Invisible Idiots

John Sullivan is a working project manager who writes and speaks on project and career issues.

 

During the Cold War, American scientists were trying to develop a machine to instantly translate between English and Russian. During testing, someone entered the phrase "out of sight, out of mind" and the machine returned "invisible idiot." Like many projects, their best efforts produced disastrous results.

"Invisible Idiot" can also mean "off-site worker," one working away from the employer. Flattened organizations have scattered employees to offices across town and in distant lands. All are at risk for becoming "invisible idiots." I speak from experience.

About 50 of us were sent to work on a multi-company project at a "remote" site 10 miles away. After a few weeks I returned to the regional office and discovered someone else had my cubicle. It got worse from there.

Over the next three years our communications with our own company deteriorated. Our distance from the office meant two or three calls to get an answer versus a trip down the hallway. Staff reductions aggravated the situation. When people departed, some job duties were not reassigned.

Most problems concerned benefits and careers. As time passed, our training requests went unanswered, promises of salary increases were broken and accountability for these issues became a mystery. After a series of these blunders, one of my co-workers said, "I feel like they've forgotten us." We had become "invisible …

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