Can you effectively separate your professional and personal lives?

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 11 Oct 2016 23:26:10 -0400

Something I've always wondered. For some it's easy, and for some it's hard.

I've hung out with a few NCOs after work, only to come in the next day and have those same NCOs send orders to me. It doesn't affect how I operate while wearing the uniform, but that's me. Thoughts?

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 12 at 2016 12:07 AM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 12 Oct 2016 00:07:51 -0400

I've always kept my social life and my professional life separate. No one I work with has ever been to my house, and I don't go to the homes of people I work with... I want to be able to step out of my work persona completely when I'm not at work and that just isn't possible if I am mixing those two worlds.

Response by PFC Anthony Straughn made Oct 12 at 2016 1:25 AM

PFC Anthony Straughn — Wed, 12 Oct 2016 01:25:06 -0400

Who wants to be proud of your service to your country and if the liberal piece of crap don't like it Ill show them my dd214 and if they run their mouth some more you grab them by the throat gently mind you and stuff the dd214 in their mouth and make them eat every bit of it even if it tastes bad, atleast that would be my response ,

Response by PO1 Rick Serviss made Oct 12 at 2016 4:19 AM

PO1 Rick Serviss — Wed, 12 Oct 2016 04:19:13 -0400

I hung out with my manager off duty and learned to separate the the off-duty manager and the on-duty manager. In a lot of cases, this is a bad situation because not everybody can do that.

Response by MSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 12 at 2016 8:29 AM

MSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 12 Oct 2016 08:29:47 -0400

I find that there are some true professionals can separate the two sides. There are others that cannot and that's ok. It just means others of higher rank should adjust accordingly and make the separation between the two lives more clear.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 12 at 2016 8:38 AM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 12 Oct 2016 08:38:53 -0400

You are 100% correct PFC Crouchley, some ppl don't know how to separate the two, when I was a SGT, I had a SFC asked me how I can hang out with my squad leader/PSG and still be effective when we are at work. I told him that when he asked me to do something is because he knows that I will get it done no question asked or complain about it. Most ppl can't do that, they complain instead. You will go far. Keep up the good attitude

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 12 at 2016 9:50 AM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 12 Oct 2016 09:50:22 -0400

When you roll up higher in the ranks, separating the two is a skill that some can learn without issue.....while others can't seem to grasp the concept.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 12 at 2016 10:08 AM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 12 Oct 2016 10:08:44 -0400

I do the best I can. I'm an NCO and I'm active duty. It's a lifestyle and I'm on duty 24/7 but I don't bring my problems to my family and I don't bring family problems to work if I can help it.

Response by SFC George Smith made Oct 12 at 2016 10:48 AM

SFC George Smith — Wed, 12 Oct 2016 10:48:38 -0400

not really because most of the time work follows you home...

Response by Capt Tom Brown made Oct 12 at 2016 10:53 AM

Capt Tom Brown — Wed, 12 Oct 2016 10:53:28 -0400

Hanging out should be limited to others of your same pay grade. NCOs should not hang out with E3 & below, or higher ranking NCOs who will be giving you orders the next day. It is not professional to say the least, and possibly damaging to mission and morale if yr buddy tells you to do something you don't like. As an O3 I would never think of hanging out with an O4 buddy or not because there is a world of difference between us. If a higher ranking officer or NCO allows you to hang out with him, you should be very careful about how far you carry the good will stuff.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 12 at 2016 1:14 PM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 12 Oct 2016 13:14:43 -0400

I try to keep my professional world separate from my personal world. Yes I have battle buddies that I hang out with off duty, some who now outrank me, but in general if we're in the same chain of command or nco support channels, I strive to maintain separate worlds.

Response by Sgt Cody Haney made Oct 12 at 2016 1:27 PM

Sgt Cody Haney — Wed, 12 Oct 2016 13:27:00 -0400

It's a must as a crew chief. You see the flight crew do and say shit they don't want repeated. If you are telling everyone what happens on a tdy or deployment then you won't be very popular.

Response by SFC Joseph Weber made Oct 12 at 2016 1:27 PM

SFC Joseph Weber — Wed, 12 Oct 2016 13:27:53 -0400

Probably should not be hanging out with you and you should not be surprised that they order you around. "only to come in the next day and have those same NCOs send orders to me", did you expect special treatment the next day?

Response by Sgt Cody Haney made Oct 12 at 2016 1:30 PM

Sgt Cody Haney — Wed, 12 Oct 2016 13:30:09 -0400

It's a must as a crew chief. You see the flight crew do and say shit they don't want repeated. If you are telling everyone what happens on a tdy or deployment then you won't be very popular.

Response by Cpl Justin Goolsby made Oct 12 at 2016 2:07 PM

Cpl Justin Goolsby — Wed, 12 Oct 2016 14:07:27 -0400

I can separate my personal and professional life, but it also depends on the context. I've had shop function bbqs with all ranks and even though we were in a casual setting, I still addressed my superiors by their ranks because it was the right thing to do.

That being said though, I can distance myself from the job. At work, I'm all business. I might smoke and joke with you, but if work needs to get done, work needs to get done. At home, I'm relaxed. I don't talk about work and I try like hell to avoid any form of news source. If you're at my house, we can talk sports, Marine Corps, video games, movies, food, whatever. But don't come to me with your work gripes in my place of relaxation. Bring it up with me at work.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 12 at 2016 3:44 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 12 Oct 2016 15:44:01 -0400

Why are NCO's hanging out with a PFC?

Response by SSG Stephan Pendarvis made Oct 17 at 2016 9:59 PM

SSG Stephan Pendarvis — Mon, 17 Oct 2016 21:59:07 -0400

sure...work is work...play is play

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 19 at 2016 10:52 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 19 Oct 2016 22:52:16 -0400

I advise reading up on fraternization. It isn't fun or natural, but hopefully in the long run it will help reinforce your relationship with your leadership and with your peers.

Response by SFC Mark Jones made Nov 30 at 2016 8:26 AM

SFC Mark Jones — Wed, 30 Nov 2016 08:26:33 -0500