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Comment by mironathetin | Hacker News Reader

I agree, the pizza parties and Amazon stuff is ridiculous, no question. I guess, the management did not fire vturner, because he pointed out a better idea. He was fired, because he openly embarrassed the management in a meeting. This is very undiplomatic. Apart from proper english, it is also important to have social skills and develop a feeling for rudeness.

It is very hard to find good ways to turn criticism into something positive and productive, though. This is all about how to put things and about the right or wrong moment. Not easy but worth trying.

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His "outburst" may have been more for the benefit of his fellow employees than for management. I'm thinking that a few of them were quite encouraged that someone bravely spoke what they were feeling. It's hard to overstate how inhuman and alien some if these situations start feeling. I jolt of realness is a precious thing.

Certainly undiplomatic, but I wouldn't say it was rude. The "spin the wheel" incentive scheme is demeaning to the people it is meant to incentivise. For the senior management to propose it means they are either seriously clueless about people or simply don't care about them. In either case, in a business setting, the OP "telling it like it is" is a brave but appropriate response.

I agree, OP would probably still be employed if he spoke wit the management after the meeting, in private.

I wouldn't go so far as to make this assumption, though it could be the case. I'd say it's more important to realize that management that would come up with this sort of 'reward' in the first place is not at all likely to care about this kind of input, even if it's phrased nicely or given privately.

Perhaps, but any management -- well intentioned or not -- is a lot less likely to see the "input" as disruption that is toxic to morale, productivity, and managements interests generally if it is either (and especially if it is both) presented in a way which focuses on constructive improvement in approach to the stated goal and/or provided privately.

Sure a poor assumption, but remember this is feedback from staff that are paid minimum wage. The inputs are not likely differing engineering controls for example which result in $100,000's of savings annually.

This also migh just be the classic 'fit' issue. Whilst unfortunate, OP (or someone on his behalf) needs to find a better gig. Life is simply too short.

Simple rule is business is to pay $10/per $100 dollars of new revenues. This is Amazon referral fee, for example. But getting paid $10/ per 1,000 is off by an <order of magnitude> and the manager is lacking judgement. This is opportunistic and potentially exploitative.

Highly doubtful a private 1-on-1 would change the stripes, but maybe who knows.

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