Hello, never spoke to you before. ;-)
[Abey]
> SA the tone of your writing reminds me of the
mechanic who went to > the gradeless school and
flunked himself.
Don't understand this statement.
[Abey]
> The feeling I get is that what you can get from your
current job is
> way past its sell-by date.
Meaning, what I receive at work is rotten and
sour? If that's what you mean, then yes in a certain
way. It's funny. I'm one of the most liked staff on
campus. Somebody said to me the other day I've
painted this picture of myself. Their right. I
understand working with people isn't all about
convincing them logically. It's also about
persuasion. I drop seeds at times that has others
feel that I'm not such a bad person to listen to and
help out. People confide in me at times. Yet, it's
the overall workplace atmosphere. It's unorganized
and heavily shot with information. It's a do this
mentally and if you do it well - you don't hear about
it. If you do it not so well - you definitely hear
about it. I try to clearly let people know my effort
so if I do something off the wall they still know my
true intention. It helps, but from the administration
they have no idea what we go through. They are not
allowed to talk about the residents. I've been in the
main building and when somebody was letting me know
about a new resident the boss-man asked him to go into
another room to talk about it. I asked what was going
on. The guy that was sent to another room to tell me
about a new resident I might be getting said the
administration isn't to know about the residents. I
said why. He said they have their jobs they do.
That's all he said. The main boss-man (other than the
board, which is truly in charge) told us a couple
weeks ago that he hasn't known what has been going on,
on the units (where the residents, staff and
supervisors are) for about 3-4 years. He told us
this, because he took over for a lady that is below
him in the hierarchy until the board hires a new
director. That really made me feel uncomfortable. He
was supposed to be overseeing the lady director that
got fired. She was doing something the board didn't
like, and he had no idea even though it's his job to
know. Then he told us he hasn't known for those
amount of years what's going on. Then when he took
over he gave all the responsibilities that he was
supposed to take on while the director position is
open, and gave them to other people and now they have
double, triple the work they usually would have - and
this includes supervisors on the units. He comes in
twice a week people are saying in the administration.
And since he gave away all the responsibilities he was
to take over he still has NO idea what's going on with
the residents, staff, therapists, and supervisors. He
doesn't know what's happening day to day at the very
facility he is supposed to be over-seeing. Some are
saying the board is going to get rid of him and a new
director with his/her own helpers will be coming soon
from outside the agency. Staff start out with around
$9.00 an hour. A donut place down the road is
starting staff out with $12.00 an hour. Other fast
food places are only about .50 away from what staff
start out here. Obviously it's not about the $ when
you work here, but what motivates staff to stay and
consistency to stay for the residents benefit, which
would solve 98% of all the problems on the campus.
Some of this motivation is $ when compared with the
amount of stress staff go through, and that stress
feeds back into the lack of consistency and staff
endurance. Anyways... I know I rambled, but this is
direct experience - dq transformed into sq.
[Abey]
> You maybe able to give more but clearly that giving
is painful.
Give more what?
[Abey]
> So unless you are the Messiah types :-)
Some do come to work thinking they can work
miracles and they've got this help mentally that all's
we need to do is just love the residents and talk with
them. Sure that helps, but so does making them
accountable for their actions. Don't shrug it off and
say, oh these residents are just misunderstood. They
know exactly what their doing. And some are very good
at it and will become sly in their pursuits as either
prostitutes, thieves, uncaring for others, I've seen a
few potential murders, etc... Sure they are
misunderstood. They misunderstand. We all
misunderstand. But instead of trying to stab, yell,
and hit somebody to get ones way, wouldn't it be more
helpful to sit down and talk with somebody that is
willingly to do the same. The residents don't think
this way, especially at first and sometimes never. It
is unfortunate. No I'm not a Messiah type. I
sometimes think the systems gone bonkers and I'm just
perpetuating the problem.
[Abey]
> ....maybe its time to move on. So much for
unsolicited career
> planning advice.
You might be right. I am holding out still. I
don't see myself doing this for another five years.
I've only been doing this for, coming up on 2 years.
I'm one of the most senior staff that works here.
[Abey]
> 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.
Yes - definitely organizational culture. There
is this certain way to do it, some think. Some go out
on their own, and it doesn't work. Some go out on
their own, and it does work. Team effort with
different perspectives and efforts helps out the best,
I think. I think of this lady who has gained much
power in how things are to be run until a new director
comes in. She says don't keep telling staff what they
need to do, also, let them know what they are doing
well, congratulate them, and provide positive
motivation. I'm thinking while she's saying this,
"You never provide positive motivation and a job well
done. It's always do this and you need to do that."
She was saying this in general to all the supervisors.
[Abey]
> I say BALLS!
Don't know what you mean here.
[Abey]
> Lack of trust makes everyone super-cautious. Your
> spirit is curbed.
EXACTLY!!!! THANK YOU!
[Abey]
> 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.
I'm trying to be a counter-weight, so to speak,
within the workplace. I guess I need to be even more
brave and just say what I think more often - such as,
let's just do this, instead of complaining of this and
that. Sure, certain staff are not doing a good job,
but at times, when I try, I find what they are good at
and support it. It really does help make things run
more smoothly. Sometimes certain staff need a nudge
in a certain direction they were already headed, but
they haven't yet realized that what they truly can
offer can help out here. They need encouraged to
stick with what they know best and do best just
channeled into what we're trying to do for the
residents. As for sleeping on the job while sexual
offenders walk around, well, that's just not going to
help out at all.
[Abey]
> [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.
Yes. I do work for whatever inner demons/angels
of satisfaction drive me. The demons are gaining
strength, and to hear negativity and all the wrongs,
not just of me but with other workers without focusing
on what we're actually doing in the moment just clogs
up the air. When I'm walking I need a breather. I
want to hear the crickets, gain some strength in being
connected with something that is not just me and what
others must do. I listen to the wind while I'm
walking between buildings, and try not to focus on the
anger. I want to counter the anger with this empty
calmness. I can't do it alone. I pat on the back for
who we are, not for any ego we would like to enhance
for our pride. Would you rather hear I hate you all
day or this is messed up and that's messed, or would
you rather hear, even half or I don't care- less than
half, even a tiny bit of 'well, this day is so nice,
or things aren't that bad today'? The residents are
listening.
[Abey]
> (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. :-)).
I like what your saying here, I think. Can you
clarify please?
[Abey]
> 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.
Oh, yes. They golf. They are looking at what
potentially can be theirs. I hear when the new
director with his/her helpers may come, then some will
quit. These 'some' were very close friends with the
old director. The old director moved them up and even
made new job positions for them in the main building.
Somebody told me this, and I really couldn't
understand it. I said, if they are working here and
have this job and do something in their job, what does
it matter if other people come in. Sure they'll
change the place. They'll inject their way, but why
would I quit due to that. I said I must be that
independent. I have a job, and I do it. I don't even
know what these new people will be like. It is that
political. A certain group of people want a certain
way accomplished and if others come in with power to
override them - then they quit. They don't even know
what kind of people are coming in to work. Maybe the
changes are for the better. I don't know, it's weird.
[Abey]
> 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.
You've hit the nail on the head with this one.
Even if you hang out with somebody that others don't
like, they get concerned. These are people with power
shoving around liturgies and blames. Some wonder this
about me once. The one supervisor is very aggressive.
I'm very calm. I said I ask him to calm down at
times. This made those questioning why I'm around
this other supervisor feel better. Yet, for months
they we're concerned about my image. I say who cares
about image. Let the image take care of itself. I
like the woods, and I feel this let it just flow
mentally and let things take care of themselves is
expressed by me at times, and I'm glad it does. I
don't like to stick my hand in too many things. This
sometimes doesn't take into account changes, and also
it doesn't let others think for themselves. Too much
authority is dictatorial.
[Abey]
> "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.
Yes, I'm with you. I do like the rule book, but
I understand that people are not only rules.
[Abey]
>If they cared enough to
> involve themselves, the pat
> on the back would be automatic unobtrusive.
Yes. More would understand by experience what's
happening.
[Abey]
> ******
> 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 ...
Hey, when I'm a shithead, I'm a shithead, but my
garden could use some warmth so the flowers will
fruit. What would I do without my wife and son! I
love them.
Thanks for the lengthy response and time given.
I know this is a direct experience of mine, thus, not
something others go through and therefore not as
interesting to their lives. At times, I do discuss my
direct experience, as dynamic quality intellectualized
is the true intellectual level I believe. I'm not
necessarily even looking for a response. I'm more or
less just sharing my experience. This flows dq more
for me at times, than just mouthing ideas upon ideas.
Even if this is just a way for me to get some things
off my chest, I guess this involves some of that as
well. With others responding I do get a glimpse of
their lives, too, so there again, this isn't just
about me.
woods,
SA
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