Reply #11: I saw the company change under into a beast under Jack Welch [View All]

[acmejack]

They were more or less benign before he showed up. At least from the employees point of view. It was a nice gig, lots of bennies, good pay, etc. I worked in military sensors, radar and sonar in Syracuse, NY. for a long time. They decided they wanted me to go to San Diego and open a new office and staff up and run a project there.

I demurred pointing out I had recently purchased a home and was pretty happy in Syracuse. My two over pone manager told me that he had a position for me in San Diego but he wasn't so sure that there was one in Syracuse. I took the San Diego job. I leased my house for a year, furnished. Sold my four wheel drive truck, moved to sam Diego, rented a house, furnished it with rental furniture, bought new plates, linens, etc.

I also brought some people along, hired some more guys, rented a building, started putting the project together. Politics were being played back at Syracuse in my absence and the knives were busy. One day with no explanation my project was canceled I was told to perform no more work, given directions on the disposition of the people and told to return to Syracuse immediately.

I lost quite a bit of money on this deal as you might imagine from forfeited deposits, etc. Not to mention the fact that I owned a home that I couldn't even live in for seven more months. I was really pissed about the hatchet work done by my alleged "friends". I was really naive about office politics.

But Ge offered me a settlement of about a nickle on a dollar and the lead on the project that turned out to be the whale killer sonar, so I am really glad I told them to pound sand! They even offered me a large raise to stay. At the time I knew it was either the best decision or the worst screw up I ever made. Considering I have been downwardly mobile ever since, I would guess the jury remains out...

Kidding, I sleep soundly at night, thank you!