.....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:
