Prom night
I didn’t go to my high school prom. My gay high school “boyfriend” (whose 37th birthday is today. Whee) took his sixth-grade girlfriend who had moved away for high school so that she could see her old friends. She spent the WHOLE NIGHT with her friends and ignored him.
I do <3 instant karma. 🙂
Anywho, I had the big huge planning session scheduled with my Maryland staff yesterday. My marketing manager and I have mapped out a 7-page manifesto for Q1 and I wanted all the players to bring their input.
We had four surprise guests. Two of whom hate how I run meetings. 🙂
As they all learned today, I’m an ENFP … and plans and structure ain’t my style. 😉
The session went fine. It was pretty silent except for me and two of the unexpected guests. But when those guests left? Everyone got chatty and VOLUNTEERED ownership of the projects I was ready to assign them.
We got more done in five minutes than we did in the prior 40.
I worry sometimes that I am too “nice” or forgiving or even sacrificing, to the tune of giving too much guidance when I should be focused more on the bottom line. And then there are times when I see my personal investment pay off right before my eyes.
I saw that last night.
I’m not perfect. And there are a thousand and 50 things I could do better. But the million-dollar idea was in one of those people in that room. And I will be damned if we don’t earn it on my watch.
I had the world’s best team (and ancillary players) at Ye Olde Workplace Establishment. We were curmudgeonly alcoholics on a good day. But we collectively kicked ass AND had each other’s backs on a great day. There were no titles, no under-bus-throwings. No fear. No real grumblings that weren’t rooted in caring.
I had another awesome team at the Den of Iniquity. You called those guys at 3 a.m. on a Saturday, and they jumped out of bed and did what was asked of them. Maybe not always without a word of complaint. But always to the best of their ability.
I think I have that here. I am such a Momma Bear to my adult “kids,” but they are all so bright and eager and full of heart. (We’ve fired the rest.)
And days when I just don’t have it in me, they give me my spirit back.
I expect they will all prove me right. And make me look good. And right now, I need that. I told them, the talent and the ideas and the ability to see what’s wrong is in front of THEM. I sit on my tuffet in Florida and I can’t see what they see. And while I can do a better job of communicating and coordinating, they’ve got to tell me where the gaps are so that I’m not spackling a wall that’s just fine … or not filling a pothole I don’t see.
I told them I’m their champion. Their barrier-breaker. Bring it to me and let me fix it. That sort of thing.
I figured out the title of the leadership book I want to write. But this is my final case study. I’m done with changing jobs. I told my boss I want to be here for the next five years. I mean it.
Anyway, on a lighter note, we did several hours of teambuilding today. It was fun. We also did a secret santa and had a lovely lunch. And I got my Christmas bonus today. The cab ride from BWI cost more, but I ain’t mad about that, since we’ll be drinking for the next six hours on the company dime. 🙂
Alas, it is prom night. Complete with prom dresses and tuxes. I was going to wear dress boots since it’s a three-block walk and Baltimore’s first snowfall of the season happened today. (Hello ICE on the streets.)
But I ran into people from another of our Florida offices. And they said they’re cabbing it (dress shoes, yo) and said I should come with them. Which, hey, my group is walking but that group is paying for a cab out of the company kitty? Baby, I’m in! I can wear my heels — yay!
And with that, I’m off like a prom dress — gotta go scrub my butt, finish my Malbec and meet the Florida crew in the cab line.
If there are any babies birthed and tossed into the dumpsters, I’ll be sure to report back. 🙂 There are a couple of pregnancies I just learned about so I’ll be drinking for two … er, the two of THEM, that is!!!