Tuesday, May 18, 2010

Moving beyond the band-aid; high expectations (Edwards)

.....I’ve been sniffing around for info about what kind of job John Edwards is doing, and has done, as Director of Facilities. Today, I spoke with a particularly knowledgeable person who seems sympathetic (to a degree) to both sides in this conflict, but who felt strongly that some of the complaints about John that we’ve heard since Friday are very unfair, very wrong.
.....Mr. K (as I’ll call him) acknowledges that John is a “military-type” guy who isn’t into warm and fuzzies. And, yes, he does have a temper, says K, but only because he has high expectations of accomplishment.
.....K notes that Edwards works very hard, typically six days a week, and he never asks people to do anything he doesn’t do himself. There are lazy managers on our campus, but Edwards is the opposite sort.
.....K offers a big picture of the key change that the facilities/maintenance unit has undergone in recent years. For years, the directors pursued the unfortunate “band-aid” tradition: endless fixes that are half-assed and cheap. John has pursued a proactive approach, with fixes that are done right.
.....K thinks that it has been hard for the crew to get used to this fundamental change.
.....K acknowledges that John isn’t perfect, but he’s a decent and honorable man who works very hard, does things right, and expects a lot from workers. He has accomplished an amazing amount, says K, given his resources. K is very impressed.
.....K says that there are some employees who hate the very idea of being told to actually work, who complain interminably about the big and small. There does seem to be a culture of whinery, at least among some workers, says K.
.....I spoke to someone else today who suggested to me that, whatever else may be true of Edwards and his crew, it is plain that the maintenance unit is afflicted with a communication problem. One senses that there are some good people here who, somehow, aren’t listening or who aren’t being clear about their intentions and demands.

UPDATE: today (Wednesday, May 19), I spoke with a colleague who is very familiar with Edwards and also with most of the maintenance staff. She assures me that, though Edwards is demanding, he's done a remarkable job and deserves our support. She also emphasized the fine job that some maintenance workers do and have done. --BvT

Sent by a friend. Very funny:

42 comments:

Anonymous said...

this man is tw2 faced. do as i say not as i do. its ok for him but not u.
my way or the highway..if u have delt with him, u know what im talkin bout..

Anonymous said...

You do a good job, BvT, trying to be fair.

Anonymous said...

obviously, people don't know how to talk honestly and professionally in that dept, high or low.

Anonymous said...

obviously, people don't know how to talk honestly and professionally in that dept, high or low.

Anonymous said...

People need to figure out how to be constructive, not destructive here and now. We got a good thing. None of these people are bad people.

Dirk said...

Things sure do look lots better around campus since John took on the job.

Anonymous said...

What!that had his crew plant more trees,its starting to look like Irvine park.And when they grow who going to maintain them if he under staff.....

Anonymous said...

I will admit that JE has made some improvements on campus and is really hands on more than you know but their is a still a presence floating around that has to be dealt with and its created and creating an atmosphere that eventually when given the right time it will explode even more than what u see on this blog and not violently but verbally

Anonymous said...

I heard that Toni sodoti received a thank you email for the family forward and that's great but did anyone tell you that Mr. Em food bank donated 40 cases of drinks and a truck load of bread to the same event and as a matter of fact he has pictures of it plus the paper came out and took pics of the evnt. I guess Mr. Em just helps everywhere he can. Plus did u know that he has brought food here on campus after work to support some employees and brings it on their breaks as well. This is the guy who shift has been changed and now because of it it makes it very hard to continue to support people at IVC. Mr. Em your ok in my book and you don't believe ask him I'm sure he will show you pics.

Anonymous said...

Mr.EM also donated chocolate roses and teaddy bears to coworkers he has a good heart and is a giver bless that man.

Anonymous said...

Yes I do remember him delivering those gifts on his breaks I think he said he was very great full because people he called leaders took charge and helped raise can goods for Christmas

Anonymous said...

It is a difficult job to keep people motivated and happy who scrub urinals and pull weeds every day.

Anonymous said...

Everything always falls on Leadership the crew is only as strong as the leader because you can either be under a leader and work for them because of necessity or you can work for them because they did something that touched you in a way that you want to work for them. You when the hearts of the employees and you when their respect and loyalty or drive them away and all u will gt animosity and a voice ready to speak evil of you. I know we can never make everyone happy but we can surely do our best to when most of them.

Anonymous said...

Here's a prime example I believe it was Nixon who was president I could be wrong When Israel had their six day war and so many nations were againts them the prime minister at that time called our president and asked if the USA would help them. Well at that
Moment our president was going out the door with bad ratings from our country but when he got that phone call from the prime minister in the middle of the nite he remembered what his Christian momma said to him she said son one day you are going to do something great for the nation of Israel and he immediate sent all the military equipment to Israel. What I am saying is he may not of had the love from many US people but I'm sure Israel loved him.

Anonymous said...

just so 1:03 it's not just the cust. and grounds that are upset. fyi

Anonymous said...

I remember hearing one day that the union had an open forum meeting with Phil Brittain and his department and in this meeting it was open to express the concerns and complaints and even asked Questions directly to Phil about hw he plans to run the maintenance this is something that is needed NOW in maintenance so that department can get things straight and correct the issues.

Anonymous said...

if only john did his own job and not everybodys elses jobs. back to the office. let us do our jobs. thats what we where hired to do not you john.....but thanks for all the help anyway.

Anonymous said...

Sounds like to many elbows to me. Yes John is a hands on type of guy who feels he needs to do the work for his people under him but wait a minute isn't that a violation of Union contract

Cpt. Civility said...

12:09, that the boss regularly demonstrates that the tasks of his employees are not beneath him is usually considered a virtue. I can see why that practice might be unwelcome anyway, but for you to fail to see the virtue in it is churlish.
In general, the workers who have written comments about this "Edwards" business have done themselves no favors. Instead, they have managed to convey viciousness. Also, they seem incapable of distinguishing between intelligent discourse and rank rumor-mongering.

EnsignCivility said...

Captain, I agree. There are workers who have inclined me to support and defend Edwards. And besides, things havae vastly improved since Wayne Ward left and E took over. Mr. E and his supporters should back away q uickly and minimize the damage they've done to themselves.

Anonymous said...

1:02 I have one Question was that a threat

EnsignCivility said...

Don't worry 1:28, I'm in no position to threaten maintenance workers at IVC.

Anonymous said...

1:38 I'm not worried but u speaking it in to existence can put people in a defense mode and get themselves prepared

Anonymous said...

1:02 I think you have it all wrong I'm nt a suprtr of E I'm a victum myself like most who r probly writing on th blg and dnt u knw tht thr r a nmbr of agnc tht cn b contacted and brng attntn to ths mstrtmnt of employees nt to mntn the acredatn ppl so I thnk mabe u shld shhhhh

Anonymous said...

12:55 but when he claims to know all and will not take suggustions that not a virtue.

Anonymous said...

12:55 and by the way i did say thanks for the help.

Anonymous said...

I heard that Tony Sedotti, and his bud Mark Murphy, went out to Cookes Corner on Saturday to celebrate Tonys 58 birthday...

Roy Bauer said...

Who cares? Gossip somewhere else.

Anonymous said...

Yeah well we know what that means for the workers at nite time because Mark will try to when points

Anonymous said...

I'm in love with Mark Murphy he is soooooo cuuuute! I love his hair and his fit body. He's everything I need in a man.

Anonymous said...

Let's be honest does anybody know what mark does at night for work. He is always at CDC and gvs his work to other people please help.

Roy Bauer said...

7:12--
It is not likely that "So-and-so is not hard-working" is a point worth making. If you have a problem with a worker, go to his manager and lay it out.
This is not the forum for your kind of remark.
I don't see that it rises above gossip.

Anonymous said...

Your kidding right.

Anonymous said...

BOBBLEHEAD!

Anonymous said...

I have a question why did John build that wall in the office that divides M&O and makes it difficult for the night crew to drop off their paper work

Anonymous said...

Maybe John thinks that he is the master and the night crew is a bunch of dogs and if you need to get something to the office then you need to use the doggie door .

Anonymous said...

Bow wow

Anonymous said...

7:12p.m.May 27, You know that Mark goes out to CDC to sleep! They got all those mats in the Green Room for nap time...

Anonymous said...

I have a question after all this complaining about JE did anything ever happen to him

Anonymous said...

But from time to time I arrange rush at to allow that the uninjured excellent is an problem, a non-toxic poser that is made terrible not later than our own fuming strive to explicate it as allowing it had an underlying truth.

Anonymous said...

I heard that f&m ex-manager gave evaluations to some employees before he went back to his old job and that the employees and manager had already signed them but JE would not sign them, that he wanted to reevaluate those employees in his own way.(And people think that there isnt a problem in the head of that department)people you make your manager look good or bad

Anonymous said...

12:29pm that's sounds like JE had no trust in his Manager and wanted to be in control of everything. He really doesn't have leader skills or trust in anyone under him. He might as well run the Department by himself.

Roy's obituary in LA Times and Register: "we were lucky to have you while we did"

  This ran in the Sunday December 24, 2023 edition of the Los Angeles Times and the Orange County Register : July 14, 1955 - November 20, 2...