Social Skills have too high a premium in the workplace?

I don't know how much this is me, and how much this Autism, but I tend to be task/project focused.  Plus, once I've done something I want to move on and do something else, rather than continually have to do the same stuff over and over and over again.  I'm always looking for problems, things to improve etc. etc.  But norms don't seem to be interested much in fixing problems and improving things, my observation has they generally seem to be happy with the status-quo.

I also don't think I'm un-social, I think I'm differently-social.  The biggest problem isn't a lack of wanting to socialise, it's the difficulty of finding suitable people to socialise with.

As far as I can tell from observation, your typical norm group are basically hairless two-legged wolves.  There appear to be ones that the norms perceive as leaders, those that are lieutenants, those that are at the bottom of the food chain etc.  Most of their effort seems to revolve around trying to work out where in that grouping they fit in each place.

That's fine if that's what they want to do, but I don't feel that.  Often the ones that the norms seem to perceive as leaders I have little regard for.  Mostly because they don't tend to exhibit the behaviours, skills etc. that I perceive as being worthy of respect.  And the whole social hierarchy thing just doesn't interest me.  It's not that don't like what the norms perceive my position in their "pack" to be because I always see myself as not being in their pack.  It's that I think the whole thing is a gigantic waste of time and uninteresting.  I like to socialise on the basis of shared interests, shared experiences, respect for what people do etc.

I'd be interested to hear how many other people think they're more task oriented and whether other people perceive the whole norm social hierarchy thing?

I think im task orientated. Ive had a handful of jobs and stayed in them a good amount of time. I go to work to earn money. In my retail job as deputy manager i felt awkward a lot of the time as i didnt want to go for after work drinks which the manager was used to doing with his previoys deputies. If it was my best friend or partner of coyrse id go for drinks but i wasnt prepared to put myself into an awkward situation. During quiet periods he was always wanting a laugh etc. It was ok ar first but as time went on it got harder for me. A lot of the time it was just the two of us. He would go chatting to the shop staff next door. I can talk amd chat and have a laugh but in short bursts and ideally while doing a task. (This is why i like board games. It gives you socisl interaction but with a purpose!)

In another job i CBA with the social hierarchy. An office at a large college. I could see right throygh my manager and tolerated her. She was duplicitous. (Her manager however was very "to the point and straightforward" a lot of people didnt like her because of this but i did. She was straightforward. She called a spade a spade. What you see is what you get.)Anyway in my office lots of gossip politics and greasing the wheels. Not to mention people whittering on inanely about nothing in particular while we were trying to work. I dont know how ppl manage to work in open plan offices and actually do work. I also wprked in an office with only one other person. We got on grest but it was boring.

I think ive found my value at work as a worker and people respect me for that. My current job is great cos everyone just wants to do their best. We only have one social do a year but its not expected you go. My manager is wonderful and im really thankful to her. She looks out for her staff. She sets a great example to follow and has integirty which is most important to me in a manager.  I work in education and i think differences are appreciated.  My role means my work is individual to me but i can interact mostly on my terms. I dont have a formal diagnosis. I do struggle though with ppl who just want to chat when im trying to do marking or photocopying tho! But thats a multi tasking issue rather than social. Although when ppl start telling me aboyt something i dont care about, i have to say sometimes i just want to quote (its either Patsy or Eds off) Ab Fab "youre mistaking me for someone who gives a f***" But i know the other person has good intentions is nice and ive learned its just what ppl do to pass the time.

One of my good friends seems to go to work to chat by the water cooler and attend do's. She doesnt have much fulfilment. I get enjoyment and fulfilment out of my job but am not bothered as much by the social aspect.

I would agree with socially different. Ive seen a couple of colleagues outside of work time becayse we are very similar and on the same level. Im happy to do this cos its on my terms "fancy a brew on friday afternoon?" rather than imposed "you are invited to the christmas meal"

I think im task orientated. Ive had a handful of jobs and stayed in them a good amount of time. I go to work to earn money. In my retail job as deputy manager i felt awkward a lot of the time as i didnt want to go for after work drinks which the manager was used to doing with his previoys deputies. If it was my best friend or partner of coyrse id go for drinks but i wasnt prepared to put myself into an awkward situation. During quiet periods he was always wanting a laugh etc. It was ok ar first but as time went on it got harder for me. A lot of the time it was just the two of us. He would go chatting to the shop staff next door. I can talk amd chat and have a laugh but in short bursts and ideally while doing a task. (This is why i like board games. It gives you socisl interaction but with a purpose!)

In another job i CBA with the social hierarchy. An office at a large college. I could see right throygh my manager and tolerated her. She was duplicitous. (Her manager however was very "to the point and straightforward" a lot of people didnt like her because of this but i did. She was straightforward. She called a spade a spade. What you see is what you get.)Anyway in my office lots of gossip politics and greasing the wheels. Not to mention people whittering on inanely about nothing in particular while we were trying to work. I dont know how ppl manage to work in open plan offices and actually do work. I also wprked in an office with only one other person. We got on grest but it was boring.

I think ive found my value at work as a worker and people respect me for that. My current job is great cos everyone just wants to do their best. We only have one social do a year but its not expected you go. My manager is wonderful and im really thankful to her. She looks out for her staff. She sets a great example to follow and has integirty which is most important to me in a manager.  I work in education and i think differences are appreciated.  My role means my work is individual to me but i can interact mostly on my terms. I dont have a formal diagnosis. I do struggle though with ppl who just want to chat when im trying to do marking or photocopying tho! But thats a multi tasking issue rather than social. Although when ppl start telling me aboyt something i dont care about, i have to say sometimes i just want to quote (its either Patsy or Eds off) Ab Fab "youre mistaking me for someone who gives a f***" But i know the other person has good intentions is nice and ive learned its just what ppl do to pass the time.

One of my good friends seems to go to work to chat by the water cooler and attend do's. She doesnt have much fulfilment. I get enjoyment and fulfilment out of my job but am not bothered as much by the social aspect.

I would agree with socially different. Ive seen a couple of colleagues outside of work time becayse we are very similar and on the same level. Im happy to do this cos its on my terms "fancy a brew on friday afternoon?" rather than imposed "you are invited to the christmas meal"