So, the situation is this:
For a while I've been thinking it odd that my new colleague was making small. unilateral decisions; that she'd appointed herself spokesperson in certain situations; that our admin assistant treated her slightly differently. But it was all stuff so little that I convinced myself that I was imagining it. You know what writers are like for imagining things? At the same time, I've been giving my all to the job, working in rubbish conditions and thinking that it'd all get sorted if I just hung on.
And then yesterday she told me that, although it was 'meant nothing really', she'd actually been appointed Team Manager! Last straw. Red rag. Cue one very angry email to management detailing my grievances. Did they really think I'd have spent so much of my own time on the job if I'd known? Did they think they'd acted professionally over this? On and on and on. Oh, it was proper shouty - capital letters, the lot.
Five minutes later, I got a reply email - no, it was all a mistake. There was no Team Manager's job, someone on management had made an honest mistake. A big, honest mistake.
So, now. Will there be one person in this situation who doesn't feel a fool? My colleague has been told she's the boss and therefore acting the part, and now she'll be told she's not. The management team just look incompetent. And me, well, I lost my temper over something that turned out to be wrong, so all that prima donna huffing and puffing was in vain. Oh, woe is all of us; Monday will be interesting as we try to rearrange ourselves and jiggle our way back to normality, each of us struggling to retain as much dignity as possible.
In another incident, tho', a newish student, one of the more civilised ones, after witnessing me fielding a lengthy verbal abuse situation earlier in the morning, asked to speak to me in the office.
'I know the students give you a hard time in this job,' he said, 'but I want you to know, I think you're really nice for doing it.'
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6 comments:
What a lovely compliment. So sorry to hear about the other stuff though. Hope Monday goes ok.
Blimey, how can someone make a mistake like that? Weird. And now they have to tell the woman she's not Team Manager after all. I bet that'll go down well!
Good for you though for putting your point across. Ha, they won't mess with you again!
Really though, I hope it all sorts itself out.
How lovely of that lad! Must have given you a warm glow.
Hi Casdok - yes, it gave me a warm glow, altho' the fact he's 17 and feels at ease saying that stuff to his teacher betrays the fact that he's not quite in the same emotional place as his peers...
Maddie - Thanks, I think I just came across as a bit hysterical. It's a failing of mine.
Think you and the colleague are going to have to agree to laugh about the whole thing! What a cock-up.
Very hard, taking flak on all fronts and having to remain cool under fire. Student's right, they're lucky to have you! The other stuff will sink speedily over the horizon I'm sure, but sounds as if a few Agreed Definitions might not go amiss.
P
Womagwriter - you're right, we'll have to laugh about it. Thankfully, other than this incident, we get along pretty well.
Penny - I think we're going to sort out roles and responsibilities next week. Of course, if it'd been done last week a lot of trauma would've been avoided...
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