Tuesday 27 August 2013

The ability to snatch disaster from the jaws of victory

As I mentioned yesterday, I once had a boss (aka Noddy, secretly named by me 'cos all that was missing was the bell on his little blue hat) who was a contender for being the World's most incompetent manager on the planet and unpleasant with it. If he could make a right mess of things he would, and be proud of his achievement too - he sure could snatch disaster from the jaws of victory.

Let me explain just one incident to illustrate the lack of grey cells and he actually told us this one, I would have been so mortified I'd have kept it secret from anyone who hadn't known me at the time!

Before he worked where I did, Noddy was having replacement windows installed in his first floor floor flat/apartment. Noddy couldn't leave things well alone, he always had to be interfering and sticky beaking, so he was under the feet of the workmen at every step of the job.

When they stopped for lunch, Noddy couldn't resist checking out a huge (lucky for him not glazed as yet) window frame. Noddy didn't know that said window frame wasn't drilled and screwed into the walls as yet, heavy window frame tilted and tottered, Noddy hung onto window frame instead of letting go. Can you picture what's coming?

Window frame toppled out of the window opening, Noddy still hung on, window frame and Noddy flew through the air and almost landed on the astonished workers quietly having their lunch below.

Noddy ended up in hospital with concussion, a broken leg and TWO broken arms. This meant weeks of being spoon fed with his arms in plaster. Silly Noddy - perhaps that should have taught him a lesson but not so.

Thankfully I escaped from that job and moved onwards, upwards and out of reach. And Noddy? He's still there and still as incompetent, in the same job and going nowhere fast...................except for flying out of window openings perhaps?

Di
x

18 comments:

  1. This did make me laugh and then reminisce about my previous careers and the people I have worked with, the good, the bad and the downright despicable lol. I worked somewhere once where they referred to this type as the "Peter principle" which meant promoted to their level of incompetence, as an in joke we would ask the individual if their middle name was "Peter or Petra" lol. Hugs, Amanda x

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  2. OMG, OMG!!!! Although I kept his real name out of it - Noddy's name is Peter!! And yes, he'd actually got to a level or two ABOVE his incompetence!! :))

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  3. Hehehe this is brilliant.....I wonder if he reads your blog? :-)
    Did he have a friends with big ears?
    Hugs,
    A x

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  4. Oh Di. You do meet some weird and wonderful people on your journey through life, don't you? This made me smile. It painted such a picture in my mind as I read it. Kate x

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  5. If ever there was someone destined to be named Peter then he was IT! Think I'd have kept quiet about it too!

    Kathyk

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  6. Aw Di your stories are so amusing and l too wonder if he reads your blog .....lol x

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  7. Far out this is hilarious - and I just read a couple of comments - so funny - I remember a PETER - yes his name was Peter - and his nickname was "space cadet"... he was a relief manager as he couldn't stay in one place too long cos he was so irritating - however one of the reasons he had the nick name is that in every single location where he did relief he would rearrange the office furniture to suit himself and the staff had to work around it... until the job owner came back and put things right - LOL no idea if he is still around as it was in my previous life with the ANZ Bank... but so funny... Mxx

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  8. Heavens above! He lives right next door to me. Strewth.

    Hugs Mrs a.

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  9. Oh my, Di, it sounds as though Noddy reached a level of incompetence that borders on genius. As my ex was fond of saying, 'he has the IQ of a rocking horse' ... unfair to all rocking horses methinks. And I'm convinced I have worked with him too. If not, his brother, known as The Dark Prince by all who worked alongside him ... definitely a man who couldn't manage his way out of a wet paper bag :) I recall that it was easier to leave the job than carry on covering up for his mistakes. I've just had a dreadful thought ... he may still be in the job and still driving some poor assistant to distraction. I'm shuddering at the memory of him still, so thanks for that Di, I'm off to have a cuppa and calm down :)) Hugs, Elizabeth xx

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  10. What a funny story...made me laugh so hard, Di! Can't stop! Thanks for the chuckle. Am following you...don't want to miss out on any more tales of Noddy! :-D
    xxx Asha
    Sunny Summer Crafts

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  11. Loved your comment on Julia's post about how you've Dyluded yourself about using the Dylusions sprays. The company I sell came out with sprays but up until then I could ignore them but now I "had" to buy them right? Well, they languish. Too messy you know. No one else seems to want to buy them for the same reason.

    As for Noddy, I've worked for his kin before. Oh my.

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  12. LOL Di one of my managers at work was a big on 'large' side should I say and he always wore shirts that would gape near his belly button! because his belly hung over his trousers, it used to make me feel sick hahaha huggles Sue xxx

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  13. LOL!! Fab story Di! Ooh, I could tell you some tales but I don't want the sack, lol!
    xx

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  14. Good Grief! It's a wonder he is still ANYWHERE but six feet under with that sticky beak idiot behavior! Thanks for the funny share!! Hugs, Darnell

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  15. Well you have certainly shattered my image of the real Noddy, all these years. Gordon Bennett would have been a better name.
    Don't tell me, bet he was the Health & Safety guy.

    Kath x

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  16. Hahahahaha - Priceless !!!! Yes - I definitely agree with the Peter principle too.... soooooo true and very apt for every Peter I've ever known too. :-D

    IKE xxxxxxxxxxxxx

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  17. Tee Hee! I love this story and yes, I would have kept it quiet! I think though if we think about it we all know a Noddy! Or a D F! You can work that one out Darnell!
    Hugs
    xx

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