What Was I Thinking (Long Post)

[SR Mike]

I have gone from being an all around good guy to being one of the most hated in the office in a matter of minutes. I will try to keep this in some order.

At work I have taken on a new task of being supervisor, I work in the medical field and we have a small office. I am a lab rat, I have an assistant and I was asked to be supervisor over the nurses, I am not sure why I accepted the position, I guess I did not have enough people in my life that hate me. Today we had a short meeting and the nurses were told I am their new supervisor.

We had to rework schedules because these few nurses have pulled in an average of 10 hours of overtime a week, so over the last couple of weeks I was given everyone's schedule and asked to fill in the holes. I was able to cover all the bases by moving two people's schedule. One was fine with the change, not overly excited, but not contentious about it at all. The other, well hers changed the most, the manager and I had met with her on Friday to go over with the change. She had taken the weekend and this morning to play a little chess, she was able to get the other girls all to side with her (except the nurse who's schedule was also changed). During the meeting we discussed that her schedule was changing, the others erupted into anger, throwing tantrums, and fits about how they are being punished and it was so unfair. Notice I mentioned the others are being punished? Their schedules do not change one bit.

The one who gets a new schedule floats between all the nurses, covering their breaks, lunches, helps in all the little ways. Her schedule needs to be the most flexible. About 2.5 years ago she started getting Friday afternoon off, well there is too much overtime on Friday and her help is needed. Now she is upset because she wants those Fridays, she sees her husband two days a week, Friday and Sunday. Okay understandable, but work is work and personal is personal. We gave her the option of taking Friday morning off and covering afternoon till close (5:30pm), she chose to work a full day on Friday, we did not ask her to, so that is how we scheduled her, you can see how she had it all planned out to cause animosity among the other. She has already put in applications for other jobs before this whole mess has occurred. I cannot tell you how many times she has told me she is going to quit because she is so unhappy working here, so we are not expecting her to stay much longer.

So while these adult children were crying over this person not getting what she wants, this nurse was smiling and looking right at me nodding her head. I knew exactly what she had done, guess what, it will not work with me. I am not one to play games with, she thinks that she has won a little battle. Something funny, we have this whole meeting on tape, the room we use has a video/audio monitor in it. We had one nurse jump out of her seat and storm out of the meeting because of this ordeal, her schedule is not affected at all.

Oh yeah, another nurse is all pissed about me being in this position because she used to be supervisor and wants the position back. The reason she was supervisor, the previous manager and her were friends, the previous manager hired her on, she threatened to quit so the previous manager made her supervisor with a raise and she stayed. The position was taken from her (along with her raise) because she did a crappy job, she would belittle and argue with those underneath her. Her first response about me was "What are his qualifications? He doesn't know what we do." I have been around this office and work directly with these nurses for almost five years now, I know what they do. She spent the first 10 minutes of the meeting growling at the ground, I don't think she ever blinked, that poor carpet.

The biggest pouter that ran out of the meeting, she had to come into my lab to grab some supplies, she took out her anger on the crap she was grabbing. Slamming them on the counter, slamming the door, huffing and puffing the whole time. I think she was hoping to get my attention, she is only going to be around for another year or so before moving back east again. I wonder what she has invested, she gave the biggest display of anger entertainment.

After the meeting, the manager was a bit choked up because of the display of disrespect that was given her, they were really rude to her, I told her to forget about their feelings. She did her job, these nurses can easily quit. Our private office has the best pay and benefits in the county of San Diego, than any other private medical office around here, better than any union could provide. None of them really want to quit because they would lose out on a lot, the one that has applied elsewhere has already turned down jobs because they do not offer the benefits we have.

If I had my choice, I would have fired two of them yesterday, too bad I cannot do so, but I will be letting the manager know often. We have another nurses meeting on Thursday, oh goody S.H.I.T. day, I have to go decide what I want to smoke.

[silversvt01]

Too bad you can't throw down the axe. Sorry to hear that.

Danny

[doctorcue]

I feel for you man. Isn't it amazing that as you become management you have to babysit adults? Obviously work is work (most of the time); but some people just have horrible attitudes about their jobs. People want exceptions, work around their schedule, more cash, etc. Yet when asked to work more they go crazy. Or have a standard schedule.

Just be steady; don't react like they did (because they'll use it against you); and look forward to good smokes. Sometimes that is all you can do.

Good luck brother!

[SD Beerman]

We'll help you forget..

[Opusfxd]

Good luck bro! Been there, got the tshirt.

[SR Mike]

Thanks all. It was an interesting meeting, I have heard them all gripe and complain about one thing or another, we all have, but the way they reacted today was ridiculous. Full on temper tantrums, stomping feet, pouting, huffing, sulking, and etc. I am so freaking happy I do not have kids.

[icehog3]

Each time I have been promoted at work, I have lost a couple "friends". Just a fact of life with some people's attitudes. It is understandable that people look out for their own interests first, but they need to understand that the employer has to look out for the company's interests as well.

[TheEconomist]

Just don't cave in!
Once you get their respect as their boss I bet ya you all will be back on good terms.

don't show weakness!

(Stan O'Neal management strategy.)

(on a side note, stan o'neal was recently "let go", but that doesn't mean he didn't know how to manage people. He is one of my hero's in the management world)