We've all worked for one

I was watching the movie 'Stripes' as I worked out yesterday. I haven't seen it in quite awhile. Mostly for me comedies aren't nearly as funny after several viewings and I try to avoid them. Although it is a classic it falls into the same fate. But, there was nothing else on.

But then it struck me. You know these two guys! We probably all know these two guys. I'm not talking about Bill Murray and Harold Ramis. I mean Captain Stillman and Sergeant Hulka. They are the classic pair and most either know these two or have worked for one or both.

Captain Stillman is the classic doofus who shouldn't be where he is. He is completely incompetent and has a substantially overinflated opinion of himself and his position. He wonders why he can't get ahead. Truth be told he shouldn't have gotten as far as he did. He has no skills, doesn't understand how his organization works or possibly moved ahead without working through the trenches. Sergeant Hulka on the other hand is the hands-on leader who runs things on a day-to-day basis. He must suffer under the 'leadership' of the totally incompetent, a leader who knows nothing of the sergeant's job, who couldn't do the sergeant's job with a roadmap.

I feel for all those who are currently under such leadership. I have worked for Captain Stillman several times. The worst part is when things go wrong it is always someone elses fault. They don't have the knowledge or leadership skills or the respect of others to succeed, thus the blame game.

Thank God for the Hulkas of the world who roll up their sleeves and work through the slop to get the job done. Chances are, if you haven't gotten 'the dirt' under your nails you probably shouldn't be where you are.