Hi all,
Got a job, had one for some time with a french firm no english just 15 french blokes,1 very attractive female co worker and 2 bosses and the foreigner(me)
After some time of worshiping the ground that the bosses walked on,shaking hands, plenty of monsieur and vous....and building the"trust" thing...
Progressed to eqaul my last english job and more.
Now on first name terms with bosses?nice guys one is half italien french and fudges everything he touches and dissappers just as fast leaving us to clean up?saturday work lunchtime BBQ,pizza? lunchtimes are payed for on the distances you work from depot?telephone?own truck..
I am very lucky,what's your boss like is he ok? or a control freak hardliner give us your view on god!!!

My boss is a very nice guy. True blue blood Parisien aristo (part of the Napolean clan) but married to an Aussie and lived in Melbourne for 4 years, which makes him an interesting French/Aussie mix. Speaks perfect English, always calm and measured, quite humorous, MBA from Harvard so lets just say he's smart enough. He's an "International Director", which means he's a professional Board member for many of the larger companies in our group. Couldn't organise a piss up in a vinyard though, lives in a state of utter chaos all the time, so need to be very on the ball on his behalf. As a team we forgive the occasional frustration caused by his chaos as he's proved to be decent through and through, defends his people, supports your views, lets you get credit where its due. A rare one in my experience.

Ah Herman, you have one in a million(aire) there by the sound of it. There's nothing like trust as it breeds autonomy, which is my favourite, as I don't work well with some hideous control freak breathing down my neck.

IMHO the best bosses are often the ones who earn the respect of their employees by various methods one of which is to trust them to get on with the job BUT allow them the credit for a job well done. I have had various bosses over the years and been one myself, and the nicest I had was at College, we only had her for two years then I left but have heard since, that despite cutbacks, she's been promoted to Assistant Principal - she deserved it, she was great.

Worst I had was when I was 22 at British Leyland in Cowley. Dreadful little Scottish man (nothing against the Scots, love em to bits) who was not only a control freak but a Serial Womaniser and sexually harrassed me for 5 months till I walked out.

And although I am well qualified myself, I don't worship at the "degree altar" as some of the nicest people I ever worked for had no more in the qualification stakes than a budgie in a pet shop, but were superb cos they knew the job, knew what they were doing and didn't expect anyone to do anything they couldn't do themselves.

Glad you get on with your boss Nibbler - it's very important for a quiet life, and once you get their respect it's well worth looking after it.

Like you Herman I did once have a boss who was a bit chaotic - unless they make major cock-ups and are typical "upper class shits", they can be quite funny to work for, and often at least have the sense to leave the true management to those who CAN do it. But you do have to watch your back with these people as they do seem to have the nasty habit of blaming downwards if it all goes tits up.

One point I think is important though, is that one does need some form of closure if one leaves because of a bad boss - or you often have trouble getting over it and moving on. Still wish even though it was over 30 years ago I had punched That Git At Leyland on the nose - it would have been worth doing the time methinks ...........

do you think i should be religously shaking everyones hands?with the swine flu
there are 16 men and the highlite of my day a kiss on the two cheeks with the attractive female co worker please do not say i must stop that....