These are scary times: We already know there is no political leadership, but since there are plenty of people talking and doing something about that I need to say: there is also no enterprise leadership either.
Corporations keep finding ways to implement dump programs with the final goal of getting rid of people to "cut expenses", while at the same time do not invest on research and true innovation, except for a few exceptions. The real expense is on operational non-sense, politically correct policies, absurd executive and legal overhead, and luxurious parties. People don't seem to matter any more.
The already smarter than everybody else big shots don't listen to the employees who experience the day to day problems and deal with the customers and products. They don't even seek feedback. It is all about impressing one another with their
"initiatives" in their big boys executive club.
They've forgotten what truly makes a company, creates products, innovate, and maintains the corporate philosophy and spirit of the company - We the people. I don't have a problem with big executives and their salaries, heck great! Be successful. Gives me something to look fwd to. But I have a problem with the lack of common sense, and initiative. Everybody keeps doing the same thing just cause some other S&P company saved some temporary dollars by firing people or doing this or that thing that comes back to bankrupt the company at the end.
How do you justify saving $30M a year by firing good talent, while at the same time you give that CEO another $30M or more for doing a good work? That's why some big organizations will undoubtedly collapse. Because they had let go of the young blood and talent leaving the old out of touch big shots that think of nothing but the stock price. They only promote who they like (translated: Are like them, b.. kissers, and lower members of the same disconnected club). Then they stayed surprised and blame "The Market" when their dumb initiatives don't work.
They don't work because no-body with real life (Today's) experience is making decisions in the company or even listening to those who are dealing with the day to day. I mean listening without thinking on how that will affect the stock price. It is called "Investing" -> Doing the right thing because we and our customers will be better of at the end, not this quarter.
Living in the real world
==============
The other things is my subtitle - Executives don't buy at Walmart. I don't mean that every CEO has to go to Walmart, but what I do mean is that he has probably never even been to one or something similar. As long as executives keep meeting in country clubs, dinning at expensive restaurants to have "planning meetings", and traveling in expensive jets to go meet with their comrades executives they are not living in America, and things don't really need to change. We don't really have over 10% unemployment and for the most part things are really good. They don't really live in the real world. It is more like the Matrix and some even prefer it that way.
This had also have another effect in some long time employees, that don't even have the desire, intensiveness and dedication they had when they first started working with the company to do the right thing, and be really productive, which also includes speaking your mind. They rather sit down on their chair doing the minimum required while daily log into their retirement account to count the days. There is no real dedication, entrepreneurial spirit or pride, or mentoring of any kind. They moto is "I did my part, you figure it out". They've been left behind because their pension/retirement plans are too expensive to negotiate or cut them off from the company, and they know it.
The company is only waiting for that target date when they can be relieved from the legal pension/retirement obligation, cut more jobs here in the US and outsource and re-hire to China and India for pennies on the dollar. This is no reality, or trend, or cycle. This really is free market suicide fueled by the greed of very few.
If we continue this way we will be living in China but speaking English. The politicians, again don't care because they've been bought, promoted, and funded by the same greedy corporations and will refuse to make real changes or legislation that protect legal citizens in the workplace and will get rid of this layoff here and hire in India and China. They tax us and the corporations to dead and then philosophy about the job exportation problem, they look the other way and tell us that we don't understand.
There was a time when "Made in USA" meant "This is the best product of this kind available" period. Now you simply don't see it, and only experience it by the lack of. We need to send people like us to the congress and senate: Neighbors, teachers, friends, cops, workers, etc... People that understand the current problems and struggles, not somebody with a nice haircut and suit that says in a general way "I know we are hurting" - NO YOU DON'T. You've never experience it. We also need terms for those in congress and senate, just like the president does, so we can't stop dealing with the same dinosaurs who are so backwards that still believe Coke comes in a glass bottle. They have no clue! Some had done great things in their time, but have no understanding of the current struggles, and that's why terms are good!
If you bothered to read this, I hope you comment on it. I hope you advocate for change and innovation wherever you work, or even start your new company with true values that reward and promote people and people as an asset in the corporate culture. We are not commodity.
Finally to the big corporations: If there is no one working in America - no one will buy your junk!
