It's been a while since I posted, so I will do so on a couple important issues:

First off, with the reorganization of the management infrastructure in the call center, we have learned how lead workers have taken on more responsibilities. Along with that, a very substantial raise and movement to salary. My beef is not with their new positions as LCMs (lead coach managers?), but with a comment from the director of bean counting. All lead workers were transitioned in the LCM because senior management believed those individuals all had the skill set the position needs. Therefore, nobody would interview for the newly created LCM position. That's all fine and well, but let's think about this for a second. Two questions come to mind:

1. What's the skill set?
2. Do some current lead workers deserve to be LCMs?

HHT has always operated on a firm "promote your friends" policy based on pure numbers. You could be the person with the least technical skills, education, work experience, and management background and still be promoted. The faulty logic that HHT follows is that being a machine with enrollment and working many hours of overtime are how managers are formed. I actually have an e-mail from early 2006 that states promotions are often based on "pitching in when the company needs it" aka overtime and being a "yes man/woman. This is the "skill set" that HHT is looking for in it's managers. I strongly feel that MANY advisors are underutilized in the call center. I hear management talking about using people's talents, but it seems to me that diversity is not understood by them. In reality, management wants clones that they can mold.

I mean, look at the "bean counter" that runs the division. Nice one, HHT---let's get the bookkeeper to take care of health educators. She lacks personality and talks in double-speak. She lies constantly to your face (not just mine this time). Seriously, do we even need people with a health-related degree any more? It seems that we could hire a bunch of food service workers to call people. Enrollment scripts are canned speeches. We talk about the same health things over and over. Most advising sessions are like hearing broken records. In the 6-8 mins. that you expect us to cover health risks, we can all sound like a machine: "Now, I am going to talk about statins...statins are cholesterol reducing drugs that are prescribed by doctors...". No joke, this is how one of our advisors sounds like on the phone. "Bueller, Bueller..." Why should I waste my time to make HHT rich? What have you done for me lately? Not a damn thing. Anyways...rant off.

This brings me to my next point that many lead workers were "tainted" when they were selected. Most of the lead workers were groomed from the get-go and promoted based on the recommendation of a certain former lead worker. Many of you know who I am talking about on this one. Let me illustrate my point. I interviewed for a lead worker position in spring of last year just to see where I stood with the company. Also, one of the current lead workers suggested that I would be a good candidate. To my understanding, there were 10 applicants in the pool. I really didn't think I had much of a chance. Well I was right, but for the wrong reasons. I thought someone with more experience at HHT, more education, or work experience...something other than "we like her and don't like you". The lead worker that was selected was someone there a month longer than me, fresh out of school, very little work experience, etc. I don't like to toot my own horn, but let's think about this. Not only do have a the formal education, I have vast experience in sales/marketing, business management, public relations, and many areas that most advisors don't. This isn't even my experience in public health. Now you say: Well, she must have better numbers than you. And this is where I say: Not a chance, checked on it and our numbers were very similar. In matter of fact, I was surpassing her for many months.

So what is my point. My point is that many lead workers don't deserve to be promoted to LCMs. They were picked based on favoritism. If management is so confident in their "skill set" then they will get the position after the interviews. But HHT will continue to promote certain people and overlook qualifications in favor of people that will conform to their standards. LCMs in my book are now known as "least competent managers".

Finally, I wanted to comment on the race for the DCM. This was Dan's old position that he was shit-canned from a couple months ago. I gathered some information on who was running. The was only one man for the job. In my opinion, this person has the best qualifications based on proven work experience and education. In fact, more education than 99.96% of us. If you want to talk about talent, this person needs to be somewhere other than a health advisor. But no, he was told he was out of the running. It is know down to 1 inside and 1 outside applicant. If I had to put money on it, the person that will get it will be the diploma RN. Talk about a kick in the teeth.

Bottom line: Healthways---HHT---whatever company owns us. Nothing has changed. You shit on your workers on a daily basis. You promote based on favoritism. You think you are the industry leaders? You care less about health and more about money.

Plain and simple...