6.05.2009

Settling in, uneasily

For those of you who have spoken to me over the last month or so, you already know my situation at work has been a bit rocky with uncertainty and miscommunication. Well, at the end of my first week in my new management position, things appear to be going more smoothly than they were the past two weeks when I was on my own, without my minions. Our office is full of summer student interns - all completely brilliant and totally overqualified for the tasks they're doing (in many, but not all cases - some of the work is pretty awesome) - and things are flying along at breakneck, hair-pulling pace.

Somewhere within all this mix, I seem to have developed a little cocoon of safety from the intense scrutiny I had become accustomed to when the office was more empty. Though we are a nonprofit, it should be understood that we are run very much like a corporate entity, with constant oversight, micromanaging, and 'Tough Love'-style motivation tactics. What doesn't kill or drive us mad here is supposed to be a learning experience that makes us stronger. This includes overtime without pay, apparently.

It has been interesting to see the new blood coming in and realizing what they've signed up for; most of them, like me, come from liberal arts backgrounds, and are feeling the cold shock of an entirely different style of work environment. Friends have often heard me employ the term the Seagull Boss in relation to some of my interactions here - while those experiences were frustrating and even infuriating to have had personally, I have to admit they're really funny to watch unfold as an outsider. There is a moment, just after someone checks their morning emails and lets out the telltale exasperated grunt, or when I hear someone being called into the office, where I snicker and imagine Keyboard Cat getting ready to play as failure ensues.

Today I actually received a positive comment in response to something I emailed and nearly crapped myself, so hopefully that means I've figured out the formula and will be relatively grief-free for the next eight weeks. Like a beaten child I am wary of shows of kindness out of the blue, and hesitantly wait for things to go back to the usual attempts at trying to pass under the radar. More to come.

2 comments:

Cycling Phun said...

Awesome to hear? Thing seem to be going, er, well?

I can't tell from the post if you are optimistic, hopelessly optimistic, or if we should be send people to keep you on "job suicide" watch. I think you are happy there, but it also seems as though you are not.

Hope all is well, apologies for my lack of commenting on (any blogs lately) your blog lately. I've been keeping up with all my old faves, just been horribly busy (not making money) and getting shat upon by the economy.

Have a great weekend!

yeahdog said...

Well here's the thing - it's term. So, no matter how bad things may get here, it'll have an ending point that will leave me with some work experience that will help me immeasurably when I try to get my next job. I'm looking at it as a kind of 'boot camp' to get through before moving on to the next stage.

No worries on not commenting - I've barely been posting at all! I mean to change that though.