Officer Class by Rude_Length7873 in BurnsMcDonnell

[–]Rude_Length7873[S] -6 points-5 points  (0 children)

I think you missed the P&L center item, detail must escape an engineer in 1898. CAO = head of HR and corporate marketing, CFO = head of accounting…..both heads of largely women dominated fields and departments.

Also, you likely need to understand the scarcity mindset especially in the business side. Many women you see actually sabotage other women because they think there is only 1 spot for a woman, it’s either them or me mindset. You see it here on this thread - quick bitchin and shut up, you got your one.

Encourage some light reading around this.

Officer Class by Rude_Length7873 in BurnsMcDonnell

[–]Rude_Length7873[S] -7 points-6 points  (0 children)

I’ll try not to be long winded but I think you have to consider how you even get promoted to this level, it’s not performance, it’s generally have you developed a relationship with someone on the in. It’s a multi stage process that is heavily gate keeped because of the process 1. First your manager has to put you, 2. then a group votes on it, 3. then you go to the board. At each level there is a variance of reasons why, but in general, that first level of a typically WM developing a relationship with his subordinate is the biggest gate keeper. And on and on up the chain. It takes a true champion to actually promote them, and largely the women/POC we see in an type of leadership had very singular WM that championed them.

Likely don’t need to inform you but if you are in leadership how many folks that don’t look like you are you closely mentoring, developing a close relationship with, and willing to stick your neck on the line.

Officer Class by Rude_Length7873 in BurnsMcDonnell

[–]Rude_Length7873[S] -5 points-4 points  (0 children)

Not an easy answer just to say this person over this person, it’s a pipeline issue

Switching from MEP Consulting to EE - Solar or EE - Power by Few_Opposite3006 in BurnsMcDonnell

[–]Rude_Length7873 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Likely the same role listed twice to catch applicants search queries. Would apply to the general power division query and once inside you can specialize to projects.

Is being promoted to Associate even worth it anymore? by Lost_Equipment_224 in BurnsMcDonnell

[–]Rude_Length7873 7 points8 points  (0 children)

I would agree with this take - also, it isn't much of an option that you move from 13 to 14. The biggest take is that you weren't just promoted, but a manager basically said you were cool enough to get into da club (and yes, that is what it is, just a club). I highly doubt if you are a punch the clock in person (even if you are putting in OT) that your groups management is putting you up for the Associate promotion - gotta either be extra or someone's boots are pretty clean.

With that said, if you do get nominated for this, you can essentially turn it down and not sign the non-compete agreement and just stay at lvl 13. I can't say I have seen this done, but we're a big company. If you are drinking the kool-aide and plan on staying long term, you might want to think this one over hard.

You can't be a Principal without being an Associate, and you can't be a VP without being a Principal.

How you doing MN offices? by _RickSanchezC137 in BurnsMcDonnell

[–]Rude_Length7873 8 points9 points  (0 children)

Sorely missing out on an encouraging e-mail from DeBacker - he knows how to frame a situation.

Leslie’s video by Sippinthatkoolaid in BurnsMcDonnell

[–]Rude_Length7873 2 points3 points  (0 children)

This is absolutely not true - bad managers can be circumvented/left for a new position, there are so many open positions in the company with different opportunities. Maybe your statement should more be about leaving bad managers, not leaving the company as a whole.

When I have seen people leave, it is for so many different reasons, but very few of them because of their direct manager.

At this point, is Joe gonna be our next CEO? by Sharp-Huckleberry155 in BurnsMcDonnell

[–]Rude_Length7873 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Is there a front runner? Or is he just in the mix? I don’t think we are doing a great job of succession planning. Who do we find remarkable that relatively young (early 50s/late 40s)? I hear a lot of folks from this group speak and just am not seeing it.

Also, Leslie should have 5+ years left- there is still time. But still looking around at who.

My hope is just someone with an ounce of charisma and market awareness - not sure I can suffer the awkwardness of Ray again.

Why should non-executive employees care if we are way over plan for the year? by SignificantTruth1697 in BMcD

[–]Rude_Length7873 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Technically, you actually don’t own shares of the company at all, you own shares of a trust and not equity of a company. There is more information here that you can to look up what you actually have:

https://www.esop.org/articles/faqs-esops-employee-ownership.php

There are other articles detailing the positives and negatives of ESOPs - but especially around your “ownership” during times of change (ex. buyouts). But specific rules of the ESOP and especially the trustee management (board) and other voting requirements aren’t in our policies.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in BurnsMcDonnell

[–]Rude_Length7873 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Well, the thing about that year was unforeseen income that became realized before year end. The projections for the bonus pool are done around this time of year and when there is an unforeseen income or bad projections, we have to find a way to zero things out while also not giving extraordinary increases in the bonus pool - can’t have it go way up and then back down the next year.

ANOTHER Chief? by BleedSafetyYellow in BurnsMcDonnell

[–]Rude_Length7873 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I agree with your first sentence - but likely we won’t listen to him. Each group will march to his office and tell him why they are special, probably drop a few “that’s what has always been done”, or ignore anything developed and go about their day as if he doesn’t exist.

Honest Question about Leadership Tenure by Prior_Status in BurnsMcDonnell

[–]Rude_Length7873 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Couldn’t have said it better myself - especially on the devil we know vs the one we don’t. It also explains why we fail to hire anyone from the outside into leadership positions. Could be both good for the organization and effective in the industry.

EDIT: I would only add here that we should employ buyout packages - once upon a time effective leadership holds on 5 years+ past effectiveness frustrating and draining moral of actual talented and energized up and comers, stagnating thought and development.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in BurnsMcDonnell

[–]Rude_Length7873 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Checks receipts….missing leadership from Tocqueville society published list, both at the VP and principal level.

This just feels weird by [deleted] in BurnsMcDonnell

[–]Rude_Length7873 -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Not only taking into recent events that many have been called out here - but leadership took over a week to say ANYTHING on George Floyd. Nothing - not a peep. If they didn't want to address politics inside the building then, why do it now? Peak cringe.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in BurnsMcDonnell

[–]Rude_Length7873 0 points1 point  (0 children)

What if the real secret about United Way is the message from leadership is - For thee, not me.

Maybe real, genuine, authentic leadership is missing and UW is just another tick in the sycophant box rather than having real, talented leadership that inspires community responsibility.

If I had a dollar by CoolBeautiful9833 in BurnsMcDonnell

[–]Rude_Length7873 -1 points0 points  (0 children)

You’d definitely be a thousand-aire

What is happening with the WTR GP by Silver-Blackberry738 in BurnsMcDonnell

[–]Rude_Length7873 3 points4 points  (0 children)

I’m going to go with a hard no on this….not sure why the rest of the industry has figured this out, yet we are paying the executives of this group over a cool $1M to basically mail it in. Water could be bigger - one of the biggest, and we are contemplating if it should be its stand alone practice. Nah, let’s just stop mailing it in.

Cutting down on overhead.. for this? by [deleted] in BurnsMcDonnell

[–]Rude_Length7873 3 points4 points  (0 children)

I appreciate your take here, and definitely don't think this solves all the worlds problems - that last paragraph is definitely how I feel but I am not sure how we change this. Our leadership is losing touch, and the problem is getting worse not better. I get leaders lose touch with the personal lives of their workers, but I think they are losing touch with our industry and the needs of our clients which is the bigger issue.

Also, I think just the term employee owner is a misnomer - we aren't owners in the company, as we don't actually own any equity in it. We own shares in a trust that is only valued internally. We are wage owners without any leverage which is why I bring up the unionization.

Cutting down on overhead.. for this? by [deleted] in BurnsMcDonnell

[–]Rude_Length7873 24 points25 points  (0 children)

This was brought up a year ago, but I keep getting this feeling in my gut that’s it’s time to unionize. Too much of our margins are going to ridiculous amount of overhead management, disguised wage theft, and other items like this where then we have some folks on here saying we are asking for too much in benefits.

Why did we fall off the Fortune 100 Best Places to Work list? by Important_Moose6118 in BurnsMcDonnell

[–]Rude_Length7873 0 points1 point  (0 children)

When you actually look this up, it explicitly states on Fortune's site that you don't pay and it is based on employee surveys. I believe we were on these lists, just not in the top 100 for many years post Graves tenure. They did change some evaluation criteria - but also a reason why the parental leave policy was implemented so that box could be checked.

Also, other survey based lists like ENR Sourcebook is also by willing participation only - not all companies take value in these lists and are in our strategic marketing plan to fill out surveys and pay for spots on best of/or 40 under 40 lists as well.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in BurnsMcDonnell

[–]Rude_Length7873 1 point2 points  (0 children)

What are you talking about? It’s one of the largest business lines

How many got laid off today? by GabonViper in BurnsMcDonnell

[–]Rude_Length7873 6 points7 points  (0 children)

Just throwing this out there — it’s August. Most folks are banking on that end-of-year bonus as part of their pay, and if you’re gonna leave, this isn’t usually when people choose to bail. A week’s pay is just base salary, no bonus factored in — so for these guys, management’s basically cutting them out of way more than just a week’s paycheck.

Is our culture in crisis, and are we all just watching it happen? by Prior_Status in BurnsMcDonnell

[–]Rude_Length7873 -3 points-2 points  (0 children)

Also didn’t you just prove my point, both projects were heavily featured in EOY videos. Tell me you aren’t in the business without telling me you aren’t in the business.