The BBC radio 4 Friday afternoon drama slot has been occupied for the last couple of weeks by a rather interesting look at the actions of these "business consultants". Last week's was quite enlightening as it portrayed a cyber-attack on a bunch of merchant bankers...

(In the UK it is available on the BBC i-player, but I'm not sure if is elsewhere in the (un)civilised world - try http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b038zh9z)

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Bob Smith
Member of Seti PIPPS (Pluto is a Planet Protest Society)
Somewhere in the (un)known Universe?

Like a lot of these consultants, there is just enough "common sense" underlying all this to make it seem believable - given a quick glance. Some of these people are out and out frauds, but I think most of them really think they have discovered "how things work", and want to share it. Like anything else in a free economy, it is "buyer beware" when it comes to this stuff.

Looking back at a lot of the personal development or team building events I have had to attend, I have a few memories of useful things learned, but more memories like "well, at least somebody upstairs gives a s**t about me". Both have some value.

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I remember it as "Wellness Training".
Given during periods of slowdown.
The range of topics was quite varied from benefits of meditation, exercise,
continuing education, financial planning, diet, basic human rights and interaction
with team members, etc.
For a full week it probably was equal to a half uni credit of wellness 101.
Maybe the Company was brainwashed into funding the whole exercise, but for
the participants it was worth the effort for a full weeks pay as opposed to unemployment benefits.

How much do you figure it cost you to stay at level 1 management over your career?

How much do you figure it cost you to stay at level 1 management over your career?

I could probably be living in a house worth twice what I have now, and a pension 50% higher. But I don't regret a thing. What I value most in my life is my personal integrity and self respect, and I still have that. How many others can say the same?

Oh yes this "wellness" thing, we have that now over here, and a damn nuisance it was too. I remember one of those seminars just before I retired. I said to the Miss prim & proper facilitator, "Look Lady, If you want to live a boring life with 3 portions of fresh fruit a day, aerobic exercise, no alcohol, weight watching 24/7, you go ahead, I'm off down the pub. And I walked out. I didn't half cop it from my boss the next day, but he said it with a twinkle in his eye!

Yeah my brother-in-law is a sourpuss too.
You can always tell a Dutchman, but you can't tell him much.
Are you Dutch Chris?

Yep biggest con ever......

....here's its partner.......

IiP

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Not biting today, sorry. Try trolling on another thread.

I was baiting. Going after a certain fish. Got a nibble. Small con.
A not biting post is still a nibble.

Use better bait next time.

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What I value most in my life is my personal integrity and self respect, and I still have that. How many others can say the same?

You Hope Very Little can attest. Makes your chest pop out and your chin jut so much more when knowing So Few are Like You.

fO shO

'it'

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May we All have a METAMORPHOSIS. REASON. GOoD JUDGEMENT and LOVE and ORDER!!!!!

I agree. Most, if not all, the Management Development courses I attended (and refused to attend) were a complete waste of the company and my time. I usually got on with completing customer R&D project funding applications.

The worst type of development course was "equal opportunity courses" usually delivered by ever so left wing females who had never held down a real job.

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It's good to be back amongst friends and colleagues

I agree with Chris. Motivation comes from within. When those events are mandatory, in one ear and out the other. I do enjoy the free food and drinks tho.

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Pluto will always be a planet to me.

Seti Ambassador
Not to late to order an Anni Shirt

Yep biggest con ever......

....here's its partner.......

IiP

Spent five minutes reading pages on that website, and i've still no idea what they actually do.

There are many people in this world who need to be killed, and nearly all of them are management consultants.

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Life on earth is the global equivalent of not storing things in the fridge.

Yep, as their income can keep me in beer on my retirement :)

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An example of a failed manager. Fred the Shred

Many people see a difference between "leading" and "managing" people. Many people understand that anybody can "manage" and only some can "lead."

It is horses for courses. If you are the British PM or the USA President you are by default a leader of your country. Churchill was a leader, he had to be in a time of a world war, so was Napoleon and the Duke of Wellington in their own way.

A manager of a business in peacetime does not need to be a leader, just a very good Manager. All this crap about inspiring and leading the workforce is nothing less than esoteric rubbish invented by scurrilous management consultants who are past their own sell by date, and can't get themselves a job.

Oh I don't know so much. they got to be better than a sneaky person changing their post 4 minutes after a reply, making that reply look nonsense. Not much of a managerial talent there now is there?

Did the network users that you managed actually trust you?

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I think that if Employers would spend the money on advanced working skills, The payoff would be a lot better.

Back in 2008 my employer had The Rochester institue of Technology Come to our work site for two days a week for two hours each for all 3 shifts for ten weeks. To teach us advanced machining skills. Weve had our tool suppliers come in and show us the best way to use thier machine tools. Or our mechanics go to factory training classes to learn how to maintain our CNC's.

I dont need to be sent to motivation classes to be better at my job, But teaching me more work related skills sure will make me better.

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[/quote]

Old James

I have to agree with that completely.

But the company does need to be careful that it is not training people who could be hi-jacked by other companies that don't do their own training.

I have to agree with that completely.

But the company does need to be careful that it is not training people who could be hi-jacked by other companies that don't do their own training.

That can and does happen. The thing that keeps people here is that most have been with the company more than 7 years. And to start over with another company would mean starting over with vacation days. That means after 1 year you get one week. Ive been here over 7 so I get two weeks and 2 days.
Here in the states we dont get 30 days right from the start like you guys across the pond do.

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[/quote]

Old James

Here in the states we dont get 30 days right from the start like you guys across the pond do.

Vacation is making sure no worker gets more than 30 hours in a week ...

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