C
ColoPrinthead
Guest
I have spent the last year working for a corporation that decided to in-source their large format needs and saved about a million dollars through the production methods I employed to increase the volume that can be produced. It was an intriguing endeavor and I learned a lot about people and business while corporate.
A lot was asked of me and I took the position knowing the challenge I was facing would be tough. I had to share the knowledge I have gained over the last 15 years and get a marketing department to understand the standard operating procedures that are necessary for me to meet the imposed deadlines of a 5 week turn on orders. My turn time as of last week was looking more like 3-4 months.
I'm like most of you on the forum in that I strive to do my best and believe in doing everything I possibly can to avoid failure in anything I do. Coming from my varied print background I struggled with the idea of not making deadlines and came to realize that if I am able to talk to people and manage their perceptions it really didn't matter, it certainly didn't matter to my boss because he didn't care.
I was asked to correct an inventory problem that has existed for over 14 years. I won't get into the details, but I had a warehouse full of many items that I had to count and catalog and in addition I had to work with accountants to strategize and figure out a process to account for what I produce. I spent over 9 months on and off learning accounting software and the accountants personally as well has how they operate. I submitted correct inventory multiple times and the list was never uploaded. This was part of my job and it is what I was asked to do, the problem is that I'm too good at what I do for my own good.
In short what I have learned and realized is that ownership never wanted my inventory to be corrected, they didn't care at all. When I did my part and the list was not uploaded repeatedly I covered for the accountants and informed my boss. What I came to realize is ownership is operating a house of cards and making money doing it. As I learned the corporation more and began to understand what I was I dealing with I also experience a tremendous amount of personal progression in the way that I understand people, their actions, life, and how empower myself as an individual to achieve what is necessary to get what I need accomplished - I'm at the best point in my life ever right now. I believe in striving to best the best possible person I can be and sharing what I learn helps me do that with others, and I did with my coworkers who were struggling with their lives. I made friends and people appreciated me and enjoyed being around me. The problem is that when you share knowledge with people to help them realize their potential they get smarter and become more aware, this is not something ownership wants. People in high positions of power want their workforce to remain as ignorant as they can be so that they may easily and without question impose their will upon them. And these people want everyone to believe they are flawless in all they do although they aren't. I inadvertently made it known I was starting to realize what they didn't want realized by simply doing what was asked of me and challenging myself to grow as an individual.
While I'm now unemployed and my future is uncertain I feel I am at new personal best in my understandings of the people I deal with and what I need to be aware of when if I ever have to work with people operating on such a level again. I'm disgusted, tired, and relieved. I also am going to have to look over my time sheets as they intentionally shorted me on the check I was handed. The audacity of people will never cease to amaze me.
Anyhow, I thought I'd share. I haven't been able to talk much about what its like being a corporate printer because I was expected to operate with secrecy and discretion. I signed a None Disclosure Agreement, so I won't get specific about the company but I'd be happy to talk about the insanity I have dealt with for the past year and am now free of.
A lot was asked of me and I took the position knowing the challenge I was facing would be tough. I had to share the knowledge I have gained over the last 15 years and get a marketing department to understand the standard operating procedures that are necessary for me to meet the imposed deadlines of a 5 week turn on orders. My turn time as of last week was looking more like 3-4 months.
I'm like most of you on the forum in that I strive to do my best and believe in doing everything I possibly can to avoid failure in anything I do. Coming from my varied print background I struggled with the idea of not making deadlines and came to realize that if I am able to talk to people and manage their perceptions it really didn't matter, it certainly didn't matter to my boss because he didn't care.
I was asked to correct an inventory problem that has existed for over 14 years. I won't get into the details, but I had a warehouse full of many items that I had to count and catalog and in addition I had to work with accountants to strategize and figure out a process to account for what I produce. I spent over 9 months on and off learning accounting software and the accountants personally as well has how they operate. I submitted correct inventory multiple times and the list was never uploaded. This was part of my job and it is what I was asked to do, the problem is that I'm too good at what I do for my own good.
In short what I have learned and realized is that ownership never wanted my inventory to be corrected, they didn't care at all. When I did my part and the list was not uploaded repeatedly I covered for the accountants and informed my boss. What I came to realize is ownership is operating a house of cards and making money doing it. As I learned the corporation more and began to understand what I was I dealing with I also experience a tremendous amount of personal progression in the way that I understand people, their actions, life, and how empower myself as an individual to achieve what is necessary to get what I need accomplished - I'm at the best point in my life ever right now. I believe in striving to best the best possible person I can be and sharing what I learn helps me do that with others, and I did with my coworkers who were struggling with their lives. I made friends and people appreciated me and enjoyed being around me. The problem is that when you share knowledge with people to help them realize their potential they get smarter and become more aware, this is not something ownership wants. People in high positions of power want their workforce to remain as ignorant as they can be so that they may easily and without question impose their will upon them. And these people want everyone to believe they are flawless in all they do although they aren't. I inadvertently made it known I was starting to realize what they didn't want realized by simply doing what was asked of me and challenging myself to grow as an individual.
While I'm now unemployed and my future is uncertain I feel I am at new personal best in my understandings of the people I deal with and what I need to be aware of when if I ever have to work with people operating on such a level again. I'm disgusted, tired, and relieved. I also am going to have to look over my time sheets as they intentionally shorted me on the check I was handed. The audacity of people will never cease to amaze me.
Anyhow, I thought I'd share. I haven't been able to talk much about what its like being a corporate printer because I was expected to operate with secrecy and discretion. I signed a None Disclosure Agreement, so I won't get specific about the company but I'd be happy to talk about the insanity I have dealt with for the past year and am now free of.
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