No Words Spoken

[MasterBlaster]

Well, almost. How many of you work blessed with a crew... where everyone knows what to do, and when to do it? You just look at someone, and they know(usually) what needs to be done?

Ain't it sweet?

Its been years for me. Its weird... I've accustomed myself to working with people that I presume to be on their first day of the job. Generally speaking, they are mostly *******... and I mean retard in a good way... probably at the 'mild' level.

If this keeps on for too much longer, I just may have to start my own biz.

Mixed feelings 'bout that!:alien:

 

[Treeman14]

Originally posted by MasterBlaster
If this keeps on for too much longer, I just may have to start my own biz.

And that will change things...how?

 

[MasterBlaster]

Re: Re: No Words Spoken

And that will change things...how?

Well, my pipe dream would be to assemble a crack crew of motivated, self-starters... experienced/ safety minded teamplayers that were paid well.

THAT would be the first step.

 

[MasterBlaster]

I don't worry so much about the 'dying' part of the game... when it gets down to that, I CMA to the max.

I'm talking about the simple daily routines that should be 2nd nature to the people that do it, day in and day out.

Its like every day these people wake up and forget anything that happened the day before.

 

[TreeJunkie]

All of the guys i work w/ know pretty much what's up, all are top notch hard workers,,The only problem is the language barrier, we've got a couple of guys, El Salvadorians, well they don't speak english worth refried beans, they both had worked for an outfit here in town previously,,trying to relay directions and retrain these guys to do there job the unhackly way. Its' a ?????. The one climber is especially tough, i might as well not bother giving him a hand saw in a tree, this guy starts the 020 on the ground and then goes up, the ???? saw never stops running till he hits the ground.. Pisses me off, he's all about speed but nothing about quality,,,I've bout had it w/ the way these guys were trained.. I soppose it would help if i was more fluent in Espanol, but i'm not and nor is anyone else. If i could find one hard working cracker in this ???? town that wasn't a crack head, i'd be set.

 

[MasterBlaster]

I would learn to speak Spanish tootsweet.

It's amazing the respect you can command from people when you can speak their language...

 

[TreeJunkie]

I took 3 years back in H.S, but alot has been since lost, I speak enough to get by most of the time, but when it comes to details>>>Me learning to speak better spanish would be good, but hey we're still in the u.s. and i'm not in so. ca. so maybe they should learn some ???? english....other than george < one of the other foreman, no one else in the co. speaks a lick of english, including the owner or any of the sales people.. It's a sad thing b/c combined the sales guy and the secretary, have 5 degrees, and neither knows any foreign language... Puzzling to me how you get through college w/ out having to take these coarses...

 

[Nickrosis]

Originally posted by MasterBlaster
It's amazing the respect you can command from people when you can speak their language...

I'm just starting to realize how true that is. Now that I can hold a conversation, I'm wishing I had learned long ago.

Originally posted by TreeJunkie
Me learning to speak better spanish would be good...It's a sad thing b/c combined the sales guy and the secretary, have 5 degrees, and neither knows any foreign language... Puzzling to me how you get through college w/ out having to take these coarses...

You're not kidding. For whatever reason, high schools think that it's a good time to throw in a language class when it should really start before you're in 4th grade.

Just because it's a bachelor of science degree doesn't mean language shouldn't be required. I think anyone studying the green industry should take classes.

Finally, I think it's generally easier for them to take Spanish classes. Honestly, they need to speak English more than you need to speak Spanish. Trabajo con Mexicanos quien estan aprendiendo Ingles y ellos aprenden mas rapido que yo aprendo Espanol. I mean, they have immersion English every day of the week...

 

[jkrueger]

language isn't the crux

Funny today had a long conversation with a fellow arborist. And the conversation was of a 'similar' note. Yet, what we got to was working with people who think more than 'this is a job' and want to learn more and apply more skill.

Working with fast, maybe, stronge, maybe, quick, maybe, ... is a drag when they don't flow as the intent of the job.

Boy, would I like to find a handful like that, just one would bea start.

I am, and it seems most of us here are. Hey, maybe I'll move to get closer. Any offers?

dEEP tHOUTHS,
Jack

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

For those posittions you really need to "winnow the chaff" I've a buddy who I work with, he's been looking for a groundie for 3 or more years now. Might have snagged a keeper last fall.

It' goes beyond talking to the people. If you want the people to respect and respond to you, youve gotta start it out.

Treat a man like a dog...

If you drop them on the site and say "drag brush" there is a good chance they are going to have reservations about the job.

Treat them like a member right off the bat, show them nots and ropes and give a little responcability and you can start to read the atitude pretty quick.

 

[DirtHawg]

Blaster
As you know I do a different type of climbing work now days.

I know what you mean by working with nice *******. I will first say that now all are the same. But the general lack of interest for any type of work with todays younger generation is the main cause of what you are reffering to. That slacker earns just as much money as the guy that wants to put forth an effort to do a good job. And those people will be the first in line for their pay check at the end of the week. That is all that they are interested in.

I have always been different. If you were to hire me tomarrow to work for you as a climber. I would spend at least a week or two on the ground just watching and learning your technics and habits. If in a week or two I do not have your way of working down pat and adjusted to where I can work with and not against you. I would be gone. For you will not be totally focused on your job and that is where people get hurt or lose money. If The man does not make money that I work for. I feel that I dont either.

 

[coydog]

I work with a lot of guys that know what's up , and a couple that don't, some speak english, some don't. some of the guys that don't speak fluent english are the best crewmembers you could ask for. dynamite climbers, certified arborists( there is a spanish cert.arb test, so you don't have to speak english well to be certified) One of the thing that makes our company work so well is the respect given to everyone, english speaking or not. If somebody isn't working out, it's not the language barrier, it's usually other things. We had a guy work with us once and he made a couple of "burrito" analogies on the crew, he didn't make it past his 90 days.

 

[a_lopa]

know what you mean mb im out on my own now was sick of being sent out with peanut brains,i made ok money working climbing for myself subing the mulching stumps,the only problem now is i have to employ labourers most people that are good dont like doing the ????ty things oftern, someone that will chip and cut up and sharpen a saw i find them the hardest to get hold of

 

[ozy vince]

Hi, This is a familiar topic, I don't think I can add a lot more, I did find while I was in the industry that there were people who had it and people who just didnt. We had some guys who were long time pot smokers and they wern't that good, but being a good groundie seems not to be something you learn, but something that just happens, one day it all just falls into place, until that happens you drag brush, fill saws, take orders & most of all, watch. If that day never comes you may need to find a new career, only you will know that.

It is also a lot more than just turning up, you realy have to love arboriculture, when I was a groundie, if my boss had said he would'nt pay me for the climbing jobs, I still would have turned up, becuase I just loved being there, its just the thrill of it, you know your living!

But I left that job in the end, it spiraled into day after day after day of line clearing, the type of work where you go to a tree cut the blazers out of it and move on to the next victim. But I still love aboriculture and I am starting to train, to get to a higher leval.

I found this forum and another by mistake and now I am addicted, I check them as often as I can, somtimes before my email. Do I need help?

cheers ozy vince.

 

[che]

Butch, I know you're referring to tree work...but what you're describing is in every type of job I've ever been in. It doesn't necessarily have anything to do with skill....it seems to be more a sense of pride, intuition, drive, awareness, and common sense (which can be VASTLY different from 'book knowledge'.)

I've worked in offices, factories, machine shops, restaurants, greenhouses, a plant store, research laboratories, even did a bit of work in an OR a few times....before settling here on this farm where I work alone 95% of the time. I've been on both sides of training, worked alone and as part of a team. In all these jobs, I can remember (fondly) those few who I could work side by side with....with words unspoken. It's kinda like a dance of sorts....you get the job done...fluidly, anticipating each other's needs...you take pride in what you're doing...right down to the little things that maybe someone else wouldn't notice.

 

[MasterBlaster]

I miss that!

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

I've one client with whom i've been working for a few years. When he is on the rope the tree flies apart. we have to stop a few times and discuss clearance or LZ size, but we know what the othere wants and things usually go very smooth.