>
On the one hand, your friend could just be experiencing a streak of bad luck or a series of bad organizations.I've seen the same play out in several organizations, including the public sector. You don't even need to be cynical to know this is the case...
>when I hear a (first or second hand) account that takes the form “of course I was the reasonable one in every case and these N organizations were clearly behaving like idiots”, I’ve learned to consider the possibility that the speaker is just unusually difficult.
Probably based on different experiences, with different context.
Because in the context described (e.g. the educational example) this is par for the course - and any number of teachers and professors can attest that if you do your work too well and apply rigid standards, you're out of there in no time, or at least make enemies very fast.
>the speaker is just unusually difficult.
Of course, if the baseline is complacency, profiteering, and lack of standards, anybody who stirs those waters is "unusually difficult.".
I've seen the same play out in several organizations, including the public sector. You don't even need to be cynical to know this is the case...
>when I hear a (first or second hand) account that takes the form “of course I was the reasonable one in every case and these N organizations were clearly behaving like idiots”, I’ve learned to consider the possibility that the speaker is just unusually difficult.
Probably based on different experiences, with different context.
Because in the context described (e.g. the educational example) this is par for the course - and any number of teachers and professors can attest that if you do your work too well and apply rigid standards, you're out of there in no time, or at least make enemies very fast.
>the speaker is just unusually difficult.
Of course, if the baseline is complacency, profiteering, and lack of standards, anybody who stirs those waters is "unusually difficult.".