The New Job

Yup, got a new j-o-b.

Day 4, arrived at the office at 8:30 am, left at 9 pm.

Nice, huh?

So, I am going to keep the information here somewhat vague for a variety of reasons, but I am now a human resources manager for an organization of 170 people. We provide services to vulnerable populations.

I am beat, beat, beat and so please forgive the numerous typos to follow. (you know who you are...)

Day 4 was chock full of the usual routine meetings, plus my initial round of research on the organizational culture and processes.

Then the evening resulted in more meetings with employees, and investigations regarding a situation in which a member of the public made physical contact with an employee that could be construed as either abuse/or an attempt to protect someone else arising from the person's mis-reading of what our employee was doing. Co-workers of the situation voiced serious concern for their personal welfare and ongoing safety. Apparently this person has a history of being out of line verbally, and now a new and more serious physical line has been crossed. It should have been nipped in a bud long ago, and I think mgmt sincerely felt it had been handled. The front line had a diffrent perception entirely.

So, I think the expression is baptism by fire.

Now, this is my first experience dealing with this particular industry. I do not know what the norms and protocols are for dealing with the public nor do I know what their processes and procedures are. So, this was an exhausting evening. And much remains to be done in tightening procedures and improving training on how to handle situations.

I am, however, happy to report that I believe I have managed to establish a quick and positive rapport with at least a third of our front-line service providers, and have made a foothold toward calming some highly toxic gossip. The facility administrator and I seem to make a kick-ass team.

The management staff of this particular location (one of 3) is made up of 8 key positions. Two of those people are long term employees who are about 6 months into brand new positions. 3 of us are brand new to the organization (4 days, 3 months and 6 months) and the remaining 3 have been here for several years in their current capacity. So, there are many many organizational issues to be overcome.

Anyway, I am beat and have to spend all day tomorrow out of town at a business event and am really just wanting to curl up and sleep half the day...

This will probably be the hardest job I have had in twenty years. Having said that, I think it is also a transitional job - that job in which you permanently move from middle management to senior management. Trouble is, I have never wanted to be senior management. I know too much about how badly those jobs can suck.

I do have the opportunity to effect serious change here, and that is really a good thing as I think this could really help me move into organizational consulting using the framework of applied anthropology.

Most folks screw up their faces in confusion when I tell them what my masters' degrees are in, as they seem them unrelated. Nothing could be further from the truth, it is a blessed union.

Blessed.

Blessed is a term that I will likely adopt in my vocuabulary as a result of proximity.

It is a very common saying amongst many of the black/African people in this area. Have a blessed day. Bless. Blessed.

So, have a blessed day.

Tired puppy has played with the kitties and is now going to bed.

Employed and signing off for now...