While I wait for your thread to be killed I’ll just say most people on here probably are busting their chops every day. I’ve been doing worldwide software consulting in my own business for the past 11 years.
I’m a lower grade employee who works the graveyard shift. There are times at my job where I have to wait for sometimes up to an hour to start the next assignment. I feel I am doing something very valuable as I learn to communicate/collaborate on govloop. Since the Forest Service and most agencies hold employee training in such high regard, I feel I am justified in spending time here. Projects for us are often small but there are lots of them. So yes, we have completed projects. Most government employees have these jobs and remain in them because they feel they are contributing something worthwhile to the general population. Whatever may happen in the higher ranks, the rank and file employees want to be a part of positive growth and change. Keep checking back though. We need to be held accountable.
While d probably could have been a little more diplomatic…….he/she speaks to probably the most important concern related to social networking in an office setting. That concern is that, instead of being a used as an important tool for collabaration, it turns into a chat-fest full of meaningless drivel. I think it is a valid concern and it’s one that should be addressed. I manage a group of technical support professionals my personal take is that I see no logical difference between them having discussions among themselves and having discussions on a site like this. A person who spends all day chattering on a blog and the person who spends all day going from cubicle to cubicle to find someone to chat with are the same problem to me. It’s my responsibility to know my staff and to make sure that they are getting the work done. That being said, I have yet to see any evidence that social networking is enhancing our productivity. That may change but, being an old dog with almost 30 years in the game, I’m a natural skeptic.
Jim, despite the fact that you agree with Adriel, I like your question about whether there is evidence to show that social networking is enhancing our productivity. I guess I can only answer for myself, but I have found that using a combination of social networking sites helps me to save time. Where I used to just have to search every repository I could think of to find an answer to some obscure tasking, I now have the option of taking the question to my social network and asking for help. Usually I find the answer in a fraction of the time!
Teri, Rightly or wrongly I make a distinction between social networking sites such as this and sites like tech forums or one of the search engines. We use the latter constantly and I can’t imagine being without them. I remember in the “good old days” spending hours digging through manuals looking for something that I can now find in seconds so I’m a big believer in the power of the internet. It does seem to me though that a lot of time on these sites is spent discussing semi-philosophical issues like we are doing now. That’s not to say that there is no benefit to be derived from it but it’s something that is very hard to put a value on. Like I said, I’m skeptical but I’m still open to the promise of what of what it could be.
Hmmmmm, no response from D yet. I suppose he’s working on a project. I DO think he could have been a bit more professional. Showing his “attitude” certainly didn’t win him any brownie points here. Great article Mr. Hampton!
Uhh, one more thing to mention…The last 10 hours I’ve spent on GovLoop were spent AT HOME. You may not think I have much of a life but if I weren’t on GovLoop, I’d be watching TV.
While I wait for your thread to be killed I’ll just say most people on here probably are busting their chops every day. I’ve been doing worldwide software consulting in my own business for the past 11 years.
What was the point of your post?
I’m a lower grade employee who works the graveyard shift. There are times at my job where I have to wait for sometimes up to an hour to start the next assignment. I feel I am doing something very valuable as I learn to communicate/collaborate on govloop. Since the Forest Service and most agencies hold employee training in such high regard, I feel I am justified in spending time here. Projects for us are often small but there are lots of them. So yes, we have completed projects. Most government employees have these jobs and remain in them because they feel they are contributing something worthwhile to the general population. Whatever may happen in the higher ranks, the rank and file employees want to be a part of positive growth and change. Keep checking back though. We need to be held accountable.
While d probably could have been a little more diplomatic…….he/she speaks to probably the most important concern related to social networking in an office setting. That concern is that, instead of being a used as an important tool for collabaration, it turns into a chat-fest full of meaningless drivel. I think it is a valid concern and it’s one that should be addressed. I manage a group of technical support professionals my personal take is that I see no logical difference between them having discussions among themselves and having discussions on a site like this. A person who spends all day chattering on a blog and the person who spends all day going from cubicle to cubicle to find someone to chat with are the same problem to me. It’s my responsibility to know my staff and to make sure that they are getting the work done. That being said, I have yet to see any evidence that social networking is enhancing our productivity. That may change but, being an old dog with almost 30 years in the game, I’m a natural skeptic.
My stock response to such comments.
I totaly agree with your response. Anonymity seems to go hand-in-hand with incivility.
Adriel and Jim -> Perfectly summarized. Enough said.
Jim, despite the fact that you agree with Adriel, I like your question about whether there is evidence to show that social networking is enhancing our productivity. I guess I can only answer for myself, but I have found that using a combination of social networking sites helps me to save time. Where I used to just have to search every repository I could think of to find an answer to some obscure tasking, I now have the option of taking the question to my social network and asking for help. Usually I find the answer in a fraction of the time!
Teri, Rightly or wrongly I make a distinction between social networking sites such as this and sites like tech forums or one of the search engines. We use the latter constantly and I can’t imagine being without them. I remember in the “good old days” spending hours digging through manuals looking for something that I can now find in seconds so I’m a big believer in the power of the internet. It does seem to me though that a lot of time on these sites is spent discussing semi-philosophical issues like we are doing now. That’s not to say that there is no benefit to be derived from it but it’s something that is very hard to put a value on. Like I said, I’m skeptical but I’m still open to the promise of what of what it could be.
Ahhhhhhh………E-Schmoozing. Now I get it!
Hmmmmm, no response from D yet. I suppose he’s working on a project. I DO think he could have been a bit more professional. Showing his “attitude” certainly didn’t win him any brownie points here. Great article Mr. Hampton!
Uhh, one more thing to mention…The last 10 hours I’ve spent on GovLoop were spent AT HOME. You may not think I have much of a life but if I weren’t on GovLoop, I’d be watching TV.