If you've been around here for any length of time you know that I LOVE Christmas... It is absolutely the best time of the year!!! I mean - hell - I have already put my lights up outside and turned them on..... I have almost finished my Christmas shopping and am chomping at the bit to get the decorations up inside...........
So why you ask have I put that picture on my blog???
Do you remember all the problems I had with my staff in September/October???
Well on Thursday one of my dear loving/caring staff members turned to me and out of the blue asked me when I was gonna organize the Christmas dinner party..... I was gob smacked.... why I ask you.. WHY in god's name would I want to plan any party with these women who have done everything in their power to bring me down????
Unfortunately I don't think very fast on my feet......... 'cause if I had I would have answered her question by saying "I am not planning any Christmas dinner party - you can do it." But I didn't. I mumbled some stupid answer and then proceeded to stress about having to find a restaurant.. count heads.. make reservations .. etc etc etc.
Then I had a brain wave..... a brilliant inspirational idea.
Yesterday at the daily noon meeting.. I announced that I would not be planning ANY Christmas dinner party. ........ that I had more than enough items on my "to do list" and so if they wanted a Christmas party they had better put their heads together and organize it!!!
HA ! the looks on all their faces was worth it...... totally worth it. BAH HUMBUG.
Now that is taken care of... I can get on with MY Christmas decorating, wrapping, baking and celebrating.
Take away another problem where you sort things out and they just sit back and criticize and make it their problem. Excellent solution, well done :)
ReplyDeletePrefectdt
Ya know Prefectdt - I had a wonderful principal a few years back who was trying to help me with administrative "excellence" (grinning) and he told me "When they (being the staff) give you problems and expect you to fix them - turn it around and give it right back to them by saying "well how do YOU think this should be handled" .. His belief was - If I did that enough - they would soon stop coming to me with silly problems.....
ReplyDeleteI had forgotten his theory but you have reminded me ... thank you :) I will start using that strategy more often :) (AGAIN)
I often tell parents of 12 year olds that, in general, only one person takes on a problem at a time. If they want their students to worry about THEIR grades, then they have to make those grades be the problem of the student. I imagine the same holds true for the STAFF Christmas party... if they truly want such an event, THEY can work to make it happen.
ReplyDeletehugs,
swan
Excellent solution!
ReplyDeleteYay you! =)
Well done, Morningstar! I just love it when you get assertive!
ReplyDelete"How do YOU think this should be handled": it's one of the few things I remember vividly from the TV series "Dallas": Sue-Ellen aked her psy a question and it's exactly what he answered. I thought at first it was quite lazy of him and then I realised it was worth keeping that in mind.