Comments on: A heartbreaking tale of universal significance

By: Bruce, Ashland Oregon

Bruce, Ashland Oregon — Wed, 29 Aug 2007 22:23:23 +0000

I once had a boss who almost out loud decreed my shelf life was over. He ranted, he raved. He told me every person in the company hated me (Gee, I wonder how that happened?). He offered my job to one of my direct reports. He dismantled our quality system. He turned off our customers. Then, just as the numbers began to turn South, he left the company. After that I reassigned myself to an out of town posting, and left yet another direct report in charge. Two years later I retired, just before the company was acquired, and all the management team fired. And the old boss? He got fired from his next job for playing too much golf on company time. It makes me feel good just to tell you this story.

By: Jack, Omaha, NE

Jack, Omaha, NE — Sat, 25 Aug 2007 00:34:07 +0000

I definately always have my ears pricked for when it’s time to move on. I never stay past that time.

I am a quiet reserved person and I find that makes people very uneasy. Bizarrely enough if I am the least bit honestly friendly with anyone I don’t know well they behave as if I’m out to get something special from them. Very odd. I am incapable of acting interested in talking with people who are talking about things that neither they nor I are the least bit interested in. That’s at least 90% of talk.

By: Mahesh Reddy, Bangalore

Mahesh Reddy, Bangalore — Fri, 24 Aug 2007 22:46:34 +0000

Hi Bing,

I’m sorry about this delayed response. Well, things are good and “not so good” here. Very competitive…very uncertain. One never knows what is going to crop up next. Bangalore is what Silicon Valley was….among other things, attrition is at an all time high. Young graduates are joining the workforce which is certainly bringing the effervescence of the youth to the workplace, but the stability and maturity of experience is lacking. Overall, I should say our outlook is that of being cautiously optimistic.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Thu, 23 Aug 2007 02:43:20 +0000

Is that what people do with all the people in their life? Too hard move on?

By: thebingblog

thebingblog — Thu, 23 Aug 2007 01:16:21 +0000

And I want to thank Mahesh Reddy for writing in from Bangalore. Mahesh! Tell us what it’s like there!

By: thebingblog

thebingblog — Thu, 23 Aug 2007 01:15:38 +0000

I like what Tom says. You keep learning and you extend your shelf life. It’s true. There’s just a part of me that knows… when your number comes up, it’s time. Like, you’re sitting in your office and suddenly all the assumptions you’ve made have turned to mud. I may be in a bad mood, though.

By: Mahesh Reddy, Bangalore

Mahesh Reddy, Bangalore — Wed, 22 Aug 2007 19:30:40 +0000

Nobody is indispensible. Sooner or later, we all have to “move on.” But not all changes are bad. It might happen that our shelf life is over and done with, but a new good life is awaiting us out there. “Be prepared for the industry” should be the mantra. When the time comes; let’s all, with pride and satisfaction over a job done well, grab life by the horns…

By: Tom, Wilmington NC

Tom, Wilmington NC — Wed, 22 Aug 2007 17:07:00 +0000

I believe that the best way to keep extending your expiration date is to always look for opportunities to learn. When you stop learning, you start expiring.

One good thing about professional certifications is that they mostly require continuing professional education thereby keeping the certified more current and useful. When the shelf shifts, you have to be ready to shift with it so that you don’t fall off.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Wed, 22 Aug 2007 16:20:52 +0000

Well…I have been told that I have a possible experation date of 12/07 (it is written on the wall in red). One could argue the politics of the position but it would be a waste of time and wouldn’t solve anything. I would also like to add that I have worked very hard for this company under the owners un-realistic expectations. It doesn’t matter and I am not upset as I feel it’s time for me to go out on my own and start my own online business, anyways. Sitting in this chair is like slowly pulling a band-aid off. I figure I can walk out with my head up or sit here and do nothing about my future and hurt at the end of the year when I have credit card debt from Christmas. If I get a new job (sales rep) then it will be similiar politics only in a new enviroment with different people.

Yes, time to get off that circus ride in general. I have been slaving over my “project” for 2 months and I am almost there. Mind you what I am working on has nothing to do with the industry that I currently working in. So I am not one of those people slowly “stealing” the customer base.

By: thebingblog

thebingblog — Wed, 22 Aug 2007 15:24:54 +0000

We are the goods. The place we work is the shelf. And you get my point exactly. The shelving always changes. And yeah, sure, we can change for a while, maybe for a long while, but how do you change when the whole world around you turned upside down? Eventually, it’s gonna get you. Not that that’s a bad thing, always. I just usually hate it when it’s happening. Later, when things settle and I look okay again for a while, it all looks like it was supposed to mean something… Before that, you know, it can be kinda SCARY.

By: Robert, Columbus, Ohio

Robert, Columbus, Ohio — Wed, 22 Aug 2007 15:14:47 +0000

Are “we” the goods or are we perhaps the shelf? Though we certainly change as well, it seems to me that jobs that were once a perfect fit for “us” can sour due to reorganizations, turnover, and other strategic changes. I agree with the overall point that the environment inevitably changes and “we” must change as well.