15 January 2010

Here's The Deal...

Okay, I can't stand hearing people tell government workers, whether they be police officers, city council members, or Motor Vehicle clerks, that they "pay their salary". 

That's just crazy talk. 

Of course, we all pay taxes of some sort.  Of course, some sort of taxes pay these workers' wages.

But let's get past the idea that in some way we are the boss of them.

On the other hand, as they say, there is the idea that at one time government employees were actually called "public servants".  That's an interesting idea.  "Public" would indicate that their work is funded by the people of a community.  It would indicate that the purpose of their work is to benefit the people of a community.  It would indicate that there is SOME truth to the idea that "we pay their salary".  And "servant" would indicate that their orientation or focus should be on providing some level of courteous or submissive work for the members of a community.  It would indicate that the goal of the worker would be to please or to satisfy the community members individually and at large.

So, what's with the snippy, grouchy, disrespectful, annoyed, put-out, slow, inattentive, discourteous, angry, intimidating, secretive, power-tripping, snack-eating-in-your-face, union member, self-serving government worker of today?

If we want to examine the inefficiencies and ineffectiveness of government today, we need to look at the worker, as well as at the system.

I once had a customer of mine virtually grab me by the ear and show me an area in which my workers were not doing their jobs.  After explaining why this was unacceptable to him, he looked me in the eye and said, "John, you have a management problem," and walked away.

He was right.  Sure, maybe I had lazy or unskilled workers, but the bottom line was that I was not managing them as I should have.

For the White House (I love that ambiguous name for the President) to blame problems on equipment, rather than accept responsibility for "its" management problem is just chicken.

It illustrates the fact that President Obama has never been in charge of anything in his life, and he is uncomfortable with responsibility.  Although he is more than willing to accept the perks that come with the title of POTUS.

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