My Frustrating Work Life

Dear Institutes of Higher Learning:

I am proposing a new seminar that should be strongly recommended for certain students regardless of field of study. The students required to/strongly encouraged to enroll prior to graduation should be identified by the core faculty and/or student advisers in each school/program. Those targeted should be bright, have common sense, and someday end up in a position of management in their eventual field.

It should be called:

How to Deal with Those Lacking Common Sense and/or Intelligence so You Don't End up in Jail

I need it. Also the smart, organized full of common sense young lady who works with me now needs it too.

I was a government major. She was a biology major who now holds a Master's of Public Health degree. We don't have a business/HR graduate among us.

She has joined me in spending time cleaning up the messes created by (1) one employee who is a drama princess, who fails to pay attention in staff meetings or ask questions she when does not understand something (only if she doesn't want to hear it) and then it takes about 3 times of personal one on one instruction to comprehend how to do something if and when she (a) is patient enough to sit still and (b) is not completely opposed to the idea (if she is, she won't "get it" ever); and (2) a second employee who is brilliant but completely sloppy, distracted and disorganized.

I frequently remind Young Perfect Employee that we are the exception, not the rule. It is hard to grasp that when for all of your years of higher ed, and frequently high school, your were among like-minded and capable beings.

I must also remind her this while maintaining my role as chief of staff and not calling the others who work for me blithering incompetent idiots. I still think she can read it all over my face. I need help.

Sincerely,
Suzanne M. LastName, COO
FPSI, Inc.

p.s. I know I can post this because my blog readers, all 4 or 5 of you, would be required to attend this course, too. If you have mastered these skills, please send me your wisdom.