Sorry I didn't really make the link in my post. To me in Ops posts what is standing out is he's not being popular in his new jobs. And since I'm a contractor I've lived that sitch many times. BTW I've never actually managed to land a gig in utilities - its a sort after industry because of the breadth and job security, so I'd look seriously at moving laterally in the company. But you'll need an internal network to make that happen so we're back to the people skills
Since Fembots and Woke/Cancel culture have taken over not being seen as part of the herd will get you killed quick. Its all a popularity content/social club now especially in any team that is 40% female or over.
For the man up and take responsibility crowd here -yes that is on top of being competent at your job. As the old saying goes 'you have to go along to get along'
Whether he stays employed and builds a side hustle or goes out on his own I can't see any downside to upgrading his people skills.
And since what I suggested requires some hard core and hard applied learning here's a bit of advice I like on being an active learner:
Active Learning Tips
All about learning, but starting with the first step: HEAR.
This anagram (which is helpfully “hear”) is something to quickly remember during lessons to help you focus attention and really listen.
H is for HALT—stop everything else you’re doing and consciously decide to focus all your awareness on the important thing: the new material unfolding in front of you. Turn off your phone, quieten down your inner talk, and stop multitasking. Cutting out distractions in the moment is great, but this also extends to good preparation, i.e. making sure you have secured enough dedicated time to study and study alone, where you know you won’t be interrupted.
E is for ENGAGE—now take all that brain power and put it on the speaker/lecturer/teacher. Depending on the kind of study you’re doing, you can take notes, ask questions, respond with feedback, make mind maps, or record your own reactions or objections. If you can, steer the lesson or bring your own knowledge into the mix. Summarize, paraphrase, and draw connections. Think of it as a dialogue, i.e. you and the new material are having a conversation together.
A is for ANTICIPATE—you don’t have to just sit and wait patiently to see what information will be sent your way. Predict what will come next—this will greatly increase your comprehension and recall and give you a richer grasp on the material. Ask yourself questions and see if the unfolding information is answering them. Be your own inner teacher as you prompt yourself with cues and questions. This will help you draw a connecting thread through the content, as well as keep you interested and focused.
R is for REPLAY—no, this is not for the day after or for months later when you start studying for a test! Replay is best done in the moment as you’re engaging with the material. Think about what you’re hearing and repeat it or write it down in your own words. Extract the key ideas of every sentence as you hear it. You might like to simply replay the overall theme or structure of the lesson to recap. |