My "WTF am I doing?" moment

[siliconshaman.livejournal.com]

We've all had them, right? [haven't we?] Those moments when we stop and wonder just why in hell are we doing something this way...
this is the conversation that ensued:

Me: Why are we doing this?
supervisor: *recites standard explanation #367*
Me: No, I mean, why is it done this way... as opposed to actually doing it *explains* so that it works.
Supervisor; *baffled look* *shrug*
Me: So... I'll do it my way?
Supervisor: *panicked look* No you can't do that, it's company policy! We have to do it that way!
Me: But...
Supervisor: Look, yes it might work better that way, but we have to do it this way ok!
Me: But...
Supervisor: It's policy, don't think about it, just do it!

[yes, he really said that]

Me (after he's gone): *mutters something that rhymes with clucking bell.*

Hi, new here. I'd say I work at a help desk, but it's more like purgatory with strip lighting.
[actually, it's worse... it's the national help desk for other local help desks. So when they screw up, we get the calls.]

Comments

[siliconshaman.livejournal.com]

at rate of at least one a day probably.

[vortex.livejournal.com]

*Points at your Post*

See?
I'm not alone!

One of the many reasons I got out of HelpDesk into Networking, then got out of IT all together.

Don't get sucked in and drained!
Follow your dreams, before it's too late...

[siliconshaman.livejournal.com]

I am...
I have 5 years of this, then I'll be able to afford to move to new Zealand.

[kallell.livejournal.com]

The Five Monkeys, or How Group Psychology Evolves

Start with a cage containing five monkeys. Inside the cage, hang a banana on a string and place a set of stairs under it. Before long, a monkey will go to the stairs and start to climb towards the banana.

As soon as it touches the stairs, spray all of the other monkeys with cold water.

After a while, another monkey makes an attempt with the same result all the other monkeys are sprayed with cold water. Pretty soon, when another monkey tries to climb the stairs, the other monkeys will try to prevent it.

Now, put away the cold water, remove one monkey from the cage and replace it with a new one. The new monkey sees the banana and wants to climb the stairs. To its surprise, all of the other monkeys attack it.

After another attempt and attack, it knows that if it tries to climb the stairs, it will be assaulted.

Next, remove another of the original five monkeys and replace it with a new one. The newcomer goes to the stairs and is attacked. The previous newcomer joins the other monkeys in the attack.

Replace a third original monkey with a new one, then a fourth, then the fifth. Every time the newest monkey takes to the stairs, it is attacked.

After all the original monkeys have been replaced, no monkey in the cage has ever been sprayed with cold water. Nevertheless, no monkey is ever again allowed to approach the stairs to try for the banana.

Why not?

Because as far as they know that's the way it's always been done around here.

Sound familiar?

[brotherflounder]

o_O;

Wow. That's eerily familiar.

[siliconshaman.livejournal.com]

Very.

[violetvixen.livejournal.com]

gods forbid anything be done right.

::sigh::

welcome to the insanity!

[the-s-guy.livejournal.com]

I've kept a list of these, called "exit interview", since starting work here a couple of months ago. I figure that when I go, I'll spam them to all those members of upper management who keep wandering around wondering out loud why our turnover is so high.

[azurelunatic]

Nice to see you here.

[canray.livejournal.com]

Ouch. I had to do the same thing.

No offence to the Locals out there, but this is my personal experience. Which, admittedly, comes from the *BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAD* calls.