Thanks, Tom

One of the issues I try to point out, and probably failed, is that on our team it wasn't "customers VS employees". The great majority of team members are very customer focused...and there's no direct correlation AFAIK between customer-awareness and career growth - except for the fact that customer activities are supposed to be a part of your overall ratings when reviewed.

Unfortunately, in my case, I guess I had the misfortune of having a direct manager who couldn't give a rat's tail-end about the customer and used to make, informally, disparaging remarks about the Fox world, and considered any customer activities on company time a waste. How this guy survives being in total opposition to an important company initiative like customer focus I can't fathom.

On a final, side note, let me make one thing clear: I've gotten some feedback that when I say "management", people think I mean Ken Levy. Not at all. Ken is the Product Manager which means he's responsible for sales, community content, and community activities. He has no oversight at all on team employees.

Ken - to his credit - pushes VFP as hard as he can in both conventional and unconventional means. He goes the extra mile for our customers and has many VFP achievements under his belt in the past few years. I have nothing but respect and admiration for Ken and his efforts and I don't want anyone to think he had anything to do with my history at MS - except that we used to have some pretty awesome conversations and brainstorming sessions. Ken is a great advocate for VFP and I wish him well.

>John;
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>I am sorry to hear about the losses of family members you have had. My mom passed away a few weeks ago and as the oldest son had to do things that would be difficult under any condition.
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>I have always enjoyed and appreciated your comments. My thoughts about life are, good health and family are the most important things you will ever have.
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>Stress can help you to attain things you did not consider possible, but too much stress and a bad environment can kill you!
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>You can work for the worst company in the world and have a great boss and be in heaven! You can work for the best company in the world and have the worst boss and you may as well be in HELL!
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>Too many companies have no concept of how to treat people as humans. It does not take much effort to do so but you do have to make a slight effort. It seems that from what I have experienced during the last fifteen years, management has reverted back to concepts that were in use during the 19th century.
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>The purpose of management is to provide the tools and training to get the job done. In the process of accomplishing the job you have to provide a good environment for employees.
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>My experience is that companies that say, “Customer first”!, have no appreciation for employees. I enjoy working for a company that is oriented with 50% customer and 50% employee in mind. A happy employee means a happy customer!
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>By the way John, thank you for all that you have done to help the FoxPro community!
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>The best of health and life to you!
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>Tom