Solved Going Back to Staples?
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Isn't that the description of a job that would be very non-stressful?
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@scottalanmiller said:
Isn't that the description of a job that would be very non-stressful?
It's a two-edged sword. Yes, I basically get to do the work my way and get things done overall to my standards. The problem becomes that I have very little support from the other techs. However, given that they've seen that the proof is in the pudding, to be cliche, I will probably have more management support this time.
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@thanksajdotcom said:
@scottalanmiller said:
Isn't that the description of a job that would be very non-stressful?
It's a two-edged sword. Yes, I basically get to do the work my way and get things done overall to my standards. The problem becomes that I have very little support from the other techs. However, given that they've seen that the proof is in the pudding, to be cliche, I will probably have more management support this time.
The biggest problem often tends to be operational stuff...stock shelves, etc. Stuff that I can do and do well, but my time is much better spent doing other tasks, and I used to get yelled at when I tried to "delegate".
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@thanksajdotcom said:
@scottalanmiller said:
Isn't that the description of a job that would be very non-stressful?
It's a two-edged sword. Yes, I basically get to do the work my way and get things done overall to my standards. The problem becomes that I have very little support from the other techs. However, given that they've seen that the proof is in the pudding, to be cliche, I will probably have more management support this time.
But where does the stress come from? Busy should not be stressful.
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@thanksajdotcom said:
@thanksajdotcom said:
@scottalanmiller said:
Isn't that the description of a job that would be very non-stressful?
It's a two-edged sword. Yes, I basically get to do the work my way and get things done overall to my standards. The problem becomes that I have very little support from the other techs. However, given that they've seen that the proof is in the pudding, to be cliche, I will probably have more management support this time.
The biggest problem often tends to be operational stuff...stock shelves, etc. Stuff that I can do and do well, but my time is much better spent doing other tasks, and I used to get yelled at when I tried to "delegate".
But again, boring maybe, not valuable perhaps, but why stressful?
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@scottalanmiller said:
@thanksajdotcom said:
@thanksajdotcom said:
@scottalanmiller said:
Isn't that the description of a job that would be very non-stressful?
It's a two-edged sword. Yes, I basically get to do the work my way and get things done overall to my standards. The problem becomes that I have very little support from the other techs. However, given that they've seen that the proof is in the pudding, to be cliche, I will probably have more management support this time.
The biggest problem often tends to be operational stuff...stock shelves, etc. Stuff that I can do and do well, but my time is much better spent doing other tasks, and I used to get yelled at when I tried to "delegate".
But again, boring maybe, not valuable perhaps, but why stressful?
Because it hurts the department, sales and I used to get yelled at for not getting it done, which stressed me out.
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@thanksajdotcom said:
@scottalanmiller said:
@thanksajdotcom said:
@thanksajdotcom said:
@scottalanmiller said:
Isn't that the description of a job that would be very non-stressful?
It's a two-edged sword. Yes, I basically get to do the work my way and get things done overall to my standards. The problem becomes that I have very little support from the other techs. However, given that they've seen that the proof is in the pudding, to be cliche, I will probably have more management support this time.
The biggest problem often tends to be operational stuff...stock shelves, etc. Stuff that I can do and do well, but my time is much better spent doing other tasks, and I used to get yelled at when I tried to "delegate".
But again, boring maybe, not valuable perhaps, but why stressful?
Because it hurts the department, sales and I used to get yelled at for not getting it done, which stressed me out.
But why do you care? This is an emotional attachment to something that you should not be emotionally attached to. It's your job, you get paid and all you have to do is relax and doing it. The state of the department should not cause you any stress at all, none.
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And it hurts the department? Are you sure? You interject these things but if it really hurts Staples, are you confident that they are telling you to do it? How does it hurt the company?
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@scottalanmiller said:
@thanksajdotcom said:
@scottalanmiller said:
@thanksajdotcom said:
@thanksajdotcom said:
@scottalanmiller said:
Isn't that the description of a job that would be very non-stressful?
It's a two-edged sword. Yes, I basically get to do the work my way and get things done overall to my standards. The problem becomes that I have very little support from the other techs. However, given that they've seen that the proof is in the pudding, to be cliche, I will probably have more management support this time.
The biggest problem often tends to be operational stuff...stock shelves, etc. Stuff that I can do and do well, but my time is much better spent doing other tasks, and I used to get yelled at when I tried to "delegate".
But again, boring maybe, not valuable perhaps, but why stressful?
Because it hurts the department, sales and I used to get yelled at for not getting it done, which stressed me out.
But why do you care? This is an emotional attachment to something that you should not be emotionally attached to. It's your job, you get paid and all you have to do is relax and doing it. The state of the department should not cause you any stress at all, none.
I'm good at this job because I care. I wish I could just relax but I can't...
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@thanksajdotcom But you can be good at a job and not find it stressful when you do what the job wants. You are creating your own definition of "good for" and "department success" that do not match the business' desires or goals. So that will always be stressful because you want something different for them than what they want. You "care" but you care about your own definition of what is good for them and not for the department itself.
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@scottalanmiller said:
And it hurts the department? Are you sure? You interject these things but if it really hurts Staples, are you confident that they are telling you to do it? How does it hurt the company?
Operational stuff, such as stocking, is important to driving general sales. When something is not on the shelf, even if we have it, someone may walk out without asking if we have it. It DOES hurt sales.
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@scottalanmiller said:
@thanksajdotcom But you can be good at a job and not find it stressful when you do what the job wants. You are creating your own definition of "good for" and "department success" that do not match the business' desires or goals. So that will always be stressful because you want something different for them than what they want. You "care" but you care about your own definition of what is good for them and not for the department itself.
Why do you think they're bringing me back? Because my method works. I get what you're saying though.
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@thanksajdotcom said:
@scottalanmiller said:
And it hurts the department? Are you sure? You interject these things but if it really hurts Staples, are you confident that they are telling you to do it? How does it hurt the company?
Operational stuff, such as stocking, is important to driving general sales. When something is not on the shelf, even if we have it, someone may walk out without asking if we have it. It DOES hurt sales.
Exactly. So it is important. Part of the whole of delivering value to the customers.
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@thanksajdotcom said:
@scottalanmiller said:
@thanksajdotcom But you can be good at a job and not find it stressful when you do what the job wants. You are creating your own definition of "good for" and "department success" that do not match the business' desires or goals. So that will always be stressful because you want something different for them than what they want. You "care" but you care about your own definition of what is good for them and not for the department itself.
Why do you think they're bringing me back? Because my method works. I get what you're saying though.
That your methods work doesn't mean that you don't make other people upset while doing so (which lowers your overall value to the company) and makes you upset and means that you can never really be happy because you have a value or desire mismatch that just doesn't work. Sure, you can brute force it into "good enough" but you are being driven by an emotion that is not healthy or helpful. Wanting the company to "do well" is well and good, but your definition of doing well and theirs either align or it isn't actually "doing well" that you want them to do.
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@scottalanmiller said:
@thanksajdotcom said:
@scottalanmiller said:
And it hurts the department? Are you sure? You interject these things but if it really hurts Staples, are you confident that they are telling you to do it? How does it hurt the company?
Operational stuff, such as stocking, is important to driving general sales. When something is not on the shelf, even if we have it, someone may walk out without asking if we have it. It DOES hurt sales.
Exactly. So it is important. Part of the whole of delivering value to the customers.
Yes, I've never denied its importance. However, it doesn't require any particular skill to do handle, unlike the sales and tech portions of the job. It's about the most efficient use of labor. CAN I do it? Yes. But there are things that I can do that others can't. Anyone can stock the shelves.
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Sounds like the issue is pride then. I've stocked shelves, it's just part of some jobs. Sure, you can do more than that. So can other people. But someone has to do it.
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I have gained a lot of humility over the past two months. I'm still stubborn but I fight for things that are important. Overall, my values and methods line up with the ship's captain, aka the GM. Me being gone for two months might have been the best thing I could have done for that job.
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@thanksajdotcom said:
I have gained a lot of humility over the past two months. I'm still stubborn but I fight for things that are important. Overall, my values and methods line up with the ship's captain, aka the GM. Me being gone for two months might have been the best thing I could have done for that job.
Now keep to it. Remember that a week ago dropping fries and flipping burgers or washing dishes would have been something you were thankful for. When you stock shelves remember you are doing your job, making people happy, helping the company and not above whatever it takes to make things work. It's great to take pride in your work and want to be the best and work hard at it. But never be above doing the jobs necessary for it. And never think less of the people who need to do them.
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@thanksajdotcom said:
The biggest problem often tends to be operational stuff...stock shelves, etc. Stuff that I can do and do well, but my time is much better spent doing other tasks, and I used to get yelled at when I tried to "delegate".
Are you in management? If not you should not be delegating. It's only your job to do what you are told to get done. It sounds like you think lots of stuff is beneath you (entitlement) and your better than doing that.
I work for a fortune 100 company as a Systems Admin/Engineer and I still stay over (salaried) to help other departments do thing sometimes like clean out storage room. Get things ready for employee appreciation days, employee lunches etc. Why? Because the company needs it done and I'm and employee of the company - we are there for the benefit as the company, not ourselves. I was never even asked to help out in those ways.
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@thanksajdotcom said:
I talked to my former tech supervisor who proceeded to tell me sales were great, computer work was great, and things were fine and doing just well without me and how I made his life difficult when I was there and that is he was basically better off without me.
However, the narrative I've heard from others is very different. My former GM called me and texted me today saying he has a "business proposal" for me. I also heard, through the grapevine, that the sales manager is fed up with the tech supervisor!
Staples has been and is running with out you, so don't go in with the attitude of they need you and can't run without you. They Can and will. They are doing you a favor, not you doing them one.
Your ego is the biggest issue here.
