Flintstone! You're Fired!!!

Ever wonder why there are constant stories in the news about Home Depot customers (1 & 2)being treated poorly by workers? Well, if the management at these stores is anything like the GM & Assistant Manager at the store I started working at 3 weeks ago, it's because the whole staff is constantly on edge and CRA-ZAY!

Last week, after only the start of orientation & training, I was subjected to the line, "I'm very disappointed in you!" I hadn't even had the training (nor any hours on the floor) that I needed to take over the department I was supposed to run, and I was told that I wasn't doing a good enough job. This was an example, I thought, of things to come, so I quit.

Somewhere in the history of the boss-worker relationship, the "parenting" concept became acceptable, but I've never exactly understood how that came to be. With the staff that I was responsible for at the bookstore, I could never have imagined treating them like anything less than equals. There is no chance of winning the respect of someone who is not treated with respect.

I've known several people who claimed that, "working for yourself is the way to go." Then again having that much responsibility is a killer. I was friends with one guy who owned his own business, but had to sell drugs on the side just to make a living. He eventually got caught. His store went out of business.

I know very few people who really love their jobs. The only one I'm sure who does is a local county constable. He spends his day arresting people. He carries a gun and rides around in a car with flashing lights and a siren. I guess that could be fun. In the meantime I've got an interview for another retail management job. Ugh! Let's hope upper management is a little better this time around. I gotta write a best-selling book or win the lottery or something. Bosses suck.