The Friction Report 12.11.17

             

                                     Old note  

                                               by Don Ford

            I was working on a story idea when I reached for a note book in which I was going to make some notes. As I removed a pad of papers, I found a single page of notes that I had made in Feb. 22^nd 1996. That is almost 22 years ago.

            This note was generated and printed from my personal computer and printer that I had in my office at work. I had my own personal computer and printer at work before the company provided them.

            The note is a record of a conversation between me and a vice president who was my boss at the time. The following is my note of a phone conversation. Names will be left out.

            VP called about a note I faxed to him yesterday and he said, I just want to make sure I understand what you have sent. Are you saying no one has had three overall not met reviews, or are you saying no one has had an overall not met review in the last three years? I responded, no active employee has received a, “has not met” (overall) review in the last three years. The people who had received them are no longer here.

            He ask, “you mean employee name or employee name has not received an overall not met. I said that is correct. I said, the people who have received them are no longer with us.

            He said, I just wanted to make sure I understood, Thanks.

           

            End of call. 

  

            I have no memory of this conversation, but it would seem that my Boss did not believe that Waco had no employees that had a, “has not met expectations review”. I do know that we tried to hire and keep the best employees. Those who received not met reviews and did not improve quickly, usually went elsewhere to work, voluntarily or not.

            Waco management, looked at rules and regulations as black or white with no gray. The only time there was gray in the rules, regulations or requirements, was when the corporate office would get involved.

If a rule or policy stated, X number of actions or inactions would get an employee a warning, a three day suspension, or termination, that is what we did.

            For some, following the rules as written seemed extreme, for us it meant that we were treating all staff fair and equal, when we followed the rules.

            Make it easy on everyone, consider the rules, policies and procedures as black or white, I believe the only gray would need to come from the president of the company!

Don Ford