what's with all the hostility?

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it's the economy man, that seems to be the blame for everything these days or at least the reason some say they can't pay me on time.
 
taxmantoo said:
More evidence in support of Sharkfin's opinion. If two guys on the crew are frequently involved in yelling, one of them has to go.
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True story. I've progressed though...ten years ago it would have been fairly quiet till the ambulance and the cops showed up. I didn't waste time with many words, I don't know if I just didn't know what to say, or that I thought there was a better way to say it. Maybe a little of both, I was better trained for physical rather than verbal conflict resolution.

Now I try to reason with them, when reason is discarded, so are they. I have no time for illogical childish drivel.

I did manage to break up a good fight between a supervisor and his favorite crew leader that took place on a two lane highway in front of a member's house during that storm.

Fists flying and everything. The old bar room eyes in the back of my head opened up and saved me from receiving a couple of shots for myself. The crew leader was close to 300 lbs and carried it well. He was "fired" for a whole thirty minutes. Then he was assigned to me and I let him work on his saw the rest of the morning in order to relax and let it go. He was still a little too upset in my opinion to be working what we were up against.

Had it been on a backwoods ROW I would have stayed out of it, but to the side in case it started to get real serious.

What happens on the ROW, stays on the ROW.
 
I think a lot of it comes from the fact that this is such a dangerous job and mistakes just can't happen sometimes. You through a disrespectful goofball into the mix and it's gonna hit the fan fast.
 
Bigus Termitius said:
What happens on the ROW, stays on the ROW.
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Yup, or until your getting little grey hairs in your ears and enough time has past that the telling of the stories won't matter lol:cheers: Ohhhhhh the stories over the years but here is one that will lighten everyone up.
Sometime around 1994 working for a company that lets say liked orange lol. I was running a five man climb crew who on this day were all in good spirits because 100 degree temps had been broken by a pounding rain and we were on our way back to the yard. My second in command noticed me looking and pondering and say's I dare ya opppppppppps should not have said that lol. He was daring me because Hot Springs floods real bad and there was a huge pool of water at the side of the road. This pool was right in front of a dude all slicked up and carrying a designer umbrella and hurrying to get into his locked corvette. Well in those days ya did not dare, dare me; so I hit the water hard and a wall of water drenched this poor slick willie look alike.



I have had some great men to work with over the years, most of them treated me with respect the ones that did not were sent home. My crew would straighten out a slacker in a heartbeat good crews work together. My second in command always thought I was a by the book guy until that rainy day. He seen that I had a funny streak me and him are still friends today although he got into another line of work.
 
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crew

Bigus Termitius said:
I admit to a few shouting matches. I don't raise my voice any louder than I have to. I won't cuss them, or call names, but I will be heard. I've gotten much better since the idiot I was dealing with left after I threw him off my crew at the ice storm in Arkansas. He was a useless distraction anyway.

It's very rare, and ends with someone being done for the day, or week usually.

When I'm on my own doing residential, it's all good or they go home.

I'm generally a good natured guy that solves things peacefully, but once I've past the edge the ante has gone up.

I'm open minded and creative, but sometimes things just have to be settled the old fashion way. It's not easy being in charge, mostly you can't tell who is in charge on my crew, but I will pull rank if I have to.
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The way things are now with the recession i have one good guy and we get alot done.Have 2 or 3 guys you get one with an attitude.I think you have to set things straight with a new guy like explain that theres only one boss and how you want your crew to behave.I Worked for one guy who did not handle this on individual meaning would not stand up to him.This guy behaved like a little kid.One day i had enough and threatened to rearrange his crooked teeth.This is after he and another guy were playing games throwing things behind my back like little kids.The boss at the time yelled at me like im starting trouble.I have my own business now id thrown this guy out with in the first day behaving like that.I dont look trouble mind my own business and respect other regardless of the age or skills.This work is stressful enough.I like to take a break for 10 minutes some times during the day if we are really working hard and its hot.
 
sharkfin12us said:
The way things are now with the recession i have one good guy and we get alot done.Have 2 or 3 guys you get one with an attitude.I think you have to set things straight with a new guy like explain that theres only one boss and how you want your crew to behave.I Worked for one guy who did not handle this on individual meaning would not stand up to him.This guy behaved like a little kid.One day i had enough and threatened to rearrange his crooked teeth.This is after he and another guy were playing games throwing things behind my back like little kids.The boss at the time yelled at me like im starting trouble.I have my own business now id thrown this guy out with in the first day behaving like that.I dont look trouble mind my own business and respect other regardless of the age or skills.This work is stressful enough.I like to take a break for 10 minutes some times during the day if we are really working hard and its hot.
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Good point.

This clown was often a poor influence on my other worker who works great when it's just the two of us. It's good to learn all this with someone else's name on the door.

I requested he either be transfered or fired a couple of months before he left, but I was asked to give him another shot after I suspended him for a week.

Now I'm stuck trying to find a thirtysomething that will work to replace him, cause the owner thinks that it's just the generation. I've had to pass on some pretty good twentysomethings.

In all honesty, I'd rather just have the fortysomething guy that trained me back. We were a pretty good team, but he has moved on.
 
ropensaddle said:
Yup, or until your getting little grey hairs in your ears and enough time has past that the telling of the stories won't matter lol:cheers: Ohhhhhh the stories over the years but here is one that will lighten everyone up.
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Quite alot of time will have to pass for some of them. LOL!

That was a pretty funny story. Gave him a good story to tell the yuppies too.

I try to let the guys know that I'm not all business nor a company man. I'm just trying to make a living and get everyone home safe. Power trips usually lead to power falls. Thus, I try to help them understand that half the reason I get torqued is that they are forcing me to pull rank.
 
ive been on the receiving end of this issue recently. in the last three months ive worked under 3 foremen.

the first had a 'i dont really care" attitude. he was there to draw a paycheck and that was it. so as long as i looked busy it didnt matter what i did or in what order.

the second was a dink for the sake of being a dink. 'ive been in this business thirty years and know how to get things done so we are gunna do things my way!' no ive always been considered a good learner, but i couldnt learn anything from him. about the time i thought i had his system figured out somthing would change. and rather than taking the time to explain his plan before we started, or when seeing i wasnt following his plan, clarifying, he would start hollerin and question my intelligence and work ethic and rant on for awhile. i did everything i could to ask ahead what the plan was, usually got a reaction like 'well you should know by now'. just really brought out an attitude of resentment in me.

the guy i work with now is very respectful and laid back. not that he doesnt produce, but as long as the job gets done he will let the details slide. when we first started he kinda laid out "A,B,C are my job. D,E,F are your job." we havent worked together long so we are still getting used to how the other works. but when i have a question, i get a direct answer in a calm tone. if im doing one thing when he things i should do another he says 'id rather you do this and heres why........"

really i think it comes down to professionalism. when you want to blow your lid think about if you would want to work for you, or if you would hire you. not saying i have spouted off from time to time, and everyone deserves some slack. but i will bust my butt for moreman #3 when i would just as soon walk off on foreman #2. treat your workers well and they will work harder for you.
 
Bigus Termitius said:
Quite alot of time will have to pass for some of them. LOL!

That was a pretty funny story. Gave him a good story to tell the yuppies too.

I try to let the guys know that I'm not all business nor a company man. I'm just trying to make a living and get everyone home safe. Power trips usually lead to power falls. Thus, I try to help them understand that half the reason I get torqued is that they are forcing me to pull rank.
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I really only have one thing that gets me to holler it is doing an unsafe act. I will not let it slide without a strong verbal reprimand it is not a power trip more a concern. All other beefs I will ask the person to step away for a minute take them over to a one on one confrontation where I explain what needs to change and we work out the issue. I have found this to be the best way to handle employee relations. Sometimes though you get a guy that mistakes kindness for weakness and you have got to tell him immediately that it won't fly. I had one guy that was sent out from another crew that had problems with him being aggressive to try and get his way. We worked him for several days and he tried his intimidation bs. I looked him dead in the eye and said boy you are 22 and I am 41 and your boss, we can either work or fight its your choice but you will do your job. I never had one problem outta that boy and he worked hard until he got a job on an oil rig.
 
treeslayer said:
Jeez, I thought you were like 70, 75. :hmm3grin2orange:






















and yes, I am always lurking. waiting for opportunities like this.:cheers:
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Ehhhhh it has been a while since this happened, like back when I worked for someone as a foreman lol:monkey: I am 46,Just a kid ehhhhhhh?
 
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