Saturday, July 09, 2011

Tenure means very little

I've been going through a lot these last couple of weeks and I am realising more and more that there is still so many people that think "years of service" still mean something.  That it entitles them to benefits. Entitle them to promotions.  To seniority.

Wake up and smell the coffee!

What you did yesterday, counts for very little today.  It is what you do today that counts.  Not just only what you do today, but what you are able to do today, what you will be able to do tomorrow.  It is about how you made sure that you are the one that is the expert in your field.  About how much you invested in yourself.

I heard someone making a comment about the youngsters that haven't been around long, but they just walk in and get all the jobs while the people that has been around for much longer don't get a chance.  I am one of those youngsters.  My question to the person that made the comment is: "What did you do the last 15 years?".  I did not sit on my arse.  I did not think I know it all and that I can't learn anything new or even worse, that I don't need to know more than I do and that it isn't really necessary to more than the next person.

If you are one of the people that has been around a long time and you believe that that entitles you to anything, all I can say is change your attitude.  Change your view.  Wake up!

In the last 3 years I presented so many people with opportunities to enhance their skills and grow their knowledge.  Very few completed their qualifications and none of them did it the first time round.  Even those that did complete (which was about 30% of everybody) also had to rewrite an exam because they did not pass the first exam.

I can write a book about this topic, but the people that needs to read the book simply won't!

Francois