SA the tone of your writing reminds me of the mechanic who went to the gradeless school and flunked himself. The feeling I get is that what you can get from your current job is way past its sell-by date. You maybe able to give more but clearly that giving is painful. So unless you are the Messiah types :-) maybe its time to move on. So much for unsolicited career planning advice.
What you've highlighted though is a deep seated malaise in organizational culture which is at least a few thousand years old I would think. There is one school of thought which says that such in-fighting and top-dog showmanship is actually good for the body politic and is an example of a localized version of survival of the fittest. I say BALLS! Lack of trust makes everyone super-cautious. Your spirit is curbed. Whatever innovation you may wish to consider experimenting with is still born in the fear of being crucified for some minor error or infraction of the idiot rules of the establishment. But you stick on ... pulling at the cart of civilization ... but civilization can pull itself along without me thank you very much. I'll be damned before they try and shove some anally retentive dot the i's and cross the t's rules down my throat. [The correct decisions are to made, and a pat on the back is, well, from those higher up in the hierarchy - doesn't happen 99% of the time.] Thats pathetic on two counts: One. If the fact that you deserve a pat on the back for following *arete* occurs to you then something is seriously wrong with the environment you work in. The pat on the back is a spin-off bonus which increases group adhesion, a little bit of glue sniffing that keeps everyone smiling and huggy. You do not work for a pat on the back. You work to fulfill whatever inner daemons/angels of satisfaction that drive you. (We rule out a pat on the back as your primary work motivation as you wouldn't be here then, you would be out there plotting and scheming the downfall of your real and apparent enemies: a schizoid mess. :-)). Two. It also means that the higher ups don't care. They're all out playing golf and plotting their climb up rather than paying attention to their jobs. They've become priests, guardians and pontificators of the liturgies of the organizational manual. They've become experts at seeing the don'ts and blame shifting. "The reason *** is in a bad shape is because Mr. A failed to follow rule 72. Hence, rap Mr. A and throw the book at him." They mistakenly believe that the organization will run smoothly if everyone follows the rule book. If they cared enough to involve themselves, the pat on the back would be automatic unobtrusive. ****** There is also one more angle to this. In general, people have become more spiritually diminutive. [Yes, I know. I can hear the guns cocking. Sigh. Shields up Scotty!] Loss of arete. They don't handle being called shitheads well. Especially when its true. I'm a good example of that. Now to head over and check that Quality Decline thread ... On 7/7/07, MarshaV <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > SA, > > I couldn't handle it. People I care about pecking at each > other. Pain. It was too much, so I headed for the hills. I send > them love, trust, empathy & compassion. I am a coward. You are brave. > > Marsha > > > > At 10:11 PM 7/6/2007, you wrote: > >Hello, > > > > > > At work stress swallows people into negativity. > >This is a daily, nightly event. It is definitely the > >moment that brings out the best or the worst in a > >person. I try to laugh. It does help relieve the > >pressure, not just for myself, but for others around > >me. Work is not only political, but intellectual. > >The correct decisions are to made, and a pat on the > >back is, well, from those higher up in the hierarchy - > >doesn't happen 99% of the time. I sometimes think, > >with this non-encouragement, am I to except a 'nice > >job', 'thanks', or 'your doing this well'. It's > >usually can you correct this, or we can't have people > >doing that. Even hearing the negativity about others > >has me watch my back. You don't know what to say at > >times. One wrong word, and many won't help and care > >about you. I know I do things at times, that others > >wonder 'what the heck was he thinking'. I try to > >remember this. It helps. For everybody does with > >what they know. I've heard some are just plain lazy > >and don't try. Maybe - well, it's probably most > >likely true. I still address problems that staff may > >be having. I still address problems that residents > >are having. I do encourage and say thank you and > >please. Yet, so many people talk about each other - > >spies lurk. This whole situation demands allegiance, > >and if you don't show respect to certain people, well, > >don't except it back. Trust, that's my issue. I > >don't trust certain people. It's funny. I trust the > >residents more than the staff at times, except for a > >certain few. At least with the residents, when they > >make a mistake or try to lie, it can be dealt with, > >discussed openly and then we move on. With staff and > >the politics -what I like to call drama, has moved > >into the sector of the staff and administration. Why > >bother with it? Why think about it? Who cares what > >others think? I mean we make mistakes. Why does it > >bother me if others talk behind my back? I know I say > >things at times, I try not to, but I do. It is > >negative and towards certain staff. Everybody grovels > >and moans about each other. Where does this get us? > >I try to come back to the focus at what we are doing > >at work, which is the residents. Then staff do this > >or don't do this, and it goes counter to what would > >help everything run better for the residents - so the > >staff become more the problem than the residents. The > >staff aren't helping the residents, but then again we > >each have our own way. I guess I should talk with > >each staff and support them. If things don't go well, > >then I should be here for them in support and guidance > >and not have the attitude, "I told you so!" That > >doesn't help I guess. Even if I think certain staff > >are doing something to help residents or aren't being > >on the same page and are going out on their own, well, > >if problems arise, then it is their doing. I don't > >leave them out to dry, but help them. I don't say, "I > >told you so." (which I haven't, but I'm saying I > >should trust them more). I can help them out, not > >demand I certain way. It's tough. I found a way that > >works and helps provide consistent structure for the > >residents so the residents don't rule the show. Yet, > >there are other ways. There are other honest efforts, > >even if they seem so silly and counter to what I've > >experienced. If I have to clean up somebodies mess, > >then so be it. I'm sure I do things that don't help. > >I know I lean on the discipline side. I'm not much of > >a talker with the residents especially if they are > >doing things wrong that I've or others have repeatedly > >called them out on. I'm straightforward in my > >approach. It makes some laugh and others think I'm > >mean at times. Sometimes I'm seen as too complex, I > >make things complicated. I say to these people, your > >probably right, and yes, I have said that to people, > >staff and residents. When the shit hits the fan, > >thus, a crisis is amongst us at work, I know exactly > >what needs to be done. I'm clear minded and go right > >for the solution. I know I'm strict. When it comes > >to talking with the residents, I can laugh and joke > >around with them. I really don't like to leave my > >assistant supervisor out of the picture. I try to let > >her in on everything. It helps me. I have somebody > >to talk to about what's happening. When she wonders > >if I tell her everything, I'm very plain-spoken with > >her and I let her know - yes, I'm telling you > >everything and if I'm not, I think what is it I > >haven't let her know and I tell her. It helps with my > >sanity. She's somebody I know that understands what I > >go through. She's been through a lot with residents > >wanting to kill her and get rid of her. I've been > >there. I know exactly what she's talking about. This > >helps her. She knows I've been there, and it's > >difficult to rely this experience to others that > >haven't been through what we've been through. There > >are others on campus, on different units that > >understand too. But it's not about this. It's not > >about what I know and what others know and may or may > >not do measured by my experience. I don't need to > >compare. They've got their own way. I should be more > >supportive and encouraging. Isn't that what I'm > >looking for from others in the first place? > > > > > >night, > >SA > > > > > > > > >____________________________________________________________________________________ > >Pinpoint customers who are looking for what you sell. > >http://searchmarketing.yahoo.com/ > >moq_discuss mailing list > >Listinfo, Unsubscribing etc. > >http://lists.moqtalk.org/listinfo.cgi/moq_discuss-moqtalk.org > >Archives: > >http://lists.moqtalk.org/pipermail/moq_discuss-moqtalk.org/ > >http://moq.org.uk/pipermail/moq_discuss_archive/ > > > moq_discuss mailing list > Listinfo, Unsubscribing etc. > http://lists.moqtalk.org/listinfo.cgi/moq_discuss-moqtalk.org > Archives: > http://lists.moqtalk.org/pipermail/moq_discuss-moqtalk.org/ > http://moq.org.uk/pipermail/moq_discuss_archive/ > > > moq_discuss mailing list > Listinfo, Unsubscribing etc. > http://lists.moqtalk.org/listinfo.cgi/moq_discuss-moqtalk.org > Archives: > http://lists.moqtalk.org/pipermail/moq_discuss-moqtalk.org/ > http://moq.org.uk/pipermail/moq_discuss_archive/ > -- Belief is the Beginning of Sight moq_discuss mailing list Listinfo, Unsubscribing etc. http://lists.moqtalk.org/listinfo.cgi/moq_discuss-moqtalk.org Archives: http://lists.moqtalk.org/pipermail/moq_discuss-moqtalk.org/ http://moq.org.uk/pipermail/moq_discuss_archive/
