I guess people have always been worried about protecting their jobs. It seems like a natural worry.
But we’re wrong to think that not teaching someone else to do our job or help us with ours is the way to protect it.
At 22 and fresh out of college with a degree in Electrical Engineering, I started working at a large defense contractor building satellites. I showed up a shy and unconfident version of myself.
My team ensured the satellites that we built would survive both natural and man-made radiation in space — nuclear survivability. Fancy, right?
My manager Charlie paired me with a few guys, Jim, Tom, and Rob, who helped me get comfortable, figure out what working and contributing in corporate America looks like, and helped me with all of my newbie technical questions.
A few weeks in, I was already growing.
And then, I hit my first roadblock. Charlie asked me to see Bill and ask him to teach me how he does his particular type of modeling. He was overloaded and could use some help.
So there I went — bouncing over to Bill’s desk like an enthusiastic puppy. I mentioned that Charlie had sent me over to learn how he does his modeling and asked when he had some time to show me.
After a pregnant pause, a slow turn in his chair, and a condescending stare down his nose over his glasses, he answered, “Not gonna happen.”
Uh, now what?
