I’ve noticed so many people getting way too emotionally wrapped up in Ford and everything happening around it. I have to ask, why? Why would you get so invested in a company you just work for? You didn't start it. You don't run it. What’s there to gain from being invested to that level, other than a whole lot of unnecessary stress? Worry about your job and that's it. Let those on top worry about the rest of it.
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@axm+1uTlq0Zs this is by far the most accurate take I've seen on here in a while, nailed it.
@OP. People spend 1/3 of their lives sleeping, so half of their time awake are spent working. We spend more time working that with our own family...of course people create emotional attachments to the company. Besides, many employees pour their desires and hopes (promotion, more money, more recognition) into the company. It is hard NOT to get attached.
I agree with you, @fjv+1uTlq0Zs, about just doing your job and getting paid. However, you are missing on something that many other employees have: skin in the game. It is like @mot+1uTlq0Zs says... just like sports. Well, I used to cheer for my home town teams, suffered with their defeats, and enjoyed their victories (I was young and stoopid).
At one point, I stopped investing myself emotionally, and focused on my work and my family. 20 years ago, I went to the stadium for a baseball game, and I didn't know anyone, not one player. When they announced a relief pitcher, I didn't know if he was really good or not. I felt "empty", no emotion, even when my team won. I didn't enjoy the game like I used to, and have never returned to an arena or stadium.
When I joined Ford, I embraced the goal of giving my best work, and I expected the company to improve. Several years ago, after the departure of Mark Fields, slowly, but surely, I grew frustrated with management. The company has gone sideways, pursuing the green unicorns, while I lost many good coworkers due to death, layoffs and opportunities at other companies. Life happens, right? So, in order to preserve my sanity, I emotionally detached myself from the company. I just come, do my job, get my paycheck, done. Hardly any joy, since most of what I deal with is BS. Sometimes I miss the excitement, the joy, the hopes, at work, and I wonder if maybe I am now just older, but still stoopid, in a different kind of way.
What I see happening quite a lot is a director (or other LL) is brought in from the outside to fix an issue. They look around and see the Ford mess and bring in GSRs from the outside who are technically competent and go-getters. The newly hired GSRs report back to the director about any unicorns (competent GSRs that are not milking it). The director tasks all the competent GSRs with fixing things from the ground up - bypassing their management chain. Those GSRs are all happy and productive and love Ford UNTIL the Ford culture machine digests the director (director quits/fired/adopts the Ford culture). At that point all those GSRs have a target on their back. They are often benched then fired.
It’s the whipsaw and unpredictability that causes the extreme emotions.
I believe that the top leadership at Ford wants the dysfunctional culture to exit stage left. I also believe that 90% of the LL do not want the dysfunctional culture to change, and actively encourage the culture to remain the same. After all it is the culture that they know how to manipulate to gain promotions.
It's a business relationship, nothing more. I made that mistake but realized it was nothing more early on. It's like sports, people get wrapped up in their home team for what?
ahhh....the OP speaks the truth. NEVER get emotionally attached to anything at work (especially a coworker...haha). Thats not saying don't try and do a good job, but at then end of the day...ALL PAY SAME and its simply a paycheck. Learn what you can for getting a better job one day, or make yourself a better person, but do what you are supposed to and leave it all there on the desk for the next day. No company has loyalty to the employee and your loyalty is simply do what you were hired to do. If you try and do better, thats fine. I myself? I work hard at it each day, put my hours in, and honestly try and make a difference and design good stuff. Last year? I was surprised with a 10K bonus. They hardly do that. Previous place (left because they shut down our office) I got a 13% raise one year. I was surprised but then again, I work hard and designed some good stuff. But when I retire, I walk away and wont worry about whats going on. The world is a dumpster fire anyway, I just hope the fire doesn't ever reach me.
I've noticed it is a psych game Ford plays with their employees. Much like the battered spouse they tell you they love you, then they beat you, then they tell you it was all your fault and they were forced to beat you.