ATM9000 said:
Tom Scholz said:
Any thoughts, tips and advice for surviving the last 2-4 years before I retire?
Currently 58 and been with the same company for 30+ years ( 100 Employees) great place to work, treat folks well with good pay, vacations ,benefits and bonuses. The past few years a lot of the old goats have retired, and in the next 3-5 it will be many more including me who have 30+ years in as well. The past year has been a transition year, owners son is now in charge and is getting more hands on ( ok with that, it's been needed at times) We get along great and he values my opinions and has a very open door policy. I must be the old guy yelling at the clouds, but I just do not see the work effort and giving a CRAP from a lot of people hired in the last 10 years, folks just do not appreciate how good a place it is and have become very lazy and have sloppy work habits.
It's becoming harder to get up going this past year compared the past, and even my wife says I have changed---yikes. I still like the daily challenges, but look forward to something different in a few years !!
So any words of wisdom would be appreciated!
Always remember that 30 years ago, you had sloppy work habits too whether you want to admit it or not.
Embrace collaboration... the young guns are gonna be better than you at technology and stuff and probably be quicker than you at tasks... let them do them and learn the business. You focus on mentoring and leading vs. judging.
sooooo much truth here. I am one of the lifers ( decades at the same saltmine) then
out the door types. We all sat around the last few years and lamented the young uns and their work habits UNTIL.. on a Friday afternoon a few years ago I had a " crisis" job that needed some engineering done PRONTO. I hit up the 30something engineer only to be treated with " its Friday at 3 !!! I'm outa here in an hour..Ill do it Monday " to which I retorted the usual " when I was your age WE never had a weekend off..we never let a life interfere with the job..blah blah blah FULL BLOWN WOE IS ME MARTYR CRAP.." to which he replied...." yea and what the hell did it get you? My dad was like you and I don't even know
WHO THE HELL HE IS THANKS TO THAT MARTYR CRAP of you guys!!!!"
Gane ...set...match..... He was CORRECT ! I look back , now that I've been gone a few years and CLEARLY understand that
NO ONE CARES and
NOTHING I did during those 45 years amount to a hill of beans to ANYONE anymore. That MONSTER save the world make the company millions job that was so important and vital that I had to spend 7 days a week, 10-14 hours a day for MONTHS working on is long forgotten to EVERYBODY ! ( including me) Yet I'll never get back the missed Nebraska game, the missed fishing trip with the guys, the missed family outings or , for Gods sake, my great grandmothers funeral plus hundreds of other events ......... These kids are SMARTER and have a healthier outlook and understanding of the proper role of work/life. I DEEPLY regret the man years and tremendous amount of energy I wasted on a job instead of a life. The NANO-SECOND you can get away and start LIVING for how ever many years you have left ..
DO IT..Do NOT pass GO ..do NOT collect $200...GET THE HELL OUT AND LIVE !!!!