Posted by noa on February 26, 2003, at 5:39:31
In reply to Re: Noa, post us about work __goodluck!!, posted by laurarn on February 25, 2003, at 11:52:22
Hey, thanks everyone for asking. Here is the sitch. Things have been better in terms of how I am handling it. We have been "on hold" as next year's budget is being finalized by the powers that be, and we are supposed to hear soon about the decisions for next year. Recently, I've received no bad memos, thank goodness. I did speak with our human resources person to get some info on resources available in case I am "riffed". She was pretty helpful, giving me info on unemployment insurance amounts and procedures, etc. I also ended up discussing with her my thoughts on process.
Also, this whole thing has led to more bonding between the three of us that are in the same boat of uncertainty (there are others, but these are the ones I work with most directly), and we have been talking more and strategizing more and supporting each other more about dealing with our immediate bosses, one of whom is newly appointed in a kind of half-step up position, where half of her position is the same role as us, and the other half is manager. Because of this change this year, we are now encountering some problems with her style, combined with her new role and perspective as manager. We are also supporting each other about the other boss, who is a step above the half-step manager, and was previously our direct boss (before the half-manager was promoted), although she still kind of is our direct boss, too. The latter person is the author of the snitty petty memos, but in some ways she has a lot of strengths that the half-manager does not. In any event, I have felt support by my two colleagues, and we have been doing more conferring so that we communicate with both managers as a bloc, for strength and support. So this is a good outcome of the crisis. And I REALLY like the two people at my level. I've known this for a while, but am really tuned into it now, because of our bonding. They are really great people and we are a good team.
Another development is that I think I have recently gained some positive visibility points because the "big" boss (higher level management, above the other two) and another mid-level manager that is not directly above me but is kind of at the level of the first two managers I described, have enlisted me to help them with a short term problem/project, out of my regular duties, and I have gotten very good feedback from them about this. It has also been interesting to work on, and taps my strengths and not weaknesses. So that, obviously makes me feel good.
But we still don't know about next year. We have no info on what the budget situation will be and whether anyone will get riffed or whether we will get shuffled around ("restructured"). Some of my colleagues are more anxious than I am about this but mainly because I don't have kids and child care and camp registration deadlines to meet. Mostly, I have been able to just do my job and not obsess about what will happen, which I am so glad I have been able to do. Once in a while, though, the topic comes up and my two colleagues and I probably do waste too much work time talking about it. I know it is not really a waste of time, because we need to support each other, but we are aware of the irony of how such anxieties end up decreasing productivity! I am trying to not spend too much time talking about the RIFs, though, and just trying to get my job done.
In general, I think my work has been seen as better by the bosses, although I have had no direct feedback about my regular duties, just the feedback from the big boss and the other manager. Actuall, the other manager told my half-step manager who did acknowledge this to me by saying she heard I had really helped the other manager out. So that is something, although I haven't had any feedback about my regular duties, which is a little disconcerting because I feel I've improved so much. The human resources director did advise me to proactively address this by asking for a meeting with my bosses to check that out. It is a good idea, but I just haven't done it, maybe because of time constraints, maybe because I am anxious about meeting with them (my avoidant characteristics). I should do this, especially since the memo channels have been quiet--ie, don't wait for some negative thing to come my way to discuss my performance! I'm not due for a formal review this year, so her idea is a good one. I am surmising that they feel things are better, just based on my reading of non-verbal communication when I'm with them. But that is not a good thing to rely on because I've been caught by surprise before!
Even though I feel my work is going well, still, at the moment, after missing work because of snow emergency and having to go out of town because of a death in extended family (not direct relative, but parent of an in law), I feel really swamped and like I'm falling behind again in my regular responsibilities. So I'm a little anxious, but not feeling doomed.
Now, if I can only tear myself away from my computer so I can get to work at the time I planned (early, to catch up on some stuff).........well, looking at the clock, that is not gonna happen, oh well......
Thanks for asking and for your support. I really appreciate it.
poster:noa
thread:203562
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20030223/msgs/203929.html