Day of the large brains
Discussion
Large brains, no common sense.
Today I have had 2 very senior academics from different institutions who frankly between them must have trouble running a bath let alone a business and a research team at a 5* university.
Person 1. Why can't I get it to do X?
Me. Because that's not what it it is designed to do, didn't they cover that in your training?
Person 1. I haven't been trained, my staff have and I thought it couldn't be that difficult and I could muddle through but I am presenting to the company board on Monday so it needs to be done within the hour.
Me; It has never done that, it cannot do that and nobody ever said it could. Your staff know that, didn't they tell you?
Person 1. I didn't ask them , I just assumed...
Me: Looking at the web site about next weeks event, I wonder why have you replaced that entire title of the event with one meaningless made up word?
Person 2. Its a draft, a sort of working title. The title was too long.
Me; It was 8 words, shorter than the one which you haven't changed but is called " Does perceiving differences in effective linear relationships impact our support and engagement for linkages in work teams in longtitudinal studies."
Person 2. Its a draft.
Me: No, it has always been a full title and has to stay like that for people to understand it and decide to go.
Person 2. Its a draft.
Me: Then why weren't the other 24 titles changed for meaningless working titles?
Person 2. Its a draft.
Me; But it has been right for 4 months, and then 4 days before the event you change it for no reason
Person 2. Its a draft, it will be changed back before the day when people arrive.
Me; so why change it a week before and then change it back on the day?
Person 2. Its a draft.
I am so glad I am stupid but can work out how to wipe my own arse.
Today I have had 2 very senior academics from different institutions who frankly between them must have trouble running a bath let alone a business and a research team at a 5* university.
Person 1. Why can't I get it to do X?
Me. Because that's not what it it is designed to do, didn't they cover that in your training?
Person 1. I haven't been trained, my staff have and I thought it couldn't be that difficult and I could muddle through but I am presenting to the company board on Monday so it needs to be done within the hour.
Me; It has never done that, it cannot do that and nobody ever said it could. Your staff know that, didn't they tell you?
Person 1. I didn't ask them , I just assumed...
Me: Looking at the web site about next weeks event, I wonder why have you replaced that entire title of the event with one meaningless made up word?
Person 2. Its a draft, a sort of working title. The title was too long.
Me; It was 8 words, shorter than the one which you haven't changed but is called " Does perceiving differences in effective linear relationships impact our support and engagement for linkages in work teams in longtitudinal studies."
Person 2. Its a draft.
Me: No, it has always been a full title and has to stay like that for people to understand it and decide to go.
Person 2. Its a draft.
Me: Then why weren't the other 24 titles changed for meaningless working titles?
Person 2. Its a draft.
Me; But it has been right for 4 months, and then 4 days before the event you change it for no reason
Person 2. Its a draft, it will be changed back before the day when people arrive.
Me; so why change it a week before and then change it back on the day?
Person 2. Its a draft.
I am so glad I am stupid but can work out how to wipe my own arse.
Cogcog said:
Me; It was 8 words, shorter than the one which you haven't changed but is called " Does perceiving differences in effective linear relationships impact our support and engagement for linkages in work teams in longtitudinal studies."
.
Well if its anything like that ^^^ one, maybe he thought "w.
k" just cut a bit more to the chase?308mate said:
Cogcog said:
Me; It was 8 words, shorter than the one which you haven't changed but is called " Does perceiving differences in effective linear relationships impact our support and engagement for linkages in work teams in longtitudinal studies."
.
Well if its anything like that ^^^ one, maybe he thought "w.
k" just cut a bit more to the chase?It was tantamount to reducing a session entitled "The importance of the combustion engine in developing industrial Britain" to a session called "Cars".
I think it's the way they're institutionalised. I know a second year physics student who seems to live in a bubble already- incredibly good at very few tasks, but didn't even know what council tax was. She'll probably go on to live a very profitable life, but strikes me as the kind of person who might one day break down in an airport if her plane is delayed and not understand why. I used to wonder how people like that could survive, but I imagine it's quite easy in some circles.
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