Odessa

A friend at Big Fortune 500 Company told me about a recent meeting. People who have real knowledge on how to solve a specific problem were discussing details on how to solve a problem. Suddenly one of the key player's managers pipes up. He tells the group that he doesn't know jack about the process and that he has absolutely no idea how to fix the problem at hand, but that he has every confidence that the people assembled for the meeting will brilliantly solve the problem. Of course not in those exact words and not quite as succinctly. It was in verbose, carefully crafted manager speak.

Lesson 1 of Manager School: Be a cheerleader for your group. You weren't hired to know jack about the business, just blow smoke up the asses of those that are paid less than you and actually do the work.

Lesson 2 of Manager School: Say stupid, non-productive things in such a way so that your contribution sounds essential even though it is merely a waste of everyone's time. You need to earn your six-digit salary and since brilliance is off the table, bull shit is your best bet.

American corporations - Where mediocre morons with MBAs can succeed and productive people who are actually involved in creating product are laid off and their jobs are sent over seas.