Wednesday, April 2, 2008

What we have heah... is a FAILyuh to communicate

I don't normally fuss about work. But some days I really just want to kick the wall. There's another woman with whom I am having ongoing communication problems. I am trying NOT to have problems but dayum. It takes both persons to identify the issue and solve it and one of us? Ain't interested. She hears what she WANTS to hear and makes snap assumptions about nearly everything. And do not think she wants to share her sandbox, either...

dude. If she were a dog on Animal Planet? She'd be the really food-aggressive Chow mix that just ripped your fake arm apart for being near her food bowl.

She never says anything nasty, her words are carefully chosen. But her delivery and tone leave you thinking 'am I imagining things??'

I approached her today with a 7 Habits in mind - Seek first to understand, then to be understood - and carefully stated that it appeared we had very different communication styles that seemed to be causing some misunderstanding... could she please help me to see where something I might be doing could be bothering her?

Well. That? Was not well recieved. I tried. I really did. Not sure where to go next with it, and its beginning to drive me bats. Everything appears to be recieved as some sort of accusation. She used to be in management, or so I understand. So did I but I don't LIKE being a manager, I'd rather just fix problems. And so I chose to go into admin work and frankly? I'm very good at it.

But the perception I'm getting is that not only does she resent not being a manager, but she really hasn't got much respect for this job, nor anyone else who performs it.

I've run into that a lot... I'm not a scientist, not a broker, not a lawyer, not anyone who makes decisions that might be written about or discussed with awe. That's ok. I USED to have a Very Important Job with people reporting to me and a lot of stress and crises and budgets and all that.

But life is short. And I'm happy doing what I do so that Other Very Important People can accomplish their jobs. So we all win.

Except that its getting very frustrating to work alongside someone who speaks to you as though you're the poor cashier on her first day at McDs during the lunch rush... AND THAT PERSON HAS THE EXACT SAME JOB.

Point? I haven't got one. Just a rant to get it off my chest so I can get it out of my system and go in tomorrow and again try and make things work better.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Urg. Nothing drives me more crazy than someone talking down to me... I hear ya. Vent away.

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2Forgetful said...

LOVE the Animal planet analogy. I hated working with those types of people. At least now, as a SAHM, if my "co-workers" (aka children) won't share their sandbox I can just put them in timeout. ;-)

Vent away! It probably bugs her to no end that you're satisfied with your job and what you are doing. Good for you!

Mrs. Booms said...

I completely know that feeling. And really, it's become more of a problem for me lately too.

That's when I totally just disconnect myself from giving two bits what they think or how they feel.

good luck

Suzie said...

Work is driving me nuts too. SOmtimes i think work would be great if it wasnt for all the people.

Jennifer Swanepoel said...

That's gotta be hugely frustrating.

frannie said...

you could always give her cookies baked with laxatives... at least she'd be out of your hair for awhile.