Professional Development
Professional Development
Dammit, but I hate corporate retreats/conferences, etc. Anyone agree that they are stupid and unnecessary? I just spent two days participating in "team-building" activities, discussing "vision statements" and, the holy grail of corporate training... the "Mission Statement". I absolutely rebelled at every idea this fuck had to offer. The "facilitator" sounded like he performed felatio on Stephen Covey right before our morning "session." After three hours of "inspirational" drivel, there wasn't a dry eye in the room. Except for me. I whispered, "suckers" under my breath as my co-workers (slaves) performed "dependency" exercises all around me. We then performed "transitional" activities to develop interpersonal harmony. It's amazing how many people buy into other people's ideas, just because they wrote a book about something. I was eventually given a yellow-card by the facilitator who said I was not a team player. FUCKIN' A! I ain't a no team player. I'M A FRIEND FOR CRYIN' OUT LOUD! He went on to say that I'm like a Canadian goose, who is trying to fly alone, when it would by much more beneficial and aerodynamic to join the team. I fart on his team. I'm surrounded by these drooling, zombie-like, co-workers of mine who whimper and nod their stupid heads every time that damned facilitator passed gas. The facilitator told me I had to read something for "homework" by Zig Ziglar. I ain't readin' nothin' written by a guy named ZIG ZIGLAR on priniciple alone. Anyone understand what I'm getting at? I felt like throwing a chair through a window and shouting, "THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH BEING AN INDIVIDUAL!!"
I've had just about enough of this shit.
Thanks, man. That means a lot to me. Right now I have to rewrite my "organizational matrix" to reflect a more heirarchical approach to administration. Then I've got to fax it to this nimrod, or else, he won't send me my certificate of participation. The piece of shit.
I've had just about enough of this shit.
Be careful - the 'techniques' that you are describing sound like toned down versions of cult recruiting and 'brainwashing' techniques. They are engineered to create a 'breakthrough experience' in the target and to develop dependence on the organization.
They use a big 'grab bag' of techniques, so they may not use everything I list below, but let me know if I've hit a lot of them:
-Rigid scheduling (possibly including when you can eat or go to the bathroom)
-Very long sessions and/or very long days
-An empahsis on 'potential' and 'goals' and 'realizing that you can achieve anything'
-Psychobabble terminology or radically redefining ordinary words
-Philosophy-babble like 'revealing the realm of what you don't know you don't know'
-Heavy emphasis on 'self-disclosure' in front of the group, particulary personal failings and goals
-An intensely charismatic instructor/leader
-A shotgun of techniques where they hope to catch everyone with something
-A heavy emphasis on 'interpersonal communication and relationships' with many exercises with other participants
-"This is just a breif introduction, we have advanced courses available"
-An emphasis on overcoming the fears that prevent us from acheiving our potential
A cult-like for-profit organization which now calls itself 'Landmark Education' or similar (formerly called 'est') uses these techniques. They even sell their indoctrication sessions to companies under the guise of this sort of 'self-empowerment' crap. Ironically, the whole thing is designed to create intense dependency on the organization. It's a blend of 'tent revival', boot camp and cult brainwashing techniques. Compared to Scientology or Aum Shinrikyo, it isn't that bad, but I've seen several people ruin their lives with the group.
Not all organization are as parasitic as Landmark, but there are quite a few 'motivation' companies who know that all they are doing is manipulating people, but figure, "Hey, it's profitable, why not continue?"
If you want to do a bit more research on the pyschological manipulation techniques, search for 'LGAT' - Large Group Awareness Training. You may want to include a critique of the 'trainer's' manipulative techniques along with your revised 'organization matrix'. (Or not!) You may also want to share what you've found out with a carefully selected group of co-workers so that they can understand what was done to them. Watch out, though, because there will be instant devotees for whom the experience was particularly intense - they will have an irrationally intense reaction to you as a traitor. Do not try to reason with them for quite a while, they will not be able to rationally factor the facts in front of them. This is the whole point to the training - and why management loves this crap so much.
You're probably having an intensely negative reaction to the (failed) attempt to manipulate you - for good reason. LGATs are basically pyschological roller coasters - they are engineered to create intense experiences. The difference is that when you get on a rollercoaster, you know that it's all 'fake', but the LGATs promote themselves as 'real' experiences that create 'real' growth. Bah. There is nothing wrong with being an individual.
By the way, what is the name of the 'training' company?
They use a big 'grab bag' of techniques, so they may not use everything I list below, but let me know if I've hit a lot of them:
-Rigid scheduling (possibly including when you can eat or go to the bathroom)
-Very long sessions and/or very long days
-An empahsis on 'potential' and 'goals' and 'realizing that you can achieve anything'
-Psychobabble terminology or radically redefining ordinary words
-Philosophy-babble like 'revealing the realm of what you don't know you don't know'
-Heavy emphasis on 'self-disclosure' in front of the group, particulary personal failings and goals
-An intensely charismatic instructor/leader
-A shotgun of techniques where they hope to catch everyone with something
-A heavy emphasis on 'interpersonal communication and relationships' with many exercises with other participants
-"This is just a breif introduction, we have advanced courses available"
-An emphasis on overcoming the fears that prevent us from acheiving our potential
A cult-like for-profit organization which now calls itself 'Landmark Education' or similar (formerly called 'est') uses these techniques. They even sell their indoctrication sessions to companies under the guise of this sort of 'self-empowerment' crap. Ironically, the whole thing is designed to create intense dependency on the organization. It's a blend of 'tent revival', boot camp and cult brainwashing techniques. Compared to Scientology or Aum Shinrikyo, it isn't that bad, but I've seen several people ruin their lives with the group.
Not all organization are as parasitic as Landmark, but there are quite a few 'motivation' companies who know that all they are doing is manipulating people, but figure, "Hey, it's profitable, why not continue?"
If you want to do a bit more research on the pyschological manipulation techniques, search for 'LGAT' - Large Group Awareness Training. You may want to include a critique of the 'trainer's' manipulative techniques along with your revised 'organization matrix'. (Or not!) You may also want to share what you've found out with a carefully selected group of co-workers so that they can understand what was done to them. Watch out, though, because there will be instant devotees for whom the experience was particularly intense - they will have an irrationally intense reaction to you as a traitor. Do not try to reason with them for quite a while, they will not be able to rationally factor the facts in front of them. This is the whole point to the training - and why management loves this crap so much.
You're probably having an intensely negative reaction to the (failed) attempt to manipulate you - for good reason. LGATs are basically pyschological roller coasters - they are engineered to create intense experiences. The difference is that when you get on a rollercoaster, you know that it's all 'fake', but the LGATs promote themselves as 'real' experiences that create 'real' growth. Bah. There is nothing wrong with being an individual.
By the way, what is the name of the 'training' company?
Yeah, it was definitely weird. I don't think it was brain-washing or anything like that, but the whole gist was that I needed to think like everyone else. The first tip-off was when the facilitator introduced himself to me. He said, "You've got your name tag on the wrong side. Most people are right handed and naturally shake with their right hands. Put your name tag on the right side of your body, so that when someone shakes your hand, their line of sight will naturally follow the shape of your arm and end right at the name tag." Little flag went up. Do you ever get the vibe that you're not really having a conversation with someone, but a mental chess match instead? I noticed that whatever gesture I made, the guy eventually did the same thing. I crossed my legs, he crossed his and so forth. This guy struck me as someone who has supplanted his own personality with one that was manufactured to be successful. I just hate that crap. Don't get me wrong, a lot of the stuff we talked about was good and positive. It's the "way" and the jumping on the bandwagon without thinking about things that bothered me. I know these sessions are a reality of corporate America, but I would just rather people be real. About the brain-washing... I caught myself unknowingly selling flowers in front of a gas station this morning. Do you think that's a problem?
I've had just about enough of this shit.