"Do as I say, not as I do."

[mecch]

What are the common wisdom sayings that mean something to you.

I had to go to a training today deep in the alps. I was surprised that the snail mail letter confirming the training day, and a follow up email, took great pains to "suggest" exactly which train to take from which city and then which bus, down to the minute, to arrive at this workshop, which was to start at 8:50.  Walking time too had been carefully estimated.

I know this teacher and he's good on his subjects.  I "like" him well enough - he's a good teacher.  He's also kind of a control freak Type A.  It was awfully Swiss to tell us all those details so I figured I would give in and take the train that would get me there in time for 8:50, which meant an hour earlier one than would put me at the school at 9 am.  Needless to say, only half were on time, but he started anyway, grumbling amicably (but still noting it, then) about the late arrivals.  When one guy arrived at 9 he even asked him which bus he was on and weren't there any others ("no" was the answer).

So then, the first break we didn't make on time.  Then lunch was late.  Cause he was blabbing on and on and couldnt edit to meet his own time table.  

There were elaborately detailed instructions for the end of the workshop - 16:40 with the time figured out to walk to the return bus to the station and the times of the trains that one could catch.  He made a point of mentioning these arrangements twice during the day.  This is all very swiss.

So at 16:30 things were winding down but we still didn't have the course evaluation sheet.  Its pretty important in this milieu to fill those out. I put all my stuff into my backpack and got ready to go. Patiently waiting to see if we would get the evaluation sheets - no movement. And then he said, "you seem to be in a hurry" and I responded "you said we would end at 16:40" so he handed me, alone, the course evaluation sheet "why don't you fill this out then". And then continued speaking, useless stuff really, til 16:43.

At which time I had finished my evaluation and walked out the door with a kind thank you.

So.  What was the fucking point of all his controlling of my entire day if he couldn't stick to the control freak time schedule he had set out???  Needless to say, all the others had to sit there at 16:45 for another 5-10 minutes and do their evaluation sheets.  

I really hate it when control freaks get power, then don't play fair.  

I thought about that adage on my way home.  "Do as I say, not as I do."

Oh, and that's a little window on Swiss weirdness, for you all.  

[GSOgymrat]

I'm not diagnosing here but one of the hallmarks of obsessive-complusive personalities is the person gets so involved in details, timetables and procedures that they may actually get very little accomplished. Here is a synopsis if your would like to learn more.

http://psychcentral.com/disorders/sx26.htm

[hope_for_a_cure]

My take on this is that was his way of letting everybody know that he was in charge.  It would have rubbed me the wrong way too.  I bet he gave you 'that look' when you started getting your things in order for your departure.  He may have attempted to keep the group longer if you had not done that.

I had a boss like that once.  He wanted to, and did call meetings at the end of the day which held the entire staff 'hostage' well past a reasonable time.  We were salaried so it was not like they had to watch that aspect of things, but the idea of it struck a nerve with me since I was always early to get there and at the end of the day I was ready to go home.

I doubt your teacher friend will change though.  

[CaptCarl]

The exacting details would have put me off immediately. Control freaks suck to have to deal with on any kind of regular life basis. To actually pay money to have to put up with their shit is mind boggling to say the least. Especially if you know in advance that person is this way. And apparently, you did know in advance.

So should we assume that you will refrain from taking a class from this bozo again? Or will you go the masochist route, and breathlessly sign up with him again?

At least now we know why the Swiss make such bad-ass watches.....

CaptCarl

[mecch]

He's one of the main trainers for a certification I need. So there are two more left I got to put up with him.

Thank god the school pays for that, not my pocket.
The content is good enough. Who needs the power trip.

At least I learned this time NOT to make any special effort to stick to his exacting time schedule! The only reason I did was to try to fit into swiss convention. But then half the class didn't so...

I was happy to think about the grandma saying afterward.  A lot of these sayings are filled with the experience of the world. 

So I guess:  "Fool, me once, shame on you. Fool me twice shame on me." applies for the future, with this guy.

So anyone else have a recent incident in which common wisdom explains it all?

[Hellraiser]

I would have happily had someone give me details on exactly which route would get me to my desired destination on time.  It keeps me from having to invest any time in figuring out the logistics on my own.  I'm not fond of authority/control in the workplace though.  I've always been of the mindset of "As long as it gets done and done properly it doesn't matter how it came to be".  Everyone has their own methodology for getting a job done and trying to force anyone to do it your way and only your way is definitely not my cup of tea.