Setting Ground Rules with the Evaluation Team

[Guardian]

On ‎9‎/‎5‎/‎2019 at 10:56 AM, formerfed said:

Let us know how your evaluation kick off goes, Guardian

So far, so good.  I made a decision before the meeting to take the high road.  The chairperson sat in the conference room for most of the morning with a sour look on her face.  She even tried to call me out for an inconsistency (something I knew I had done, but was not able to change in the handout package before our 9am kick-off).  I smiled and said, "good catch; thanks for reminding me.  Let's address that for a second."  I did not arrive into the Government until my mid-30s.  Before that, I did a number of things. I was a tutor for disabled people, a graduate research assistant at a university, a committed student and a manager/foreperson in construction-related services.  I spent the better part of ten years dealing with people who, albeit highly-skilled, could be extremely difficult to manage. One of our best brick-masons, a freelancer at that point, was formerly unionized and had never shed his union mentality.  He was always going to be in charge (and break at least twice an hour), but he did very good work.  So I learned to apply some reverse psychology to lead this somewhat obstinate and quintessentially passive aggressive tradesman to complete projects.  We even became friends to some degree, but it was touch-and-go.  He was never going to be "matter-of-factly" ordered to do anything and more often than not, the particulars of any job were going to be on his terms.  We had some great times together, saw some exceptional outcomes, but after several years of this, admittedly, I was exhausted.  I feel like the Government is a blessing in many ways relative to this former life and the alternatives; but am not here to minimize the challenges of being an 1102.  These were great experiences to have as a young man, but I am happy to be where I am now.

I am affected by the summer metro shutdown in D.C. (coming to a close this Sunday, as the platforms south of Reagan National have been rebuilt).  In early July we had a contractor bus driver from Texas, whose job it was that afternoon, to get us all from the Pentagon to a metro station in northern Fairfax County.  We were packed on this bus like sardines in a can.  I was sitting along the aisle directly behind the driver, immersed in a book.  At one point, a young lady made her way to the front to inform me that we had missed our exit several miles back.  We began discussing our predicament rather loudly.  The traffic was significant.  Being newer to the area, I immediately logged into my GPS and began guiding this driver in the right direct (she had been headed to Woodbridge).  What was most concerning was that when I looked behind me, about 80% of the passengers were either on their phones texting or playing games or listening to music, seemingly indifferent or blissfully unaware that we had put ourselves about 45 minutes off course amid the rush hour traffic.  There was a guy across from me in a suit with well manicured silver-hair, having a business conversation, apparently so distracted that he did not realize we were headed west instead of south.  His conversation continued for another 40 minutes at least.  One passenger behind me made sure to let me know that his GPS said to get off at the exit we had just passed.  "Why are you telling her to go this way?" he scolded.  I replied that he was more than welcome to take my spot and direct the driver himself.  At that, he shrank back into the seat lining; he was not interested in being a navigator, only an armchair quarterback. 

People are put in positions of authority for all types of reasons.  People over six feet tall are many more times likely to be hired as managers, even though there is no scientific evidence that as a group they make better or more qualified leaders.  Jeff Bezos, currently the wealthiest man in America, is only about 5'7". So is Nick Saban.  In fact, most of the world's wealthiest people are of average height or less.  Maybe it's that people who have endured a slight disadvantage are made better by it.  But, I have digressed from my main point. I had accomplished quite a bit at work recently, but that day on the bus was one of the most satisfying I had had in some time.  When I looked behind me at what was a sea of technology-distracted and clueless faces, I realized that what most situations call for is someone who can rise to the task with calm and aplomb to get everyone back on the right path. Throughout the kick-off meeting, I reminded myself of JI's advice and that of Teddy Roosevelt, who said, "speak softly and carry a big stick."

[formerfed]

Guardian, you already learned one of the key things 1102s need but not part of the normal training.  That’s how to get people to collaborate and cooperate in a group role.  

[joel hoffman]

23 hours ago, General.Zhukov said:

To further hijack this thread----

The IBR rule in the FAR Clause Matrix is an anachronism.   In practice, only the 52.252 clauses must be in full text.   Nothing else.  Especially not 52.212-3.

I typically maximize IBR for commercial orders, simplified, etc.  There is something embarrassing about issuing a 17-page purchase order for a copier.  And the contractual requirements in those clauses are very, very rarely relevant post-award.    Its unlikely Convict Labor will come up with that  copier.  More complex or risk contracts, FAR 15 contracts, are different.  I could see going crazy with the full text for those. 

No arguments here about that.