Thread regarding Ford layoffs

Definitely this -> I think most of the time it is a survival skill of people who can't really 'do' very well. So they kiss a-s and echo as a way to protect themselves.

Short sighted by the a—kissers as

• they don’t have a backup plan (can’t find another job without skills)
• the landscape will change and they will find themselves as targets and get the boot

We had a co-worker who spent years with her lips firmly attached to the behinds of the LL6 and doing nothing productive. She bullied her teammates who were actually doing work and excelled at credit stealing and blaming.
Then the LL6 retired, the competent people had a heads up on the impending retirement and arranged to transfer to other groups. Another woman of her ilk became LL6 and learned that all the competent people had transferred out of the group. She then targeted the a—kisser. The a—kisser was dismayed as she and the now LL6 had collaborated for years in bullying coworkers and she felt betrayed. The a—kisser could not find another “technical” position at Ford and moved into a special projects area and then was forced out.
Funny thing the a—kisser is still bitter about her fate and feels she was a model Ford employee.

It's a fast way to get to the lowest common denominator...

I think most of the time it is a survival skill of people who can't really 'do' very well. So they kiss a-s and echo as a way to protect themselves.

As those people get promoted into higher and higher LLs, we end up with leadership that struggles to think for itself and performs poorly when given actual responsibility. And they're also very likely to reward the GSRs that behave like they did. So any free thinking GSR who might have good - independent - ideas will likely be silenced and eventually booted.

I look at Ford and how we've invested in so many different areas - Argo and Rivian for example. We were never even close to being the first to invest - we just did it because bigger and smarter companies did it first. Then our leaders didn't actually know what to do to make these investments profitable and we eventually lost money on each. Because much of our leadership struggles to think for themselves - and have never really been tested. Now, when they are tested - they fail.

@4ljz I bet you are one of those people who sits in meetings and argues inconsequential points just to make themselves heard. I know what the poster was trying to say and so do you. maybe you should look at your reflection in the mirror and punch yourself in the face for being a dbag.

There is a—kissing and then there is being part of the problem and not doing your job

This is being part of the problem: “I agree with nearly everything they say and only echo back to them.”
That is a person who does not have a backbone and proper communication skills, in other words a weasel. Guaranteed that same person is laughing while tossing his coworkers under the bus. Ethically challenged people lack ethics in all situations.

I think he's kind of right though...

Do what you have to do to survive.

Who cares what a bunch of angry people have to say on a forum nobody has ever heard of.

Go ahead and kiss as--s. Keep collecting a paycheck while people here get fired.

Yeah that's looking at your reflection. It's two dimensional. But the same thing. It's impossible to look yourself in the face.

Mirror.

How exactly does one look themself of the face?

@3jaw I couldnt look myself in the face if I did what you do. But dont worry, your type gets promoted into leadership and survives while the worthy ones get canned.

I believe that Mr Farley will offshore much of the engineering. He was very concerned that His company requires more engineers to do the same work as His competitors.

I feel grateful each day to have my job at Ford. I am playing the Old Ford game the way it used to be played. I make sure to kiss up to the LLs in my organization. I agree with nearly everything they say and only echo back to them. This has kept me gainfully employed for a decade while other engineers - probably much smarter than me - were let go through the last 7+ layoffs and buyouts.

You should all do the same...

Mr Farley says Old Ford grew back - but it never left. Eventually he will send most of our engineering work to foreign companies where they are much more affordable. If I have any hope of staying employed, I will keep playing the Old Ford game.

The weekly Huddle emails from Moonbeam were hilarious. You had to be hammered to understand them, well at least you thought you understood them when you were hammered. LOL
I remember the leadership team huddling trying to understand emails to them that were giving them marching orders. They literally invited Hacketts admin assistant into the meeting to help them interpret the emails.
What was BF thinking? Isn’t communication skills a prerequisite for CEO? Guess not as we now have the likes of JF and DF who also talk a lot but its all unicorn farts

Ford is a wonderful place to “work” if you want to just sit and collect a paycheck. Loads of people have made a career out of just occupying space at Ford.
Ford is a cr-ppy place to work if you actually do work and want to learn, grow and make a difference.

If you played the drinking game every time Moonbeam said something obtuse, or Billy said we are all family or Jimmy said something disparaging the workers, you'd be hammered in 15 minutes.

@21xd - I'd agree that Ford was a good, though not great, employer prior to Prof. Moonbeam BSing Bill in to hiring him. Under the obtuse homilies of Moonbeam things slipped to just "ok", though this varied by area. Now under the Legend things are now "svcks" with just an occasional area that's "just ok". Ship is sinking from the weight of incompetent greed at the top.

Ford is a good employer (not great but good)…but I found out the hard way there was no future for me (highish paying dead end job) at that company, so I left. Like any company if the disadvantage outweigh the advantages find another gig.

Anyone that doesn't know it's coming hasn't been paying attention. If you have a LL4 buddy, get them talking. Preferably after a few beers. You'll get the scoop. The LL4 I know said it is coming and it will make last year look small. Ford is slow on everything. And HR is stalling because August brought Alight and NESC to its knees.

By the way, if you are LL5 and below and have been having little to no interaction with the LL4 above........ Well just say you've been warned.

If you are LL4+ and suddenly aren't being invited to as many meetings as before, well you've been warned.

In August the warning signs were there. People ignored them. Like so many here sticking their heads in the sand.

Good luck.

Holy shitsnacks Batman! Knew things were bad, but that sounds epically bad!! I worked there over 20 years ( “retired” August 2022), and never heard anyone in leadership say
something so defeatist in my life.

At this point, everyone should be hearing the klaxon ho-n blaring ‘Abandon ship’ . Doesn’t mean quit today, but you should already be looking for another job.

Just a friendly reminder. I know those that were forced out in April 2022 were told by Right Management would take 8 weeks to find a job. By august layoffs it became 3 to 4 months, and now up to 6 months or more.

This comment is because your supervisor is telling you that you are next to be cut without telling you that you are next to be cut. Look for another job and get out.

People with no purpose in life will suck it up and make it month by month

Same with Ford Credit. All day.

Our dept had manager and TL meetings all day????? They were tired??? Wonder what’s up? They also had the comment later “made it one more month”????