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This week's selection for COW is perhaps a bit contentious; however, that is not why it was picked. Rather, it was selected it because it highlights a dichotomy that I have observed myself in dealings with my former (and current) lab colleagues. The dichotomy being that, depending on who you speak to, conditions at LANL are either rosy or they are abominable.
Here's the comment, from the How chintzy is LANS management, you ask? post:
Here's the comment, from the How chintzy is LANS management, you ask? post:
The lab's web page recently had some excerpts from Mike's latest All-Hands meeting. Did anybody read these excerpts?
According to Mikey, enthusiasm and morale are LANL are running high, cost efficiencies are working and the lab is doing a swell job in diversifying the project mix!
Mike not only needs to be drug tested. He needs to be subjected to a lie detector test!!!
According to Mikey, enthusiasm and morale are LANL are running high, cost efficiencies are working and the lab is doing a swell job in diversifying the project mix!
Mike not only needs to be drug tested. He needs to be subjected to a lie detector test!!!
So, who is has the correct perspective regarding LANL's present state of health: Director Anastasio, or most of the contributors to this blog?
Hint: If this seems like a trick question, it might be...
--Doug
Hint: If this seems like a trick question, it might be...
--Doug
21 comments:
The question exhibits a false dichotomy. Morale is high among ADs, the UC Regents, and Bechtel executives. Elsewhere, not so much. I'm sure from where Mike A. sits, things couldn't look much better. He has his big 3, nobody got hurt because nothing was done, Riley Bechtel is happy, he gets a daily Monica from his loyal staff and so forth. Oh, and don't forget MARIE - that signature science facility that is drawing the best and brightest from around the world to play with radiation in extremes! Elsewhere, not so much.
" Morale is high among ADs, "
That is all that matters.
Remember, the monkey at the top only sees smiling faces below him, whilst those below only see ...
... stuff rolling downhill.
Agnew and Hecker could be seen walking the halls and stopping to chat with individuals throughout the Lab almost weekly. It was not unusual to look up from your desk and see the director just stopping to say hello and to ask how are things going. As a result, both of these directors did not have to look to their ADs, PADs, or others to know the status of morale, etc. around the Lab. Harold and Sig had their warts as we all do; but they did make an effort to visit and actually listen to the workers' concerns. When is the last time anyone had a visit or even a hello from anyone in a position of leadership at the Lab presently except as part of a planned dog and pony show? Agnew and Hecker's door was always open. You may have had to wait if they were busy; but you could make an appointment. You could email them and actually receive an answer. Now one must first go to your project or group leader. If he or she gives an OK then it is to the Division Leader. If OKed to the AD. If OKed to the PAD. If OKed the Deputy Director and finally the Director. Is it any wonder, the 7th Floor is unaware and reports all is more than well and happy with the LANS workforce?!!
John Browne and even Pete Nanos responded to Email.
Mikey has isolated himself from reality.
11:36 am: "Mikey has isolated himself from reality."
No, he's isolated himself from YOUR reality. His is much, much different.
I can tell you that Mikey feels very uncomfortable talking to us little people. In fact, he NEVER does it alone and tries to get the hell out of the discussion ASAP.
Mikey's newfound commitment to talking to the little people is laughable. He has set aside two hours every other week - a whopping 2.5% of his time - to mingle with the unwashed, and naturally it's all very well orchestrated.
Mike does not deserve to be the Director of LANL. That he has lasted this long in the job is truly pathetic. Since 2003, we've had 6 years of lousy Directors (Nanos and Anastasio) with a brief intermission of one year with a very decent guy (Kuckuck). I have rarely heard anyone on the staff have anything good to say about Anastasio. His leaving LANL, when it occurs, will be celebrated by most staff.
At this point in time, I believe that Mikey is more disliked than Admiral Butthead.
Don't worry, help is on the way. Your next LANL Director will be my little Homeboy!
- Jeannette
"So, who is has the correct perspective regarding LANL's present state of health: Director Anastasio, or most of the contributors to this blog?" (Doug)
I suggest LANS launch a confidential survey to find out the mood of their employees. Of course, that will never happen and most of the remaining staff know why.
However, a survey that did manage to squeek through the LANS filtering process showed up in the the recent DOD Chiles report and it didn't paint a pretty picture. The Stinson report and the recent DOD Perry report, likewise, show that morale is quickly declining and that the intellectual integrity of the NNSA research labs is rotting away.
You might find a few managers at LANL who think LANS has improved things at the lab but most of the employees (and, in particular, the general scientific staff) will likely tell you otherwise. Into this ugly mix, throw in a Director who is extremely aloof and doesn't want to see what's really happening around him. It's a mess.
Admiral Butthead was a bully but he at least lived in this town and shopped for his disabled wife at the local Smith's grocery. The Ewok and most of his upper management team can't seem to get out of town fast enough at the end of each day.
5/18/09 11:26 AM
As a point of interest , morale at LLNL is so low management is offering incentives to get employees to volunteer for the up coming family day. Now that is pretty bad.
5/18/09 1:52 PM - What? You don't get half a burrito or one can soda for each personally served by the director? LANL family days are fun! - well, actually nobody gives a damn anymore...
what are these incentives that you speak of?
Anonymous at 5/18/09 11:26 AM said...
"I suggest LANS launch a confidential survey to find out the mood of their employees."
You might be surprised with the result. There are a lot of overpaid C students working in overhead areas that are quite happy. Their ranks are growing. Just look at the job ads. They will all respond to such a survey with positive comments regarding the management.
"You might be surprised with the result. There are a lot of overpaid C students working in overhead areas that are quite happy." (6:55 AM)
Looking around at what's left at LANL in terms of staffing, I fear you are right. LANL is not the same place it was 10 years ago. The damage to 'intellectual integrity' (as the latest Congressional mandated report headed by Perry calls it) has been extensive.
There are a growing number of people at LANL who live off the overhead accounts and are not bothered in the least by the concept of Work Free Safety Zones and non-productive CYA policies. High overhead burden rates caused by all this useless activity helps insure that their charge code accounts remain fully stuffed with funding.
5/18/09 5:12 PM The incentives are:
1 tickets to a A's game
2 tickets to the Rodeo
3 gift certificate
4 Science on Saturday reserved seating
5 Tour of NIF
6 Theatre gift certificate
7 Lunch with a LLNL senior manager
8 Wente's gift certificate
9 Site 300 tour
10 Science on Saturday tickets
11 Starbuck's gift certificates
well, it's better than half of a burrito.
i think we need these incentives to attend the next lanl picnic.
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