why do you listen

i am always amazed by the ones who lean their ear in close to hear my mumbling replies. i'm typically distracted on the phone and banging dishes. what can i say, i'm a stay home (or was, i think i can officially ixnay the stay home part of my handle) mom.

i don't know how it happens. how we sit with kings. why they look into our eyes and listen to what we say.

is it because we amuse them with our juggling or because no one else will tell them they are, in fact, naked.

the rules don't apply to the fool. and no one wants to be the one to offend the king.

but i've not struggled with that much. king or pauper, all the same to me.

some would say i'm too big for my britches, reaching that high to whisper some something.

i say,

we do what we do. people resonate or no, accordingly.

our task is only to be faithful to the appointed task.

mine, at the moment, is working very hard at becoming the kind of manager i would like.

i struggle with the giant kids (who are taller than me) but, of course, more immature.

something about tall, i think tall people should be mature, but that has never been my experience. so i struggle with the kids.

i don't want to ride them mercilessly. i want to create a team atmosphere, but i get frustrated when the simple daily tasks are left for the next shift.

set the next shift up for success,

i keep saying.

when i leave the place (unless i've had a complete and total brain fart, which happens), things are stocked and clean, the place is back to ground zero.

when i get the place, without fail, the place is in the negative.

though the midshift crew is picking up some of the slack now a days.

which is good. they are the older adults, and i am glad they are contributing because i am too tired to do it all. no one needs to do it all.

my boss is very young, but surprisingly strong where i am weak. she trains really well, and i do okay. i tend to think efficiency in everything, including people. and you can't be efficient with people. people are the most inefficient of all in terms of relations.

i am reminded we have such unique perspectives of the world, and when operating on assumptions, things go bad, terribly, horribly, bad.

communication and clarity, stating expectations are the key.

but when the giant kids refuse, what then?

i do not know. i had to tell my latest junior giant that rules are in place for a reason. it is his first week of training and he is all ready trying to get around the rules. (the kid told me some shortcuts with coffee and such) and i balked.

you are just learning. if you never learn to do things properly, how can you ever do them properly?

it makes me consider the greater questions of work ethics and how they evolve. when do you choose to have a good or great work ethic as opposed to a mediocre or crappy one?

i want to ask this kid who's a junior in college,

when will you start doing a good job? when you're on the job as an engineer?

in my mind, it will be too late then. his habitual shortcutting won't allow for the necessary attention to detail.

that he is an aerospace engineer unnevers me. something about planes being developed by these lazy kids really creeps me out.

at least in previous generations the die hard workers who once had character and actually mastered their fields and crafts were in pivotal positions.

i'm not sure that is the case anymore.

now, it's about getting ahead, short cuts, networking. less about character, integrity, excellence.

and this chills me to the bone.

i will leave off this path of thought because it just occurred to me, these will be the powerbrokers when i'm old, and unless something happens, Y-I-K-E-S!

so, my position as manager is more than just clocking in and out.

i said to one kid i worked with last night, repeat after me,

i'm here to earn my paycheck not just get paid.

(this after i side-kicked martial arts style to welcome him to work, which he falcon kicked in return, this generates a great smile from him and ensures all will be well).

and he laughed.

this kid tends to take off his shoe and poke around in it, then get angry at me for telling him to wash his hands. (scary!)

he came in early to work and slept on the couch.

what can i say, high schoolers. they need more sleep than the rest of us, and probably get the least. but he does show up and works harder now than he did. he's washing his hands without balking at me, i saw him at least four times at the handwashing station last night. i was so proud of him.

things can change. and it is the small hilarities that get through.

to kings and kids

i guess.