Monday, January 9, 2012

Are you kidding me?

You know, I like my job.  I enjoy what I do, and most days I actually like the people I work with.  But every now and then I'm left wondering what the f*** is wrong with people these days.  Why can't people simply do their job?

I work in state government, and yes I have heard every comment imaginable about how lazy state employees are, how "easy" we have it, etc.  The majority of the people in this agency don't fit in the stereotype that's out there, most of us (yes, I'm including myself here) are willing to go above and beyond to do what we were hired to do.  Perhaps it has to do with the fact the majority of the people here are scientists and engineers.  I honestly do not know.

Most of the time, I haven't cared if the person in the office next door was snoring while I was buried under a pile of reports, they simply weren't my problem.  Their job performance didn't affect mine, so I could not care less if they didn't do anything.  Did it aggravate me? It most certainly did, just not enough to leave me reaching  for the antiacids.

Well, now I'm responsible for other people's job performance.  Don't get me wrong, I like telling people what to do.  My siblings probably would tell you I was born to boss people around.
I don't mind telling people something needs to get done.  But I dislike having to tell someone to do something over, and over, and over, and over, and over...  I repeat myself plenty at home, I don't want to go to work and have to do the same thing I do with my kids.

Why is it so difficult to simply do what's expected?  I don't understand.  Is it lack of work ethic?  Do they know no better, or do they simply don't give a rat's behind?

I've had to spend some time asking myself if I'm expecting too much from people.  Am I asking they do things the way I would do them, or just asking that they do them?
Maybe it's a little of both.

I expect that when I, the supervisor, ask you, the employee to do something, that you'll at least look me in the eyes as I explain it to you and give me the respect I deserve. Not because I'm the boss, but because I'm a person and not a piece of furniture.


I'm not perfect.  I am loud and speak my mind more often than I should.  I'm sure my former (and probably current) supervisor would say I can be opinionated and stubborn.  I'm also sure none of them would say I've ever done "just enough" to get by at any job I've had.