which is better....

[spacedust]

well...better is prob not the right question.
is it better being the manager....the supervisor.....or an engineer ?
pros and cons ?

[Shadow1]

Re: which is better....

Do you mean the American definition of an engineer, as in the idiots who work hard designing the most overcomplicated way to perform the simplest tasks inside a machine. Or the European definition, which is the guy who pulls his hair out trying to figure out what the heck the designers were thinking when they used 16 gears 2 belts 4 clutches and a solenoid to accomplish what a tech could have done better with a paper clip and 2 strips of duct tape?

[mjarbar]

Re: which is better....

Do you mean the American definition of an engineer, as in the idiots who work hard designing the most overcomplicated way to perform the simplest tasks inside a machine. Or the European definition, which is the guy who pulls his hair out trying to figure out what the heck the designers were thinking when they used 16 gears 2 belts 4 clutches and a solenoid to accomplish what a tech could have done better with a paper clip and 2 strips of duct tape?

2 Strips!!!! I take it you are building in a bit of redunduncy!!!

In answer to the original question probably the supervisor as you can blame all the crap on the person in the opposite direction that the complaints are coming from!

[fixthecopier]

Re: which is better....

I used to be a mid level manager in another field. I prefer to be the tech. I only have to worry about 1 person screwing up on each call. And that person is the customer.

[mjarbar]

Re: which is better....

I used to be a mid level manager in another field. I prefer to be the tech. I only have to worry about 1 person screwing up on each call. And that person is the customer.

I agree, but what we prefer and what is better is not mutually exclusive!!!

[prntrfxr]

Re: which is better....

Tech is better. Yes, crap runs downhill, but at the end of the day, you go home. Middle manager is always caught in the middle. Crap runs up and down.

Example:

Situation: Tech fixes printer by moving it to client's conference table and taking it apart there. (With secretary's approval.)
Problem: Client calls and wants your company to replace said table at your company's expense, because "your tech scratched the table." Your tech tells you that the table was not scratched when he left.
Complication: Your boss tells you that he/she will not replace the table and you need to "handle it."

It's end of day and you decide to go out to the customer's site and examine the table yourself in the morning. You tell yourself you will deal with it in the morning, but you will take this problem home, no matter what you try to do.

Your tech will sleep easy because he believes he didn't scratch the table, and because he knows it's your problem to fix it.

Your supervisor is relatively confident that the problem will go away, although he/she is a bit concerned as that they might have to replace the table. However, there are about 30 other things weighing on their mind like, payroll, taxes, bills, sales, and thoughts on motivating people to do things for you.

The more responsibility you have the more crap you take home with you.

[Shadow]

Re: which is better....

Manager -> head up Owner's A$$
Supervisor -> head up Manager's A$$ -> Head up Owner's A$$
Engineer ->> KICK Supervisor in the A$$ and affect the whole chain of command........................................... ....Priceless................................

[Dark Helmet]

Re: which is better....

Tech is better. Yes, crap runs downhill, but at the end of the day, you go home. Middle manager is always caught in the middle. Crap runs up and down.

Example:

Situation: Tech fixes printer by moving it to client's conference table and taking it apart there. (With secretary's approval.)
Problem: Client calls and wants your company to replace said table at your company's expense, because "your tech scratched the table." Your tech tells you that the table was not scratched when he left.
Complication: Your boss tells you that he/she will not replace the table and you need to "handle it."

It's end of day and you decide to go out to the customer's site and examine the table yourself in the morning. You tell yourself you will deal with it in the morning, but you will take this problem home, no matter what you try to do.

Your tech will sleep easy because he believes he didn't scratch the table, and because he knows it's your problem to fix it.

Your supervisor is relatively confident that the problem will go away, although he/she is a bit concerned as that they might have to replace the table. However, there are about 30 other things weighing on their mind like, payroll, taxes, bills, sales, and thoughts on motivating people to do things for you.

The more responsibility you have the more crap you take home with you.

Well finish your story! Did you have to replace the table?