Life Moves Pretty Fast

[ehowton]

Work has been interesting (and by interesting I mean insufferable) insofar as we haven't had any projects for a couple of weeks - this is rare. Also serendipitous, as we've been given weeks of computer-based training to do on future applications and processes. In-between the spirit-crushingly dull online training, at least I personally have had some server outages and other unix distractions to keep my week bearable. Thankfully, I can navigate my iPod effortlessly with Rhythmbox, which turns out is MUCH faster than Amarok AND I don't have to download kdm libraries!

I'm back on schedule - that is to say, "non-Summer hours." I am a magnificent creature of routine and now that the kids are back in school, I'm *at* work at 0700 instead of my wife rousing me at 0900 for my daily conference call, usually not making it in until 1100 :/ Speaking of the 0900 meeting, after not saying anything for a month other than, "Nothing for the Group" I recently announced,

I usually listen to very thematic music throughout the day. However, this morning I've been powering through a lot of Rammstein - German Industrial - and I have NO IDEA how this may affect me.

Despite my lackadaisical week at work, I've had plenty of pre/during/post work activities which keeps me, quite literally - hopping. From the school's gear-up meetings (my son asked that I volunteer to be a parent-chaperon at 3-day overnight Adventure Camp), to the P90X my wife and I started (at 0400!!!) each morning as a sort of mild martial-arts replacement program until we're able to get back to that sometime next year. And we're still walking in the evenings which have turned blessedly cooler as Autumn descends and still reading "The Hobbit" to the kids. Busy, busy!



Professionally, things haven't been as rosy. We've been through a series of layoffs (the first I can recall in about ten years) with the threat of more to come. And though my wife and I have run through several exercises of our "emergency plan" of different scenarios over the years (one of which includes my job loss) I found it particularly difficult to lose one of my co-workers. So while this was our second cut in as many weeks, and reduced our already small numbers considerably (we've lost over 25% of our team in under a month without any decrease in work) increasing our individual load and accelerating on-call rotation, it was also unexpectedly painful.

And it seemed to me the hissing sound, as it were, of an opening sepulcher, punctuated by the stale odor which came behind; The Grim Reaper curled his bony hand in our direction and I heard a scream. "Behold, one shall be taken from you." And she was gone, and joy followed with her.

Now I'm not one to let external influences change my behavior. I keep my head up, and remind everyone outwardly that we all still have a job to do and to do it well. But inside, I think I died a little bit. We are all brilliantly executing our assigned functions, but no one's heart is in it, and I have not been motivated to write. Nothing I say here will ever change anything.

But I can try.

Comments

[ehowton.livejournal.com]

Thank you. And that's very sweet of you. No, I don't worry so much about myself - hell, I don't worry about anything which I have no control over - personally, I consider that a waste of resources. But now that I'm articulating this, I guess I'm not even worried about her; there's not a doubt in my mind she'll be just fine. I just hate what its done to the team.

We're a highly integrated unit - each of us with our own strengths and weaknesses - the kind of output we're able to attain is done so not from individual excellence, rather synergy. If I can comprehend profit & loss, how come management can't comprehend why they're so successful?

Its also entirely possible I'm just extremely selfish (in a Randian egoist sort-of way of course)!

[(Anonymous)]

I understand what you mean about the synergy of a team. When I worked in the lab, the people assigned to the shifts changed due to the need to cover weekends and most people wanting their fair share of weekends off. However, two 16 hour shifts on Saturday and Sunday were the only days I worked. It meant I got to work with everybody in some form or another--3 of us on days and 2 in the evenings. I was amazed at what a difference the make up of the team would make towards getting things done--or not. There were some teams that just didn't work very well together, and it was seldom because any one person wasn't pulling his or her fair share of the load; more that the work styles clashed or didn't complement one another. Yet there were some teams that were just awesome.

Don't get me started on management. I could tell you stories you'd never believe.

[ehowton.livejournal.com]

This team is some of the best professionalism I've had the pleasure to work with in a decade - everyone in the team wanting not only to pull their own share, but knowing that if they didn't, someone would have to pick up the slack. Many places I've worked people will try their damnedest to get out of work, while we all will do nearly anything to prevent another from shouldering a burden caused by our actions or inaction.

Pride in the workplace.

God I love it.

[michelle1963.livejournal.com]

You're very fortunate!

[ehowton.livejournal.com]

Don't I know it. What an odd mix of people and personalities though :P

I was thinking about your "two, 16-hour shifts" and the unique perspective that must've been; to see things few people get to see, basically the interactions which did, and did not work well together. Could you pinpoint any single item which was recurring in the dysfunctional groups?

I mean, even weaknesses can be turned into strengths if you play to them properly. Except maybe unwarranted narcissism. (Did I just say that aloud?)