So it has dawned on me that it has
been nearly 3 months since my last post. I recently started a new position that
has proven to be nothing but a kick in the balls. In an attempt to get out of
the ems world that had me so beaten down, sadly this has not allowed me to
bounce back from the debt racked up as a result of my injury. I am not living
life, just barely keeping my head above the water.
One of the things that I learned when broken, is that I need to be
more human. I struggled with finding a new full time job. After falling short
many times I took a job with a local city as a fire inspector. Starting In a
new city with new faces and people that I did not know at all. Anxiety
immediately set in whether I would be able to get by here. However I took this
opportunity as a new challenge and I felt that by doing this, I can focus my
energy on something that didn't bite me in the ass (yet). I have learned more
in the last 2 months about this line of work, than I have in the 6 years
previously working in this field. With more knowledge and understanding also
comes frustration in seeing the issues that need to be corrected. Sadly as the
low man on the totem pole, you have no say. You bite your tongue and you deal
with it.
This was a big adjustment for me. It is hard for me to stand by
and watch things happen. You're the new guy, you don't have a say in these
matters. I can say I slightly miss working in a place where someone one would
maybe listen to a new idea or a suggestion. Even though your idea would be told
"it won't work". Then be used by another superior after they made
your life a living hell to the point that you leave the organization (not that
I have ever seen this happen). Yes, I enjoyed working the streets. Yes, I
enjoyed directly helping other people. Yes, I miss the residents of Jersey City.
I miss the colleagues I had. I miss working with my old partner Gill and the
conversations shared behind warehouses at 3am. I miss cheering up coworkers
during the hard times.
I truly miss my conversations with Pat, and our brainstorming
sessions in making the organization someplace great. I miss us speaking about
ideas we had, that would improve the organization and morale, Just to be shot
down.
So after doing a great amount of soul searching and reading the
writing on the wall. I have just become more upset in seeing how employers and
employees work together. I can proudly say that I have worked alongside some of
the most brilliant and amazing people in the world. And they are amazing assets
to an organization. Yet I've watched employers push them away rather than
harness their talents. Mostly because these bosses never take the time to know
their employees and the talent they bring to the organization. It's sad to see
an operation take place, and not know what is in your arsenal. And that is a
crying shame. One thing that I have always done is to not just meet a new
contact or colleague, but to learn something about them personally. Believe it
or not, people like being treated like people. It's nice to just sit down and
have a normal conversation at work.
A big thing for me in the last few months has been customer
service. Customer service is what drives our organization. In the emergency and
municipal field, we feel that we are servants in a very cut and dry world. Yet
to the public, it is often perceived that we are just taking the taxpayers
money and have turned into terrible people while we sit in the ivory tower.
Most of the time, public notion is that we go out of our way to make things
difficult. There is nothing more upsetting, than seeing the public lose trust
in those who are there to keep them safe. Unfortunately, I have been witness to
a large number of public employees who use the statement, "it's not my
job" or "I don't get paid to do that".
These statements slay me. The reason why is because IT IS YOUR
JOB!!! If you don't want to serve the public, don't work in the public field.
Work in a mine, tar roofs, dig a ditch. Do not sit and stare at a person as
they have a question directed at you, and tell him it's not your job and walk
away. If you don't know the answer, ask someone who may. Show an interest in
their problem, even if you don't care. Make them feel that their problem, is
now your problem. You have an obligation to not only help, but to be a human.
It goes a long way.
Which goes back to my point of being a human. I have taken pride
in turning around the image of an organization by simply being polite, asking
if someone is helping them. If not, listen to their issue completely (not half
assed, completely). If you can't help them, attempt to point them in the right
direction. If they were able to figure out their problem in the beginning, they
wouldn't be asking for your help. Don't be a jerk about it.
We all have bad days. It happens. But as a professional you need
to be able to bury the issue down. The customer doesn't care that you have been
working harder than your coworker, they appreciate your help. The customer
doesn't care about what is on your plate. You need to adapt and overcome the
situation. Suck it up buttercup.
You as an employee owe it to yourself and the people you serve to
go above and beyond for them. If we as a society cannot move past the ignorant
mindset of it not being your job, or that your boss does not pay you enough to
do the right thing, we will never be able to move forward as a society. It is
never too much work, to do the right thing.
*** This rant was due to me being upset with the actions of those
around me, despite always attempting to do the human thing. Falling back on
that instilled teaching of being a man for others. ***
No comments:
Post a Comment