Tantrums in the Workplace

Meet Robin. He’s in his fifties, runs a successful production company and is going to buy a new building in the next couple of months to expand his business. He has a loyal group of people who work for him, and they do good work. Coming in when needed, staying late, helping him complete shows. This includes me.  Until this week, that is. I called in Monday morning because my husband, who stays home with our 1 year old boy, was ill with the stomach flu. He had the “creeping crud” as my grandmother calls it and I felt he was in no shape to take care of our little one. It happens. I was then treated to phone calls from my employer stating that my sick days were for me and me only when I was legitimately ill, that he had an office to run and that this was a huge problem. He basically implied that if I couldn’t have a babysitter on call for days like this, that I would be terminated. This after a week where his oldest son called in 2 days, missed another half a day, and was late the remaining two days by at least an hour and a half both times.

So, my question to myself is this:

How important is this job to me and the financial survival of my family?  The answer: Not incredibly.

I have advanced skills when it comes to office work. I can temp and be hired on relatively easily, therefore having money to get through the holiday season. We’d already decided to make our gifts, thereby eliminating most costs. We can get one or two key things for the kids and make sure their stockings are stuffed on Christmas morning. We’re good to go. We don’t have to buy for each other. I’m sick and tired of the holiday season’s materialistic nature anyway.

The next question is: Do I give notice, or merely walk out?

I’ve never walked out of a job before. I know it’s better for my resume and my future employment needs if I don’t walk out. That said, I’ve never felt so small before. Not only the incident this week, but other small things including “tests” of my loyalty by swiping $50.00 from the petty cash drawer and seeing how long it takes me to figure it out. I reconcile that about once a month, as we don’t use it that often. Asking me the same question 4 times, acting like he has no idea that I’ve answered the question *in front of other people* (the man is not stupid and doesn’t have any mental defect I can discern) or that I haven’t already answered it to satisfaction. Refusing to believe he can screw things up and insisting I’m not remembering tasks and am not “on point” because he’s forgotten to tell me to do something.

I’m 30 years old. I think it may be time for me to have a job end because I refuse to be made to feel small, stupid and insignificant. Maybe his kids and wife are used to being talked to in this manner, but I am neither of those and I do not have to stand for it.

Ethics

“Ethics must begin at the top of an organization. It is a leadership issue and the chief executive must set the example.”

– Edward Hennessy

Today

Take it on, whatever that dream of yours is. Let go of the fear, anxiety, doubt.. and if you can’t then take those things on instead. Get angry at them, own them, let your inspiration pour out and drown those negative reactions. What you will regret later in life aren’t the things you did do, but the things you didn’t. “What-if” is something I never want to ask myself again.

Gifts

“The most desired gift of love is not diamonds or roses or chocolate.
It is focused attention.” — Rick Warren

Beauty

Think of all the beauty still left around you and be happy.

Anne Frank (1929 – 1945), Diary of a Young Girl, 1952

Ability

Dressing up is inevitably a substitute for good ideas. It is no coincidence that technically inept business types are known as “suits.”

Paul Graham, September 2004

March 8, 2007

If you are out to describe the truth, leave elegance to the tailor.

 

Albert Einstein

What’s your Inspiration?

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