Career Discussion: Specialist vs Generalist
Comments
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My father-in-law is a testament to the physical and tuff component. He worked big civic construction projects ... bridges, buildings, shit like that. He's 85 years old with developing Alzheimers and is physically a shell of the man he was. And, still, he gives my brother-in-law shit whenever he sees him ... I mean real, test-your-manhood, shit that my 6'6", 240+ lbs BIL would not take from any other human being. The old guy has no subtlety. He's as straight-forward as a pissed-off badger. He's also an old Bobcat, and we're an incestuous bunch and all know each other. Everyone says the old guy was a sweetheart in HS. The job made him that way. He would always say back in the day "two kinds - those that give and those that take shit. I know which kind I am."RaceBannon said:I have never heard it in these fancy terms but leaders are hard to find and good leaders even harder so it pays better. Lots of folks can do the grunt work. Most of them think they want to be the boss. Until they get a taste of it.
I've been told I am a natural leader and I reckon its true since I have always been the leader and jumped to the pros from high school. But starting out it was tough because you do have to get used to being hated and you have to tell people shit they don't want to hear. I developed a thick skin for an old hippie who thought most people were decent and honest. Boy was that wrong
As a bonus 40 years ago in construction there was a physical component. My first management position had some big fuck with a big mouth who thought he could get over. I challenged him to a fight in front of the whole crew. Thank God he backed down. I've always been lucky that way.
I don't think you can fight people in 2021. Not sure though
Of course you're a leader. Half of us here follow you around like a lost puppy dog and value your chins more than we do our own parents' approval. Even when you let us know we're rubbing you the wrong way.
@MikeSeaver
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As I was entering my mid life crises my wife and I were sitting out having a drink and I got to reminiscing. I said I had worked so hard to play the asshole that I don't think I'm playing anymore and I don't really like that. Of course she agreed. That's the other half. She loved the pay but hated the toll it took. You don't work a 40 hour week. A lot needs to happen off hours and weekend along with the regular weekday shit.creepycoug said:
My father-in-law is a testament to the physical and tuff component. He worked big civic construction projects ... bridges, buildings, shit like that. He's 85 years old with developing Alzheimers and is physically a shell of the man he was. And, still, he gives my brother-in-law shit whenever he sees him ... I mean real, test-your-manhood, shit that my 6'6", 240+ lbs BIL would not take from any other human being. The old guy has no subtlety. He's as straight-forward as a pissed-off badger. He's also an old Bobcat, and we're an incestuous bunch and all know each other. Everyone says the old guy was a sweetheart in HS. The job made him that way. He would always say back in the day "two kinds - those that give and those that take shit. I know which kind I am."RaceBannon said:I have never heard it in these fancy terms but leaders are hard to find and good leaders even harder so it pays better. Lots of folks can do the grunt work. Most of them think they want to be the boss. Until they get a taste of it.
I've been told I am a natural leader and I reckon its true since I have always been the leader and jumped to the pros from high school. But starting out it was tough because you do have to get used to being hated and you have to tell people shit they don't want to hear. I developed a thick skin for an old hippie who thought most people were decent and honest. Boy was that wrong
As a bonus 40 years ago in construction there was a physical component. My first management position had some big fuck with a big mouth who thought he could get over. I challenged him to a fight in front of the whole crew. Thank God he backed down. I've always been lucky that way.
I don't think you can fight people in 2021. Not sure though
Of course you're a leader. Half of us here follow you around like a lost puppy dog and value your chins more than we do our own parents' approval. Even when you let us know we're rubbing you the wrong way.
@MikeSeaver
She would over hear some phone calls and ask me how can you be so mean. Because they have proven that is what they will respond to. I was a Jimmy Johnson type coach. If you were an all star you could smoke weed and talk all the shit you want. If you weren't and fell asleep you're fired.
I had one real rule - I get a phone call about you our get in trouble for something you did and you're fired. I ended up with great crews. Winners. But it is far from easy -
I'm on 7 days a week and sleep with my cell phone by my head. When the CEO wants to talk to his lawyer, the lawyer is available. Period. I knew long ago I wasn't getting paid for 40 hours and weekends (or vacas) off. I once spent 1/2 a vaca in a hotel room helping one of our outside board members (the guy was a Finance luminary before dying two years ago ... a Munger contemporary) on what was technically and entirely personal shit with his accountants. I literally stayed inside the room half the vacation while the kids were out by the pool with the wife helping this guy build the case that his accountants fucked up so he could fire them a week later. Completely outside of my role as counsel to the company. But, reality is what it is.RaceBannon said:
As I was entering my mid life crises my wife and I were sitting out having a drink and I got to reminiscing. I said I had worked so hard to play the asshole that I don't think I'm playing anymore and I don't really like that. Of course she agreed. That's the other half. She loved the pay but hated the toll it took. You don't work a 40 hour week. A lot needs to happen off hours and weekend along with the regular weekday shit.creepycoug said:
My father-in-law is a testament to the physical and tuff component. He worked big civic construction projects ... bridges, buildings, shit like that. He's 85 years old with developing Alzheimers and is physically a shell of the man he was. And, still, he gives my brother-in-law shit whenever he sees him ... I mean real, test-your-manhood, shit that my 6'6", 240+ lbs BIL would not take from any other human being. The old guy has no subtlety. He's as straight-forward as a pissed-off badger. He's also an old Bobcat, and we're an incestuous bunch and all know each other. Everyone says the old guy was a sweetheart in HS. The job made him that way. He would always say back in the day "two kinds - those that give and those that take shit. I know which kind I am."RaceBannon said:I have never heard it in these fancy terms but leaders are hard to find and good leaders even harder so it pays better. Lots of folks can do the grunt work. Most of them think they want to be the boss. Until they get a taste of it.
I've been told I am a natural leader and I reckon its true since I have always been the leader and jumped to the pros from high school. But starting out it was tough because you do have to get used to being hated and you have to tell people shit they don't want to hear. I developed a thick skin for an old hippie who thought most people were decent and honest. Boy was that wrong
As a bonus 40 years ago in construction there was a physical component. My first management position had some big fuck with a big mouth who thought he could get over. I challenged him to a fight in front of the whole crew. Thank God he backed down. I've always been lucky that way.
I don't think you can fight people in 2021. Not sure though
Of course you're a leader. Half of us here follow you around like a lost puppy dog and value your chins more than we do our own parents' approval. Even when you let us know we're rubbing you the wrong way.
@MikeSeaver
She would over hear some phone calls and ask me how can you be so mean. Because they have proven that is what they will respond to. I was a Jimmy Johnson type coach. If you were an all star you could smoke weed and talk all the shit you want. If you weren't and fell asleep you're fired.
I had one real rule - I get a phone call about you our get in trouble for something you did and you're fired. I ended up with great crews. Winners. But it is far from easy
The wife would come back to the room, "you're still on the phone?" I love that question, especially when I am ostensibly still on the fucking phone.
One time in my entire life did I not do work calls. In 2014, my wife and girls and I spent 21 days in Italy and France. I just told everybody "i'm out" and magically it happened. Europe tends to give you more cover.
Honestly I've had to adapt my management style to individual personalities. I think managing men in the building/construction/collateral services business is its own animal and no doubt requires tuffness.
Favorite line from The Town: "This is definitely the no fucking around crew." -
My mom and I took a trip to the Ohio State game in 95 and in those ancient times I'd phone the office when we stopped
She said it didn't sound like much of a vacation
I said now you know why your son is separated going to the game with you
We did get back together -
This is why I never applied to Harvard Law.creepycoug said:
I'm on 7 days a week and sleep with my cell phone by my head. When the CEO wants to talk to his lawyer, the lawyer is available. Period. I knew long ago I wasn't getting paid for 40 hours and weekends (or vacas) off. I once spent 1/2 a vaca in a hotel room helping one of our outside board members (the guy was a Finance luminary before dying two years ago ... a Munger contemporary) on what was technically and entirely personal shit with his accountants. I literally stayed inside the room half the vacation while the kids were out by the pool with the wife helping this guy build the case that his accountants fucked up so he could fire them a week later. Completely outside of my role as counsel to the company. But, reality is what it is.RaceBannon said:
As I was entering my mid life crises my wife and I were sitting out having a drink and I got to reminiscing. I said I had worked so hard to play the asshole that I don't think I'm playing anymore and I don't really like that. Of course she agreed. That's the other half. She loved the pay but hated the toll it took. You don't work a 40 hour week. A lot needs to happen off hours and weekend along with the regular weekday shit.creepycoug said:
My father-in-law is a testament to the physical and tuff component. He worked big civic construction projects ... bridges, buildings, shit like that. He's 85 years old with developing Alzheimers and is physically a shell of the man he was. And, still, he gives my brother-in-law shit whenever he sees him ... I mean real, test-your-manhood, shit that my 6'6", 240+ lbs BIL would not take from any other human being. The old guy has no subtlety. He's as straight-forward as a pissed-off badger. He's also an old Bobcat, and we're an incestuous bunch and all know each other. Everyone says the old guy was a sweetheart in HS. The job made him that way. He would always say back in the day "two kinds - those that give and those that take shit. I know which kind I am."RaceBannon said:I have never heard it in these fancy terms but leaders are hard to find and good leaders even harder so it pays better. Lots of folks can do the grunt work. Most of them think they want to be the boss. Until they get a taste of it.
I've been told I am a natural leader and I reckon its true since I have always been the leader and jumped to the pros from high school. But starting out it was tough because you do have to get used to being hated and you have to tell people shit they don't want to hear. I developed a thick skin for an old hippie who thought most people were decent and honest. Boy was that wrong
As a bonus 40 years ago in construction there was a physical component. My first management position had some big fuck with a big mouth who thought he could get over. I challenged him to a fight in front of the whole crew. Thank God he backed down. I've always been lucky that way.
I don't think you can fight people in 2021. Not sure though
Of course you're a leader. Half of us here follow you around like a lost puppy dog and value your chins more than we do our own parents' approval. Even when you let us know we're rubbing you the wrong way.
@MikeSeaver
She would over hear some phone calls and ask me how can you be so mean. Because they have proven that is what they will respond to. I was a Jimmy Johnson type coach. If you were an all star you could smoke weed and talk all the shit you want. If you weren't and fell asleep you're fired.
I had one real rule - I get a phone call about you our get in trouble for something you did and you're fired. I ended up with great crews. Winners. But it is far from easy
The wife would come back to the room, "you're still on the phone?" I love that question, especially when I am ostensibly still on the fucking phone.
One time in my entire life did I not do work calls. In 2014, my wife and girls and I spent 21 days in Italy and France. I just told everybody "i'm out" and magically it happened. Europe tends to give you more cover.
Honestly I've had to adapt my management style to individual personalities. I think managing men in the building/construction/collateral services business is its own animal and no doubt requires tuffness.
Favorite line from The Town: "This is definitely the no fucking around crew."
