Primarily about returning back to work this Monday. As part of my development as a director (so I thought) I was put in charge of confronting one of my employees about their underperformance and other problems I have observed as-of-late. It's not exactly the easiest thing to do when you've only been the director for one month and she is a retired teacher who has been with the organization for 2 years. I think she has only been there that long because everyone else was afraid to confront her. I was warned that she would probably fight back, but to stand my ground because what I had to say was legit.
She did fight back (in exactly the ways I thought she would: i.e. using her experience to justify how she knew more than I did ... and she said something about how I insulted her by thinking I was all high-and-mighty with my psyc. degree.. which I told her at the end of the meeting that I was sorry if she felt insulted, and that it was not my intentions, but that at my company we value feedback and I would hope she would accept my feedback as a recent psyc. grad as much as I would accept her feedback as a retired teacher), and I did stand my ground, and I did get recognized throughout the entire region that day for what I did.
Basically the other director I am working with, who knows the center (and this employee) was extremely impressed with how I handled the situation. She sent out an e-mail to the entire region saying that I was "concise, clear, direct, and stood my ground when she fought back.. and after only being a director for *one month*!" It was kind of great because I had been at odds with this other director (due to a previous assessment she had given me, stating I was "unsatisfactory" in many areas... and I took the matter to the regional director, because I was pissed and felt like it was sabotage), but I think after she observed me handle this particular meeting, she respected me a lot more. . or maybe feared me. . . I don't know, lol. (in all honesty I think it comes down to respect.. which is a very good thing.. I don't want anyone fearing me).
Turns out my organizational behavior class was somewhat useful? Maybe it's just good common sense on how to handle the situation. . and I was prepared, scared, and excited to do it. Afterwards the other director congratulated me on how well I handled the situation and said, "I have never had to do something like that before, and you *really* handled it well, and after only one month! This is HUGE in your development plan!" .... so I thought to myself, "great... turns out she was just too scared to handle the meeting.. when all this time I thought she wanted me to do it for *my* 'development' as a director."
Sooo. yeah. *sigh of crazy reflection* this is big-time. Sometimes I look at myself and wonder, "what the hell? ... who do you think you are?.. you're too young to be doing this stuff." .... but it comes down to confidence and pure competence. After the teacher left the meeting in a huff, the other director I work with said, "I am 90% she will not return on Monday, but it is ok and we have options available if she doesn't.."
It is going to be very weird if the teacher does return on Monday. . mostly because she is going to hate me. . oh well. . I saw from day one things that needed to change, and I'm just glad we could get to the heart of the matter early.
In other news.... I am looking to move, again. This time I will probably be finding a random roommate (other than a friend). I need to be out of my current living arrangement by the end of June, so I am a little nervous about my options at this point. It is so expensive to live here. . and I don't want to sign any lease that binds me to LA for any large amount of time. I guess in my mind there is still a real possibility of moving .. somewhere else.
It is definitely good to still be around friends though, and even though I don't blog as much anymore, I am still having really good times with friends.
This weekend consisted of a random club with good friends I haven't seen for a while, boba tea (never had before), watching The Breakup (for the 2nd time), going to the beach at night, hookah that didn't run out for 3 hours, good food, good times... ladeda.
That is all. And now I am going to work 6 11-hour-days straight. Yay for overtime.
Lin *
Jason
Sarah
Phil