Why do graduates like to talk with authority about things they know jack about?
I’m skilled in a trade: welding. I was close to AWS certified but stuff happens. I began a laborer, shovel and pick axe. I was with a company that let the new engineers and salesmen get their hands dirty. Actually they were a burden. Me and the rest of the “help” spent a lot of time preventing them from injuring themselves and from heavy equipment. All this one guy talked about was how all the women in town were fat. I had no interest in his love interests. We were on the road so we lived in close proximity. They had manners but in a sick sort of way. Of course they must have pegged some of my behavior as stupid being academically superior. But this was my territory. If I had been more bold I would have emphasized that fact. Labor and gentleman are not mutually exclusive terms
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You haven’t really provided enough information to answer your question. What were the graduates talking about with authority that they knew nothing about? A lot of your post appears to be irrelevant to your question.
I think what you’re saying is the graduates your company asked you to work with didn’t have the hands-on experience you do. That’s quite likely true. It’s also quite likely that if they were recent graduates they may have thought they knew more than they did. In time, with more practical experience, I would expect their theoretical knowledge of engineering, teamed with their increasing practical skills, would help them develop into more skilled and knowledgeable workers.
How recently had these people graduated?
There are idiots at every level with every sort of education and even lack of education. I could say the same about people without college degrees who think they know what college is like or think college is a total waste of time. Pretty much people don’t know what they don’t know. They might even sometimes think they know, but it’s sometimes a case of just enough information to give the person a false sense of feeling competent or knowledgable. It happens to everyone.
The people you are interacting with might just be assholes and education level has nothing to do with it.
I think it’s good for the ivory tower to come down once and a while and get their hands dirty so they understand the difficulties and hard work of the jobs done at every level. Ever see Undercover Boss?
“When in the presence of honorable men, I make them my equal. When in the presence of fools, I learn from them”.
Confucius
People like to speak about things they think they know something about. Like new religious converts wanting to share the good news. Makes us feel we’re more valuable to the tribe than we really are.
…is this a question or a rant?
I’m not qualified for that because as you know I’m schizo-affective. Is it hard to carry all that responsibiliy around? You being much more qualified. If you wish to help maybe we can break it down to just what is offensive. Actually I know, do you desire it?
it’s offensive to you. That is how nurses and doctors keep their authority. With the DSM-V it’s possible you will be labled too
you never had differences with a co-worker? Mine have PhD’s
I have had differences. It was mostly MBA’s that were screaming about going faster for more product and more short term profit (This was in 2001 and the company brought in efficiency experts since they were filing for a IPO). Little did they know that the faster we went the less product that was produced since once the goods we produced were inspected they would fail and be binned.
@johnpowell Oh yeah! yeah I had a computer programmer that had a “nervous breakdown” from the pressure. Yikes MBA’s business right? Man when those guys let loose they are the most foul mouthed creatures. Worse than my Marine Corps officer father. But then again we were just playing. Those business guys actually take themselves seriously
Haha. look dude. I gotta go offline my head isn’t right. But thanks for the chat. take care.
@Shut_Yo_Mouth Fear not. They know you know how to do it – and can lay a bead 100x nicer than theirs. But, they can talk for days about martensite in austenitic stainless steel welds and can come up with a magic stick that would make your job a whole lot easier, faster, and stronger. They just don’t know how to work with you yet and are trying to find a common ground and form a bond with you. Patience.
The really smart ones are the quiet guys who don’t talk about all the job details. They watch what you, note your problems, and work on solutions when they get back to the office. Let them know what you need.
That’s not a trait exclusive to that particular demographic, breaking out to almost epidemic proportions in a variety of fields.
Actually I know a bit about this from experience. One of the companies had their research engineers rotate time through all departments to get better understanding of the company needs. That included assignments in manufacturing, die casting, service, and even sales! It was eye opening – for all concerned.
Helpful hint! Unless you are selling to other engineers DON“T put engineers in the sales office.
The other day I was working to set up a big event. The area manager for our biggest vendor has been working with me. So although he is several steps above me in the career chain, I’m also his customer.
Every time we didn’t agree on something, he’d say it in passive-aggressive corporate gobbledygook. Like, “can you explain your thought process so we’re on the same page here?” Or “I think it would benefit us to do [something his way], but it’s your call.” We have a poster about the event with a couple bullet points on it. He had sent it the day before. I asked him if he has any more details on something, and he said, “do you need a pdf of the poster?”
He’s actually a pretty good guy, in spite of all that.
@Haleth Just dazzle him with one of your reviews. Believe me he already know you are more than competent.
Hopefully you accepted the feedback and closed the loop so everyone’s goals and objectives are aligned synergistically. ;-)
While you are at it, check out Deloitte and Touche’s. Bull fighter , a plug in for Word. I don’t know if it is still around but it sure was funny (and right on) when I used it back then.
@Haleth it took a communications course in CC we had this thing called “Perception check” it sounds like they took that and mutated it into something manipulative. Guys (all inclusive) believe me I’m horrified by my own grammar, with the internet it seems to reward sound bites and ambiquity (if to maintain anonymity). I’m used to looking at the “normal’ as enemies. So any aggression is my error
@LuckyGuy hahaha, I’m going to start talking like that when I see him. It will be like when they say “meow” in Super Troopers. How many times can I sneak “synergy” into a conversation?
That bull fighter tool is excellent! Once I edited a document for a buddy who worked at another big consulting firm. A team of five people took like six months putting this thing together. It was supposed to be a list of suggestions for a government agency on how to streamline its operations. (It’s a notoriously inefficient agency serving some very well-deserving people, but with the backlog it can take up to a year for someone to get service.)
That document was like 600 pages of corporate doublespeak. And again, it’s just suggestions for the agency. It’s not real actions or policy changes. I doubt anyone even read the darn thing.
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