jediwands

Such Virgo comments. LOL.

So awesome how your great dad was manager and now you are there for the both of you in my mind. Awe, that's special.

Explain what the company is actually about, what you do, how everything operates.

ds44

I have a question what is the nature of this thread. Is it a political or cultural discussion? Just curious.

secretk

Thanks to Betty, Alan and Michelle for the participation.

Alan, that's the thing. Of course I agree that the employers can't satisfy the wishes of all employees. Of course if you don't like something you could quit, but it's important to know that if you have problem you could say your opinion. For me it wasn't so much problem of the dress code being set, but the way it was done and the way it was handled after that. Like if you offer discussion at least act like a grown up and say something that makes sense . Arguments like there is sexism everywhere, we can't do anything about it is not something HR that wants respect should say. Sorry, it's just absurd.

All the time we hear how taking initiative is appreciated, but the moment when we try to voice our opinion we are left to argue with a wall? People that take initiative are people who have an opinion and act on it. You can't just sit there and somehow do something. You have some force that drives you to do it. And the same force drives you to want some civilized conversation with your bosses - the same way you do it in other areas at work.

Just like I want respect out of my employees (not satisfying my wishes, but listening to my opinion), I also give respect. Just like whenever I disagree with the proposed change of a task I need to do, I will talk to the person that have written it and together we will get the solution. Yes usually this person is above in me the hierarchy and is more important than me, but so what? Everyone makes mistakes. When you act like you don't, it speaks only bad for you.

I won't quit right now exactly, because I have still some things to learn from my bosses in the team, but I'm as sure not so motivated like I used to be before. I've got 20 job offers for the last two years, 3 the last two months. The moment I decide that I've learnt enough, I will find some place better just because of the attitude here.

Alan the way you describe the atmosphere at work sounds awesome! I'm like that too - I definitely like a bit of autonomy. Luckily at least my team speaker knows this and doesn't ask me 5 times a day about something . And he doesn't check me each 2 hours. He knows that if I have problems I will go to him, not the other way around. I agree though having responsibility changes things. On the one hand it's cool - you get to organize the work (for control freaks is pretty good ), to coordinate people, to have more important part of the team, to be in charge. On the other hand if there is a mistake, everyone will look up to the one responsible.

I guess dealing with angry customers might be stressful?

The Crow

The company I work for is a plumbing and heat & air supply. I manage one of three branches from the main company. I'm in the unique position, given the small town I'm in, of being the only branch of the company to not have a Lowes or Home Depot or Locke Supply in the same town. My only in town competition is a lumber yard and a hardware store, and none of them sell heat and air supplies at all, so I have a monopoly on that area, unless people want to drive an hour away, which some do.

In and of itself, it's not stressful, it's just the having to hold back from telling unreasonable customers what you really think is what is stressful.

jediwands

Both. I guess we've felt over the years that politics also meshes in with the cultural angle as well. LOL. Years back, we talked about our different political systems, for example. But yes, it's about both areas with the primary idea being about cultural exchange. Sometimes quite often we go OT but that's okay too!

That's fantastic, Alan! Good business (money making) then, obviously? Some years better than others or are you always consistent with what you bring in?

ds44

Thanks for explaining Michelle. I think the current discussion is interesting, but I haven't held a full-time job in nearly four years because I'm a state at home mom and now graduate student. When I was working, I was a teacher so it was sort of like working for yourself. I've never been in a situation like what Koni is dealing with.

everwoodfan52

What did you teach, Shu?

ds44

I used to teach English and History.

secretk

Another teacher here . I value a lot your profession btw, especially the teachers here in Bulgaria, but students could be unbearable (some of my classmates even I couldn't stand) and I always wondered how teachers tolerate them. I also respect the fact that those people want to teach someone else at something. It's noble thing to do, but I'm not that noble. If someone doesn't pay attention to my instructions, I get frustrated . Oh yeah teachers are very patient persons and that's admirable!

And something interesting that I found. There are some interesting comments and questions about cultural differences between Bulgarian women and US women.

jediwands

What are you studying in graduate school?

ds44

Educational Psychology. I finished my first year. I start my research year in september.

everwoodfan52

So....we have 2 teachers and 2 psychologists.

Interesting article, Koni...and a little insulting.

jediwands

Serious? That is so awesome! How do you like it?

I have my graduate degree in Clinical Psychology and was thisclose to going into Educational Psychology.

ds44

I love it. It's so interesting. It's really interesting for me because I've mostly focused on developmental psychology in the past. Learning about cognition and cognitive development has been a real challenge for me, but I also really love it. My goal is to go back and be a school guidance counselor and in Canada this Degree is what I need (in addition to my teaching experience).

secretk

Betty I don't think so . Actually the thing I found interesting is that USA and Bulgaria are too far from each other and we can't form opinion about each other without talking and some culture exchanging. However we could for sure say that we live in different way and there are a lot of things that are different in those countries.

This woman had seen one very small portion of Bulgarian women and forms an opinion, but that's just given the facts that she has (the women she knows). Not all women in Bulgaria are good looking and care about their looks. Just like in USA there are a lot of beautiful women (come on now in USA it's Hollywood and there are plenty of people with looks there). So I don't take this article as saying the truth, it was just interesting the whole idea of comparing Bulgarian and American woman and to see if they are far different or not that far after consideration. So no I don't believe in what's said there, but it's a starting point for talking . We already started with Michelle in the sports thread, where were discussing women here and their opinion about sports.

Shu it definitely sounds interesting .