EBME Forums Forums Free discussion Free discussion Pet Hates

Seeing that you mention that one, Neil (and we're talking about "pet hates"), here's one of mine:- Baboon Speak!

Can we collect enough to get a book deal. Engineering Pet Hates, Baboon speak and the plain dumb.

Here's another one for you:- Google Zeitgeist* (there you are, I've done it for you). Open up your mind ... and tune in.

What I can't help wondering, though, is:- if "those guys" are really so powerful (and yes, I believe they are), how come they allow this sort of stuff to go out? How come they don't control the 'net?

Well, maybe they do. Maybe the whole thing is just spin. Who knows what is the Truth these days (and did we - the plebs, that is - ever know)? Probably not. After all, our job is just to procreate (been there, done that), toil (ditto), pay taxes (oh, yes) ... and generally do their bidding (service in the army, and all the rest of that forelock-touching [censored]).

Plebs? How about this one?

* I was alerted to this one by my good friend, the sandwich round man. A true man of the people, if ever there was one!

Heres another one - Micro-management, is no-one allowed to use common sense anymore. To put the icing on the cake when you need instruction they are unwilling to put it in writing as it may come back and bite them on the arse. Theres me being Naive again thinking thats what they got paid for.

As for this culture of not being able to tell it how it is we are living a very sad country. Weres the british backbone gone, we are all becoming jellyfish, another name we have for management.

Bet your manager earns their money!, the hardest thing about working in this field is that there is always one "bad egg" who forgets that they are there to provide solutions, not create problems, and spreads disaffection amongst their colleagues.

This is how it is, if you become a liability rather than an asset, with your moaning and ranting, you are in danger of increasingly marginalising yourself unless you can provide a credible solution.

My pet hates are whingers and whiners

How about:- "getting back to basics"?

Here's as good a way as any I know of:- draw up an accurate list of every bit of kit within your domain (or, if you are a manager, delegate the task to one of the oiks, if that is your way of getting things done).

Then (against each type) ask yourself the question:- how do I support and maintain that piece of equipment?

Hint:- you should have a firm, and credible, answer (or, if you like, "plan") for each and every type of equipment.

Futhermore, the actual job is keeping fit equipment in the hands of the clinical user. Everything else is a diversion (at best) or a waste of time and money (at worst).

My own pet hates include "stool pigeons" in the workshop(s) and "suits" in the offices (and meeting rooms). We are - or should be - proactive, practical (and dare I say it?), caring folk.

I second the proactive approach

The NHS has it own versions of the "barrack room lawyer" who decry and bemoan just about everything.
I find that my time is better spent cultivating working relationships with people who have a "can do" attitude rather than the moaners and negative attitude types.

If you don’t like the job, leave it, rather than have a negative effect on everyone else. Yes Geoff, there will always be stool pigeons and suits, sometimes a necessary evil when it comes to playing "office politics". It’s easier to raise your game, do a good job (without any prompting) on a daily basis, and go home.

Cultivate a good work/life balance; ultimately, that’s what it all about! (Took me a good few years to work that one out).

Oh, Sean ... I could keep on about this all day (but, for me at least, the working day is far from over)!

But ... could what you say be due to so many of the NHS techs literally being ex-barracks types themselves?

"Office politics"? Oh yes (and one of the main reasons I choose not to work in the NHS myself)!

I'm with you on the last point, though. Indeed, life's a crock and then you die! Ha, ha.

Work/life balance? Why not let your work be your life? Or, at least, your friend?


To be honest, most of the techs I've met in the NHS have been exactly like that (not so sure about Billy, though - ha, ha).

Hiya Geoff

Ex HMF types, great attitude with good work ethos (on the whole, with a few notable exceptions) they just get on with the job. You get a few,(just a few, mind) who don’t make the cut when it comes to current career progression, and become bitter. (The same could be said of a few who have not had the privilege to serve). Put it down to petty jealousy, or continual failure to fulfil their career aspirations, whatever. Unfortunately every workplace has them.

You can’t beat people who provide positive, constructive input, with a touch of humour when required.

Per ardua ad astra..........

... but never mind (I'm sure that Billy will forgive us)!

Yes. I agree about ex-Forces techs in general. Then as now, humour is the key. But, to be honest, I have lingering doubts about the latest "intakes" (outtakes?). The same great spirit, by and large, but the engineering ethos (if we can call it that) seems to have changed a bit.

One of the downsides of being around blokes who have yet to "close the hanger door" (as you will no doubt agree, not such an easy thing to do) is that there is often an assumption that the Forces rank structure carries on into the civvy environment. The switched on bloke should be able to rise above all that, however. For example, I once had an ex-WO1 (ASM) on my team, and although the guy was outstanding, he never "pulled rank" on the other sprogs (how could he, as I was in charge? Ha, ha).

Anyway, about "career progression":- as I may have mentioned before, some of the best blokes I have known were those who "woke up and smelled the coffee" (or, if you like, realised what life is really about) and took a step back from all that [censored]. In other words, who wants to be an unhappy (stressed-out, etc.) Manager, when you can simply be a noble technician? Horses for courses. To each his own. Living within your own skin ... and all that good crap.

Arte et Marte ... or should that unus pro omnibus, omnes pro uno?