Managers, Listen Up!

I have no problem being the "bad guy" when I need to be but have a really hard time doing so for things that I don't believe in. Please, if you believe in something get out front and for the record, say so - take a position, take a stand. If you don't believe in it, I don't want to hear about it unless you are going to do something about it. If you are not willing to take it on, please don't expect me to do so for you.

I watched and I waited but I could not wait anymore. I took it on and got it changed. Why couldn't you do the same? 

How do I sum up my day? Aaaaaargh. That about does it.

Update on Sunday, December 10, 2006 by Lisa

My husband is hunting again this weekend. Still no deer, but some quality tree time! My daughter and I escaped away to a water park for the weekend and had quality water time! She has recently started going underwater and we can't keep her above it any more. After literally 5 hours straight of jumping, sliding and swimming, we were both wiped out. It was a good wiped out as opposed to burned out and something I definitely needed.

One of my roles as an HR professional and leader is organizational or interpersonal safety net or back up when there are breakdowns. There was a breakdown in one of our organizational processes and while it was brewing for some time, it came to a head on Friday. It was not a particularly "big" issue. In fact, it was relatively small. It was resolved with a request for reconsideration of a decision. Not a big deal really, I do it all the time So, why the post to managers? So, why did I leave on Friday wrapped so tight?

The answer lies in a conversation I had last week. A person I respect greatly brought up "boundaries" in relation to two particular staff incidents I was sharing with her. She felt that their behaviors and actions were an "inappropriate use of me." Her words stopped me in my tracks. We talked more about this and I was able to see not only how they were crossing my boundaries but how I clearly was not only letting them but also enabling them to do so. I have not been protecting my boundaries and I had given myself away. On Friday, I had absolutely nothing left to give. 

This insight is pretty powerful to me and now that I am aware of it, I will do something about it. I don't want any more Friday's like the last so my message to my staff, employees and managers is to use me . . . appropriately. Believe me, I will ensure that you do.