Gibson as a workplace

[Timbofood]

Discussion is fine but, Jim makes a valid point, absence from work (particularly around holidays) should be cleared by a boss. It's called work, not happy fun and games time, I sure wish it was! Of course right now I would deal with that if I had a job!
Now does everyone want to eat, sleep, and live for their job? Work to live or live to work?
I'm out on this one.

[allenhopkins]

Well, as a retiree who both supervised, and was supervised, for many decades, IMHO it's possible to establish and enforce work rules without sending out snarky condescending e-memos and threatening your "leaders" with being called on the carpet for a "conversation."

The fact that a Gibson employee, presumably in a supervisory capacity, goes to a public forum to air grievances, is symptomatic of an unhealthy work environment -- at least in my experience. And the complainer is presumably not just a line employee spraying the finish on Les Pauls in the G plant, but someone with "leadership" responsibilities within the organization.

There are always irresponsible employees, and sometimes those who've risen up the chain feel they're exempted from the rules that only apply to the "peons" below them. Creating a workplace climate where that behavior isn't accepted, and where higher-rank employees feel more obligation, not less, to follow company SOP's, ain't easy.

But if the reprinted memo is authentic, it seems to indicate that Henry J is working with intimidation and public criticism, and that was not good strategy, in my experience. Good leaders lead by example, and get their subordinates to "play by the rules" not only with rewards and punishments, but by playing that way themselves. May not be happening at Gibson.

[Rob Meldrum]

OK, deep in the memo it eventually becomes clear that the supervisor/manager had asked for a long weekend or extra day off to enhance a vacation. Maybe the day after thanksgiving, who knows? The request was denied. Then he called sick on that day. The following week he was asked to provide a medical proof and then admitted he had not been sick, just took the day off. THAT is why the CEO was so torqued.

There are lots of lousy bosses out there, and he may well be an overbearing micro-manager, but he certainly has the right to be uposet when someone deliberately disobeys a directive. As I frequently say, everyone likes the rules until they are applied to them...

[JeffD]

everyone likes the rules until they are applied to them...

There it is.

[farmerjones]

Good leaders lead by example,

This

[stevedenver]

....

Now does everyone want to eat, sleep, and live for their job? Work to live or live to work?
I'm out on this one.

This is the question.

As a young lawyer, fresh from school, and still loving and missing my hobbies, that I tried to have work life , and , a separate life for play.

I soon found, it was not only impossible for me to do this, not only mentally, but practically, as clients need help when its not convenient. It is also not a formula for success, imho.

Somewhere along the line, I think I integrated....my work is very important, and there is no off and on switch for a professional. I let it go and did not try to compartmentalize. I think about solving problems all the time, often on my free time, running, in the shower, late at night, etc., as I'm too busy at the office sometimes to 'work a problem', or, rather, to feel like Ive really worked it carefully and thoroughly.

What I eventually learned is that you have to live in a grey area, and try to shift to be in the moment when you can. My work is my life but not the only thing in my life, and like family, you don't always get to chose your crises and timing.

I like being a lawyer, but don't love it, as its a lot of work and stressful. Being an employment lawyer is a lot like being a divorce lawyer in terms of passions on both sides.

On the other hand, I have become good at it, and it pays well, and provides me with options and choices in my life I otherwise wouldn't have.

Nothing is perfect, but I found it easier for me not to try to build a firewall. It simply doesn't work, because the work demands so much, pretty much all the time. I DID learn not to be a lawyer in my private life, when it came to competitiveness and doggedness. These are traits/skills that need to be managed.

[Tom Haywood]

No Knowledge here about the Gibson company, but I'm always reminded this time of year of the business owners and managers I've known who declare that the company mission is 24/7 - thus no time off for family on holidays, then give themselves time off to be with family and enjoy the holidays while the workers (read machines) carry on with the mission. Leads to folks trying to make up for it in other ways. So, I wonder if Mr. Henry is down at the factory working with the troops on Thanksgiving and Christmas.

[RBMB]

I can confirm without doubt that Mr. Loar never sent an email like this.

[mtucker]

Someone should send him this book for Christmas!

[Nashville]

That article was just one small piece of the pie. There are many reasons why Gibson can be a terrible place to work and Henry is at the center of most of those reasons.

I worked there when I first moved to Nashville back in the early 90's. It's quite common for a musician coming here and all think it will be a great job with a great company. It's not. It still amazes me how many musicians that I meet here have worked for Gibson over the years (and/or Epiphone). We all share similar stories of a bad work environment with often demoralizing treatment. There has always been and still is a large turnover.

Of course the custom shops are the better jobs. The mass production parts of the factory are the worst. The mandolin making is somewhat buffered from the worst aspects of Henry's management style (#### rolls downhill). But I didn't work as a mandolin or custom shop luthier so I only know what coworkers told me. I worked in final assembly building their electric line. I made it almost two years and couldn't take anymore. Was it the worst job in the world? No. Was it a good job? Only if you'd had a worse job. Is Henry the worst corporate manager I've seen in my lifetime? Definitely.

But Gibson sure can make some good mandolins if they want to. And some good guitars. And they do attract talent. Although it's hard to say how long a talented luthier will last there. Only time will tell.

[JeffD]

well, since the OP asked for discussion,
and Gibson has favored nation status round these parts, with most,
discussion IS relevant, don't you think?

Its not irrelevant I suppose. But in terms of the things I am mando-passionate about, it would make little impact on me if I had enough information to think something about it, and as it is it makes no impact on me.

[Tim Griffin]

In the words of Daniel "Big Dan" Teague, "It's all about the money boys! "

[Elliot Luber]

Two good points brought up here above. I teach management and liked these two answers: 1) Most companies don't let you take the day before or after a holiday without special permission because everyone will take advantage of the situation. 2) it's possible to establish and enforce work rules without sending out snarky condescending e-memos. Thus, if you do the right think in a rude way, it comes back to bite you.

[Austin Bob]

To me, this whole conversation boils down to the what and the how.

What Mr. Juszkiewicz did was to simply enforce company policy to an member of the senior management team.

How he did it was in a public way, and showed that he prefers to lead with threats and intimidation.


A manager once told me long ago: "What you are able to do will get you a job, how you do it will get you fired."