Psycho Crew from Hell!

[Mule]

MccKee1952, that is good. I alike it. There is more than one way to skin a cat.

Many of the lessons I learned in the Navy had "Real World" applications. When I had a manager I did not like I usta keep 3x5's on the visor of my telephone truck. When he came out on my job after his business was finished I would give him a card with a "manager task" on it and I would date and time the dupe as to when I gave it to him.

I would then ask about the outside telephone condition (bad pole, low wire, cable, broken pedistial and so on.) again and again until he went out and handled the situtation. I had lots of these task prepared. Funny, after awhile they (one at a period but more than one poor manager) would just quit coming out on my jobs. Nothing good ever comes out of your boss coming out on your job, usually nothing bad but never anything good.

[cosmosmariner]

Originally Posted by mmckee1952

Mule,
I spent 20yr's in the canoe club, mostly in San Diego. I think it would be pretty funny to have a item / blog here asking people "Funny thing's I did in the Navy".

OK, try this one http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...ere-28254.html

RM3 (recovering )

[mmckee1952]

Cosmo,
That sound's like a good idea but, I don't know if the site will allow it, I've had a few idea's / items deamed not worthy for this site. But I'll give it a try, what can they do but tell me to remove it. I'll put it in the off topic section.

Mike
OSCS (USN Retired)

[Intentional Drifter]

Originally Posted by schoonerdog

ID,

So, as a psychologist, is there anything you could do quickly to determine if a person were not sane? Something that a normal person would be able to take but would make an insane person instantly snap? I've got lots of ideas, but really want a professional opinion. I'm not sure what it would be, maybe inviting the perspective crew into an elevator, hitting the emergency halt button when the door closes and then screaming at the top of your lungs "Have you ever m@sterbated!?!" I probably just got kicked off the forum for this one.

Remind me to never get in an elevator with you!

My short answer to the above is "no". Just way too much individual variation. As newt so well put, there's enough that goes on in a boat at sea, even normal, healthy people can have a tough go of it. As a number of folks have mentioned, being careful and thoughtful when picking crew is the way to go. Get references, talk to people they've crewed with before. Go on a shakedown. Trust your gut (it's better than you might think). I also think it's important to consider that it is not just "individual" characteristics at play here, but more like an "individual" with "other individuals" in a "situation." What may fine, one time, may not be in another.

Having said that, I do think that it would be possible to develop a type of screening tool. I think it would help to identify questionable folks, but I'll bet you that it would only be an incremental improvement (and maybe not that much on an increment) over the "get references, talk to others, go on a shakedown" process. Just another source of information to consider.

If, on the other hand, you should try your elevator method, do be sure and video it. I'm sure it would come in handy for explaining yourself at the hospital!

ID

[Palarran]

Originally Posted by Mule

Nothing good ever comes out of your boss coming out on your job, usually nothing bad but never anything good.

Wow, you've had quite a bad work environment in your life. I've got a hundred heating and air conditioning installers who would disagree with you on this. My guys love it when I visit their job sites. Of course I usually bribe them with a free lunch but what the hey.

[Mule]

I worked for ATT, mine also called Southwestern Bell, SBC and now ATT. The comic strip, by Scott Adams, "Dilbert" is based on the cultrue of ATT. I know each and everyone of the characters in the strip, the ATT cultrue breeds them.

Scott Adams was in Pac Bell as an engineer and that is where he got his material. There are a number of books out there and I have read 2 (other than Adams stuff) that describe the ATT work enviourment and it was ditto for me.

I was a manager for 10 of my 30 years, early on. I liked the work better than the managing, more independence and self determination. There are good uplifting companies out there but ATT is not one of them, however they paid me well and my retirement and retired medical is excellent. I live conservatively and was able to retire at 56. Phone man married to a school teacher. I have no complaints but it is a shame ATT is the way it is and for no good reason.

[cosmosmariner]

Originally Posted by Mule

I worked for ATT, mine also called Southwestern Bell, SBC and now ATT. The comic strip, by Scott Adams, "Dilbert" is based on the cultrue of ATT. I know each and everyone of the characters in the strip, the ATT cultrue breeds them.

Scott Adams was in Pac Bell as an engineer and that is where he got his material. There are a number of books out there and I have read 2 (other than Adams stuff) that describe the ATT work enviourment and it was ditto for me.

I was a manager for 10 of my 30 years, early on. I liked the work better than the managing, more independence and self determination. There are good uplifting companies out there but ATT is not one of them, however they paid me well and my retirement and retired medical is excellent. I live conservatively and was able to retire at 56. Phone man married to a school teacher. I have no complaints but it is a shame ATT is the way it is and for no good reason.

I worked as a Project Manager at the same installation in San Ramon, CA just after Scott started publishing Dilbert. I met some of the stereotypes he uses. I worked 30 years for a variety of companies in IT (DP for the rest of you Dinosaurs) as a 2nd level line manager and as a Certified PM (PMP). One of the notables was my time at IBM. We referred to the company as 'I been Mugged', 'I been Moved' and other variations not allowed on this forum. Worked at ATT in Basking Ridge, NJ too....They are all the same. Yes, Made a good living and retired at burnout (57). This really is hijacking the thread but those who have had similar careers know how it applys to 'hiring and managing' crew.