade-off, like everything else. I’m not happy, I’m not unhappy… but I am in disbelief on a daily basis.

I always enjoy Dilbert, but I must comment on something the cartoonist said which is completely opposite from what’s going on in my company. Adams said companies that are doing well, treat their people well. This isn’t the case here. In fact, my company is doing so well, they think they can treat us any which way they want. In fact, they’re doing so well that they want to do even BETTER! So they’re moving jobs overseas and taking them from Americans. This company is extremely profitable and has been lauded by many for it’s profit margin. But that’s not enough. Talk about GREED!

real time layoff headlines, it’s not pretty.

http://www.layoffdaily.com

I bought Dilbert Principle in June 1997 and I love reading Dilbert’s comic strips in newspapers.

I came to U.S. in 1998 (from a developing SE Asian country) as an ERP (SAP) Consultant with great pay. I was so happy travelling and learning new things on every project I take back then and I get commendations from my clients for exemplary performance. My skills and market value went up after every project. I did this for 6 years until I joined a great company here in Texas. I quit consulting because my kids are growing fast (now 13 and 7) and I need to spend more time with them and my wife. I now work for one of the best company to work for (oil and gas) as Sr. I/S Specialist and I get above industry standard pay check. But the recent reorganization deprived me of what I love doing most and I’m stuck to doing production support. I’m not happy. But I’m always optimistic and continue to find new things to learn and make the best out of what I’m into. Coming from the 3rd world, whining never existed in our vocabulary. Saving money and spending what we can only afford (without any debt) is our way of life. We try to make the best out of the current situation (good or bad). In my world, failures are opportunities to get better.

I hold on to my current job because of the current economic crisis and my family’s needs. But I also continue to find new opportunities (non-consulting and no travel) even with lower pay just to do the things I (used to) love as a Consultant.

I completely agree with Scott Adams. Flexibility, learning new things and family time are far more important things than money. In addition, tele-commuting will be great.

Thank you for this opportunity.

Over 25 years ago, in the depth of a earlier recession, I came up with the notion of ‘boss diversity’ too. I left corporate life, for the freedom & risks of self-employment, and it is the best decision I ever made about worklife. I work harder than most everyone I know, but I enjoy great rewards, and I have been fired by only a couple of ‘bosses’ through the years, but I have always managed to replace them with better ‘bosses’ (AKA clients) for whom to work.

It’s no use whining.
What Dilbert teaches us is that life is cruel, and we should laugh while fighting back against mean and stupid bosses.
I am ready to fight with only an underpants worn, as Dilbert often does.
Those who whine, in my view, have been belileving what must not be trusted on. Those in power have been telling us to take responsibility for whatever fall upon us, be it what has been the result of their irresponsible condcuts. In such an upside-down society, what would you believe in?
Only in my cool head, I dare say!

I was gravitated towards this topic not because I’ve loved Dilbert so much over the years but because I was just fired this week for the first time in my career. I think the problem that I was fired for has to have some kind of record for the LEAST amount of impact caused. The only impact that was truly felt was the impact on the ego of my ex-boss, and it showed because I got to keep my benefits for 2 whole days with no severance. I also reminded him I was still a customer and I demanded that the critical problems he was not handling properly be fixed. The look on his face was very complicated for a second, I’ll take that with me the rest of my life!

I was directly told that all my past performance had to bearing on the matter at hand, I’ve always ‘exceeded expectations’ in all my reviews, had nice bonuses due to performance, and none of that mattered regarding what happened. All this proves to the ones left behind is all the extra heart and soul they put into their jobs like I did is no kind of insurance against rough times as far as the company is concerned. And to quote another iconic media and exploration on the corporate world, this “will only make someone work just hard enough not to get fired.”

What matters though, is other people DO pay attention to the good work done over the years. I’ve been humbled by all the positive activity that took place with the firing, I already have job interviews lined up next week because all my other ‘bosses’ over the years who I’ve worked for want me to work with them again. All the other times I’ve left jobs in the past I did not burn the important bridges-all the other relationship opportunities presented by circumstance or as I believe, God.

Thank you for this blog, this has been very therapeutic in these trying times, I think I can go back to sleep now.

If we had national health care, I would be willing to guess that 30% of all employed people would go solo, but as it is, most hang on like grim death because great health care coverage is financially out of reach, especially when self employed. Scott Adams is brilliant, Dilbert rings true…Maybe the new administration can help us punt our PHB’s by giving us a PPO on our own.

Probably Dilbert did not worked in a company that puts customers and employees in first place. Some companies do it and prosper more than the others.

I am one who agrees that other things can mean more than money in a career. Example: I once worked for a cancer researcher — an M.D. — who obtained grant money then squandered it on his yachts, etc., and though he paid more than anyone else there was nothing for me to do. Zilch. He was never there. I nearly went crazy from boredom, plus utter disgust with this criminal. The only “work” he gave me was to lie about what he was doing and, especially, to look busy if I heard anyone coming down the hall. I quit in spite of the pay. Any ethical person would have.

Getting lots of bosses and being independent would be great – if we didn’t need health insurance.

dilbert is skeptical about green economy saying it may not be next big thing for economic recovery.
In my opinion the point of green economy is to save this world from global warming and creating much needed energy independence.
Green economy is the need of hour, need is mother of invention, innovation will happen if govt persue this need. As a result jobs will be created and impact enonomy in positive way in next 5-10 years when it will becomes main stream.

Artur Koestler and Scott Adams knew some of the same people. The major difference was the jacketing system.

It turned out poorly for Rubashov, the true believer. Hopefully, it will turn out much better for Dilbert.

Dilbert’s portrayal of the workplace is on the money. Any big company is just like he describes.

Flexibility and learning are not more important than money, but they are necessary to avoid being completely ground down into dust. If money is really tight at the company, most people I know would gladly work for 80% salary to have a 4-day work week and a 3-day weekend, probably forever, so there is some trade off between flexibility and money. Graduate students are notoriously poorly paid for their work, so there is a trade off between learning and money, too.

I have probably worked for at least one confusoply, but it was so confusing that I couldn’t tell. Any efforts to simplify things so that a customer or normal person could understand them were squashed quickly.

Dilbert for president (in 2012) !

Fire the boss and go solo!

Big company or small, the employers have been treating employess like chattel for years.

Scott Adams has it right about the confusopoly problem in business. Unfortunately, this syndrome extends to government as well.

Learning new things and being flexible are the keys to making money throughout your life.

If you got downsized, fired, laid-off or whatever word is used by your company for being terminated, my thoughts are with you. You’ll get through it.

It might be the best thing that ever happened to you.

Call your former boss on Monday and thank him. He’ll be shocked… and wonder what you’re up to.

http://01wageslave.blogspot.com

Hang in there, it’s going to get rough!

Tom

I have finally been able to get my bosses to come to a unanimous decision. They all want to fire me. I work for myself. So much for the Monte Carlo theory.

Flexibility and a chance to learn are always more important than money. I just wish to the corner grocery store would accept more flexibility and chance.

One other suggestion worth considering would be to change the classroom. I live in Mèxico. Since no Americans will learn Spanish when they come to live here, my job is safe.

I think he is on the fringe in some areas. However, he is dead on regarding how employers treat employees during economic difficulty. We are living in a republican made economy, which benefits employers. However, they took it too far. The last time we were in this predicament a world war broke out. I hope the God it does not come to that!

Boss diversity? What a nice concept!
After quittnig a company full of Wally-like colleagues, I have been working independently serving many bosses for the last 23 years.
I have made many quarrels with many boases, but have been in good terms with two.
One, the owner of a minimum company, relied on me in all matters he is not familiar with, and therefore showed leniency toward my rebellious attitude and my contempt for incompetent and arrogant cients.
The other is the president of a much bigger company, but is an amicable man. I tried not to show my short temper and rebellious attitude to him, and he thinks I’m a consciencious worker.
If I had only one boss, I would not be able to live to this day.
I agree whole-heartedly with Mr. Adams.
Keisuke Akita

I lived the Dilbert life for ten years. It’s uncanny how the morning strip came to life in the office in one form or the other day after day. It is real folks, laugh so you wont cry…..

Actually, I used to work for a company where Dilbert cartoons were posted in almost every section. The cartoons matched so closely to what was actually happening in our facility that many often wondered if someone working there was sending the script ideas to Scott.

My job, interestingly enough, had some computer programming associated with it. I had double the programming experience of the chief, and his programming was more along the lines of confusopoly as opposed to simplicity. He’s still employed at the company and I’m not, however, and making things so complicated that no one can understand seems to be working for him.

LOL, again, Scott Adams gets it right.

I think Adam’s is exactly right with the concept of confusopoly. If necessity is the mother of invention, what do you do when as a society we really don’t “need” anything? You go and “featurize” what you have, right? Some of those features have great purpose and solve a problem – like windshield wipers on cars. Others are unnecessary gimics – like heated/cooled cup holders – they’re nice, but who cares. In the end though, the idea of the concept of the “car” has never really changed, and that was the big innovation.

Pick any industry, and you’ll see the same things happening. It’s how one group sets itself apart from the rest when the big idea is already out there. It’s not really a problem until it becomes the employees at companies who start deciding how to featurize instead of listening to customers. That’s the kiss of death.

Scott Adams is brilliant. He touches on the only true solution to dealing with a boss in his answer to the last question. The only real way to save your career and to avoid being tortured by a boss is not to have a boss. You need to own your own business.

Yes,
Those are new portmanteaus I have never
heard before.
1) One can see that there is an incentive
to cause consumer confusion. Adding (hardware/
software) features to a digital camera, for
example, makes it difficult for the consumer
to make an intelligent purchase decision.
I’ve been stung by this already.

2)On boss diversity, I have two part-
time jobs, so I have something there. I
might add that making an inconspicuous income adds to your safety. I am very careful with money management. That also
helps

As a freelance writer for 20 years — a position I stumbled into after losing a fulltime job due to my incompetence in office politics — I heartily agree with the principle of ‘boss diversity’. If you have 20 clients — or bosses — odds are that they won’t all fire you at the same time. Works for me!

Between Scott Adams and Bing, I think just about every “advice” base is covered. I live in the west and the only thing not ever addressed anywhere is the “education fasism” or some may perfer “education snobery” that is creeping in from the east. It is realy overflowing in the HR depts. Having a degree does not make you smarter. No matter what HR says. A number of high level execs have left perfectly good positions where they performed stellarly just because of not really having gone to the “right” school. Yes they lied which was wrong. But…they didn’t get to where they were because of the “degree”, they got there through their own hard work. Yes, yes, no one wants a lawyer or doctor who didn’t get a degree, but, that is not the same thing as an executive at a paper comany for example. Many of those with the same degree, think the same and see the same solutions to problems in business and that “boxed” thinking may actually be part of the problem. Need a whole article, sorry.

He is somewhat accurate. I hope he will draw some new scenes, where the same negative employees, still have the same selfish attitudes in this current economy.

Is Dilbert right about the state of the workplace?

Yes

Are flexibility and the chance to learn new things more important than making more money?

Yes

Have you ever worked for a confusopoly?

Yes

I especially like the part about boss diversity. I’m working freelance now. I have steady clients (bosses) who keep me in beans and ice water quite nicely thank you.

Try it, you’ll like it.

Scot Adams ROCKS!

I have one of his strips beside me RIGHT NOW. He’s a constant motivation to me to do my own thing. Stinks watching the owners in the 35 person small biz drive in in new $100K toy cars every month, buy a $400K industrial building for thier toy cars, buy multiple home and $800K vacation condos BUT there is no money for cost of living raises for the past 5 years!!!!!!! How do they think they MAKE that money?!?! BECAUSE they have a great group of core employees.

I took the day off sick but I’m never TOO sick to work at my side business that I love, DetroitMuscleTechnologies.com

Adams is absolutely right. A few years ago I was priced out of living anywhere near my job. I wanted to take advantage of the company’s telecommuting policy, but the only one allowed to use it was a boss who did absolutely nothing. He had to sign off on anyone else telecommuting and since he did nothing, he assumed others would also abuse the privilege so no one else was allowed.

I quit, moved to a small town I can afford to live in, and started freelancing to multiple clients. I can still afford my house payments I have much more free time and I cut my annual auto mileage by 90% the first year.

It took two more years before the upper management finally fired the do-nothing boss, and of course he threatened to sue.

I was not the only person to leave. The company lost several good employees because of a bad boss.

Now that we have no manufacturing base, middle management is obsolete. The job of a middle manager is to make sure underlings have their butts in company seats for a specified amount of time, and if the manager can squeeze a few more hours out of everyone (s)he gets a bonus.

If companies measured performance by quantity and quality of work instead of the amount of time spent at a desk, everyone would be happier and more productive.

Anne,
As always, thanks for the uplifting article. We all need to laugh once in a while, even during these trying times.