The best compliment you have received from the Bos

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CT8

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Reading clinebarger's post about fixing the Vette that the parts changers couldn't fix brought up a thought about the day at work when I was transferred to the dealer ships head shop [ they were swamped with work] and when I was handing the days paper work when the service manager made a bug deal that I did a job that usually needed the work done in the shop bla bla bla. With out raising an eyebrow one of the owners of the company said "He is a journey man". That in my opinion was was probably the most meaningful compliment I have ever received.
 
You meant to say "Boss"? [Bos sic]

I once got a $10,000 bonus for improvements I made to a process at a major aerospace company.
 
We never get praise from the boss. I suspect they don't want us to get a big head. I get plenty from my clients. The best compliment I can get from the bosses are that I'm doing a good job and they're happy with me.
 
After trade school I went to work for a guy who was terrible to work for, nobody stayed with him. the man was a A hole of the highest order but he was also the best mechanic I ever met and became a good friend that lasted until 2 years ago when he died at 101.
He always had a better way of doing things and had no qualms telling me they didn't tech me anything in that effin trade school.
It got better with time, I went on a one man strike twice. LOL
One day I was working on an engine, diagnosed it, took it apart and found the problem then came the shock of my life. He said well you turned out to be a dam good mechanic, when I go away for the winter you can keep the shop open for me.

He called me the biggest A hole he ever met and I would tell him look in the friggin mirror first, and that's the way it went he laughed like crazy calling me a bast... for almost making him (edit - mod) his pants. The friendship lasted over 35 yrs.
 
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I was helping teach an advanced riding class, in conjunction with an AMA round at a racetrack, so all the AMA regulars were their sharing track time with the riding school I was helping out with. After one session the 'Bos' as in Ben, came over and said "Hey dude, you're a pretty good rider".

Best compliment I ever received from the 'Bos'.
 
Originally Posted By: Trav
After trade school I went to work for a guy who was terrible to work for, nobody stayed with him. the man was a A hole of the highest order but he was also the best mechanic I ever met and became a good friend that lasted until 2 years ago when he died at 101.
He always had a better way of doing things and had no qualms telling me they didn't tech me anything in that effin trade school.
It got better with time, I went on a one man strike twice. LOL
One day I was working on an engine, diagnosed it, took it apart and found the problem then came the shock of my life. He said well you turned out to be a dam good mechanic, when I go away for the winter you can keep the shop open for me.

He called me the biggest A hole he ever met and I would tell him look in the friggin mirror first, and that's the way it went he laughed like crazy calling me a bast... for almost making him (edit - mod) his pants. The friendship lasted over 35 yrs.


Trav,

You learned one of the most important lessons in life. Dealing with A-holes.

When I work with or get to know people like that, I say, "You couldn't work with someone like you. They'd (edit - mod) you off". After they realize what I've say, they usually smile and shut up.
 
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It wasn't from my boss but a doctor that oversaw surgery department that gave compliment.

When I worked in a hospital, many times I was called STAT to an operating room with patient on the table and I needed to troubleshoot some equipment issues. This doctor always said "thanks for coming so quickly" to resolve the problems. I appreciated that he understood what we did and that we were a part of the team even though we are not nurses.

Always stressed to be called into a surgery room with zero idea of what to expect. Some were easy loose cable / wire fixes.... other problems were very serious and had me sweating like crazy having to call a manufacturer's tech support with extreme urgency.
 
Receiving a Peak Performance Award (about 2,weeks extra pay) for exhibiting initiative and taking charge of recognizing things that needed to get done and getting them done without having to be told to do so and leading these efforts.

Within a few years though after corporate efforts on TQM and Empowerment the corporate culture had changed to "You're empowered to do exactly what you're told to do when you're told to do it and nothing more.". My last project before departing that company was taking personal initiative to design a controls system fix for an environmental emissionz control system that was problematic. I was told by the "officer class" this was "The stupidest project I've ever heard of!". Within 2 weeks my co-worker said this had become a crash project after a visit from environmental agency personnel and my replacement implemented my shelved design commenting the high quality of my work package being invaluable in expediting the project.
 
My first evaluation after starting this current job was outstanding, and the clients (school administrators) all wrote to the company with great reviews about me.


The only problem is that everyone keeps saying how valuable I am with no increase in my "value". Hopefully I'll change that in my next meeting or start looking elsewhere.
 
Basic training in the Australian Army. We were 12 Platoon Bravo Company, better known as "twelve". Some military forces number training troops uniquely, but in Australia we use the same numbers again and again. There was a 12 Platoon training up for WWII, just like there is a 12 Platoon training up right now. And they are all my brothers.

Army basic training started bad and quickly got a lot worse. Whatever we did, it wasn't good enough, it was an embarrassment to us, an insult to the army and a big personal insult to our training staff. We needed to be punished and we needed to be worked harder. Worked much much harder. When we didn't do something quick enough, we had to do it again (always) but with even less time. If we still couldn't do it in less time, we then had to do it a third time but still even quicker and harder again, and so on. We were spiraling into the abyss.

As if our Platoon staff didn't work us hard enough, we were regularly marched over to the army PTI's (Physical Training Instructors) for a rigorous exercise session. Which is somehow different to a pack march or log run with the platoon staff. Anyway turns out we were an insult to the PTI staff as well (no surprise there) and we needed to be worked harder (no surprise there either).

So one day we were at the pool with the PTI, doing some pool exercise circuit. Some stations were inside the water, others outside on the edge. First the practice, push ups at this station, sit ups at the next, pull ups at the next, jumping in and out of the pool at the next, etc. We were fairly tired by the end of the practice session. Now time to do it for real, full effort or we will be back at midnight to do it again in your sleeping time, because sleep is optional, passing this is mandatory.

With the army if one fails, we all fail. I thought to myself, if we get no sleep tonight, it's not going to be because of me. So I threw myself at the circuit like a frenzy, rushing to the next station every time the whistle blew. Never pausing for even half a second. I was in the deep end of the pool doing some breaching whale exercise trying to throw my body out of the water, when the whistle blew three times signaling the end.

I was in the deep end of the pool, but only 2m (6 feet) from the edge, and back home I would regularly swim 3km three times per week for exercise. Yet I was drowning only 2m from the edge, I had nothing left and I couldn't make it there. I sank to the bottom of the pool and with burst of survival I pushed off the bottom towards the edge. I scrapped and clawed my way out, using everything elbows, knees, fingers clawing at anything solid.

I clawed my way out of the pool, sliding on my guts, lungs on fire, I threw up into my mouth then half swallowed it again so I could breath as I couldn't lift my head properly to clear my mouth. There was a tiny pool of water under my face that was going to drown me, I had to breath and survive, I moved my face and breathed and breathed and breathed and breathed and ....there was no yelling. There is always yelling. I tiped my face over and looked down the pool. The whole of 12 Platoon was shattered and flopping in puddles like me. Nobody was standing up except the PTI who just stood there and watched us as we tried to make our limbs work, all covered in our own spit and spew.

Then the PTI spoke "Good work 12, now go have a shower"
 
Originally Posted By: jeepman3071
My first evaluation after starting this current job was outstanding, and the clients (school administrators) all wrote to the company with great reviews about me.


The only problem is that everyone keeps saying how valuable I am with no increase in my "value". Hopefully I'll change that in my next meeting or start looking elsewhere.

You too?
 
Originally Posted By: pandus13
Originally Posted By: jeepman3071
My first evaluation after starting this current job was outstanding, and the clients (school administrators) all wrote to the company with great reviews about me.


The only problem is that everyone keeps saying how valuable I am with no increase in my "value". Hopefully I'll change that in my next meeting or start looking elsewhere.

You too?


Haha, yeah I know it happens to everyone. In my case the scope of my job tripled when the person above me quit and I was told to assume his responsibilities, which is basically another role entirely. They would be (edit - mod) if I left though and would likely lose about 5-10 clients due to their terrible service otherwise and lack of knowledge of the sites, so I have that to my advantage. I went from a technician/site coordinator for 1 site to managing 10 sites.
 
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My career is unique and probably not comparable to over 99%+ of others. In my case, often the best compliment from my superiors is to seldom hear from them. It means that I am doing well and no intervention is required. I get just enough pats-on-the-back from people that are affected by my work (the ones that matter) to keep my psyche satisfied.

I have also shared here several times this tidbit taught to me 4 decades ago: If you work hard to please yourself (character, integrity, productive, etc.), then the burden of living and working to please others is lifted off your shoulders and life becomes magical (well, at least more tolerable, LOL).
 
Originally Posted By: doitmyself
If you work hard to please yourself (character, integrity, productive, etc.), then the burden of living and working to please others is lifted off your shoulders and life becomes magical (well, at least more tolerable, LOL).


Good advice, right there
 
My first supervisor at the company I've just retired from was a very fine Welsh gentlemen who gave out praise sparingly. On one evaluation he wrote "... typically errs on the side of trying to do too much rather than too little." That was truly high praise from him.

On another occasion he reviewed the specification document I'd written and said something like "There's not much wrong with this, then." That, too, was high praise.

In contrast I've since had supervisors who offer lavish and effusive praise to all, even known poor workers, such that any genuine expression of appreciation to the better employees is meaningless.

I've often found bosses to be out of touch - feedback from peers tends to be a lot more realistic.
 
The best compliment I’ve had wasn’t from my boss but from a well respected 30 year employee. When he found out I was leaving he said “who in the @&$# do you think you are? This company needs to keep people like you and you leave? There is always a job here for you, I’ll make sure of it!” I take that as the best compliment.
 
My direct boss, parts manager, says I am his encyclopedia of random car knowledge. My service manager says the whole place goes to expletive when I am not there. My old General Manager threatened to take vacation time away from me because he hated hearing from the service manager about how the place had gone to expletive with me not there.
 
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