I hate work politics

So we all hate work politics, but unfortunately it's a necessary evil in most environments. I got hit in the face with it today and almost blew a gasket.

Last week my boss and I were chatting about what I want to do when I finally grow up. He made a joke about me taking his job and I literally laughed in his face and baldly stated that I had no desire to be a Director of Res Life.. that in fact, that's probably one of the last jobs in the world I would take. He flattered me the by telling me that we needed to talk about it further because he thought I should reconsider that. He said that there were tons of people currently in the position who did not have the skills to do it, but that I do have the talent and should use it. While I was immensely flattered by his confidence in me, I absolutely have no desire to be a director of housing/res life. And I carefully laid out my reasoning -- I hate the politics involved.

Let's face it folks, I wasn't made to be a mover and a shaker... I'm too honest for that. Now, to be totally truthful, I can lie like a rug.. I just choose not to... I don't have the patience for BS nor do I have the energy to keep track of lies and gossip. Hence, my extremely slow upward journey.. LOL

At EMU I went nowhere because i refused to play the game. I detest people who make sport of others and because I refused to be a part of that i was shunned by the "popular kids." It's kind of happening here as well. I typically keep my mouth shut and listen, but don't gossip. Since I don't share gossip I'm not really of value in the political sphere... unfortunately in a division that operates more on gossip than skill or fact -- that's a hindrance. I'm too honest and forthright. People, typically, do not have to wonder where they stand with me. You're either an acquaintance, or you're a friend -- hate and dislike take too much energy so there are FEW that fit into the dislike category.. there are a few.. but the number is small.

Unfortunately one of our administrators is at the top of that list, especially after today.

I have spent the last year of my life devoted to creating an innovative, exciting, fun, and educational training program for our department. I have fought (and won) several battles (some of them I drew blood) in order to get to do the training program the way I wanted it done. It's something I've wanted to do for years because I knew it would be amazing and would help not only with Morale, but with retention as well. Unfortunately, prior to my current supervisor no one had enough balls to let me try something new and different. But this year was different. I was able to create a comprehensive, skills based, experiential learning workshop that addressed all of the important skill sets and used a variety of techniques to illustrate and reiterate the programs. It was freaking AWESOME. Morale was up 100% over last year. Staff were happy, peppy, joking, getting to know each other. We actually built a huge staff community where everyone across campus was getting to know each other and having fun in the process.

For the first time in the 10 years I've been involved in in RA training I heard absolutely ZERO complaints about training. In fact, other administrators on campus were pulling me aside to pass on all the good things the student staff were saying about training this year. Today was supposed to be the culmination of the training. we were ending with a graduation ceremony and giving them Residential Life University T-shirts as a completion gift. Kind of their certificate, if you will. As part of the ceremony we had planned to have a motivational speaker.

Well, without going too much into it, the speaker was not who I wanted it to be (because of office politics) and I was assured when this person was forced on me, that he could be peppy and motivational. Unfortunately that was a DIRTY LIE. Not only was he not motivating .. he was DEMOTIVATING and negative. Here I had a staff of peppy, excited college students after a full week of training and he starts lecturing them on how judicial numbers have increased 1000% and that they are warriors in the war for retention. WARRIORS?? Really? we just spent a week telling them they were champions of student success and that their job was to help students succeed for their personal growth and he comes in and calls them warriors for the bottom line. I was so freaking pissed off that I had to leave the room or wring his neck (which would have definitely been a CLM). I was so mad (and it takes a LOT to piss me off that badly) that I had tears in my eyes because I had no other outlet for my anger AND I couldn't show it in front of my staff. So I took a short walk outside and asked my boss to close up the graduation. I don't know that I have ever been so furious in my entire life. This douche bag spent 45 minutes with my staff and they left that room looking tired, drained, and defeated. When he arrived they were laughing, joking, and looking forward to students returning.

When i got back to the office afterward my boss asked me if I was still talking to him...

my response -- "Barely"

the only reason I'm willing to forgive is because I knew he had no choice politically, just like I had no choice... too bad my staff don't know that.. they think I CHOSE to end training like that...

So much for the awesome job at staff morale and retention...

Bastard politics!!