Nobody Here But Us Chickens

Friends, at the risk of being dooced, I simply have to report, though obliquely, on the goings on today. Have you ever sat in a meeting and just positively marveled at the level of barely concealed hostility/tension/frustration/emotional fragility on display? The spectacle of our staff meeting today at the Intellectual Circus (TM) was so grand as to make me wish someone had filmed it, so I could pore over the replay and then possibly make a career out of training managers and staffs in how to separate personal preference from professional duty.

You can please take for granted that I do not mean personal preference in this instance in any sort of "I can't act because it violates my ethics" sense. No, I mean personal preference in terms of a personality profile that engenders limited imagination and/or understanding of a project's import/necessity/stewardship and, thus, hinders the realization of said goal and alienates most involved. If a person like this were in a leadership role, say, it would be very difficult to have to convince them all the time of the merits of the most basic aspects of business practice/project management.

I should say here that this person (or persons) does not act out of maliciousness, or contrariness even, which gains them some leeway in my view, but their continued emphasis on obstacles, including their very real shortcomings in interpersonal communication and personnel mgmnt, has significant implications for project (and organization) success or failure and could at some point be construed as negligent. What to do if a leader, say, is unsuited for the duties required of the position?

In one measure, I feel like I should acknowledge the vulnerable among us for their honesty in revealing their true feelings; in another, I want to send them home to a warm blankie and some hot cocoa while the rest of us get down to business. I cringe to think of the inappropriateness of bringing every.single.one of one's insecurities to bear on the business at hand. It is a struggle for us naturally sympathetic types as we sit there in real pain for this person who has crossed well over into the realm of uncomfortable confession and out of the professional realm of here-is-the-task-at-hand and we-must-make-do.

And I am not advocating for a sterile, robotic environment in which people's personalities are undifferentiated and all are in thrall to the corporate credo. Hell, no. I am advocating, however, for grown ups to be responsible and aware of their talents and limitations, such that projects can be reasonably managed. Is this too much to ask?

Comments

[db]

I know dooced means getting in trouble (fired!) for what you say on your blog about work, but what is the term for getting fired for blogging WHILE at work?

[Tata]

Never mind that, I'm not sure the doocers could figure out what to dooce you *for.* Maturity?

[Alicia]

Having managed to avoid working in the 'regular world' until last year, I was amazed at what children there are in the world I always assumed was 'grown up'. The tattling, the back-stabbing, the petulance, the insecurity - feels like middle school.

[ae]

db, I think the term might be "smalls'd". Heh.

Tata! I'm always happy to see you. I did try to keep my little missive devoid of real identifiers, but I take your point. Would that maturity could flourish! I am happy to keep my head down, get my work done, be collegial, and then go home to my life. Yes, an actual life not centered around work-related concerns! Witness the independence! I'm not remotely interested in being sucked into anybody else's Personal Vortex of Whinge. Which is what I may have to name my new imaginary band. Ha.

Alicia! Glad to have you back. And, honey, my sentiments exactly. Biggest misapprehension of my life so far: thinking that when I left high school, I left high school things behind. Oh lord, the pettiness and self-absorption and ill manners and petulance -- kill me now! And I've spent the last decade working outside of corporate environments, often around artists and creative types and so-called intellectuals. I've had a generally good run of it, but sheesh, so many delicate/bratty flowers out there. It's aggravating.

[Elkit]

> What to do if a leader, say, is unsuited for the duties required of the position?

Umh, yeah. Good question.

[ae]

Ha, Elke! We may have to consider impeachment, yes. Or a bloodless coup at the very least. =)

[Dharma]

I have thought about blogging about some of my, err, less than enthusiastic impressions regarding my job - the first "real" job I've had in eons, but did wonder about implications. Of course only about 6 folks read my blog...See db, you're not the only one with low readership. Naturally today's group supervision went so well that I'm not in a complaining mood now.

[ae]

Dharma, I thought hard about posting this for many reasons, not least of which concern professionalism on my part and discretion. But in reading back over it, I see that there are no real identifiers, so I'm not particularly worried about being found out, per se. That said, I don't know that this will be a regular feature. Mostly, I don't want to think about work when I am home, but I also don't have an interest in shooting myself in the foot stuck in my mouth. ;-)

[MH]

Thinly veiled but insightful. Drama.

[Dharma]

ae, I've been reading your blog for a couple of months now and I have to say, I have no idea what you do for work, let alone where you work, AT ALL. Hell, I wondered whether you had a job. I sort of have a job, irregular hours, hardly any pay, and mostly I'm hoping to use it for the "hours" I need to graduate and use toward licensure. But I haven't had a less than stellar supervisor, let alone any supervisor in so long I am having to deal with my bad attitude anew. But like I said, yesterday evening went surprisely great! Of course the two folks who should be reading my progress notes, which I have rewritten showing GREAT improvement I might add, haven't touched them! Am I bitching? Why, yes, yes I am.