So Much for That

I like to consider myself a good worker. I show up, sit down, and dive in. Except for the occasional blog posting or checking of forums to keep my sanity with a short mental break, I'm at my desk and working. Sometimes, I'm so consumed in my work I put off getting up even to pee. I don't spend my days chatting, writing a bunch of e-mails, or making personal phone calls.

I also work well independently. That is, not that I can't work with other, but that I'm far more productive when I know what is expected of me before I sit down. This is part of what I loved about the last task they had me on. By its nature, it was constant work, and I always knew when I began my day what I had to do. I could go through entire days without any communication from my supervisors, I knew what had to be done, and they knew I knew it and trusted that I did it. I work best like this.

Now, I'm doing so many odd jobs and have been without a supervisor so long that a day doesn't go by when I don't get an e-mail or several about what I should do that day. I hate this. Especially if I've already established the day before with, say Boss², what I've committed to getting done.

Today was one of those days. There was an e-mail waiting for me in which Acting Sup said "please make sure the e-mails are done or delegated today." I admit, my response was more of a snap. I'm not an idiot, in fact, I'm probably better educated than half of the people in this department. Maybe I didn't properly prioritize the work I was expected to do yesterday, but I do not need a daily reminder of what is supposed to be done. Especially on days when only one person is out of the office and the load of our work will not be falling only on me.

I couldn't help but be offended. Why did they hire me if I can't be trusted to know my job? Why do they keep me if I'm not getting the job done? Really, I am getting the job done. It may not be immediate, but it gets done.

Adolf the first never had to tell me day in and day out what to do. This is how I work, and how I work at my best. This is what minimizes the amount of time I spend doing non-work things. This doesn't mean I never need direction, mind you, but not every day. Once given a project, I will work it to completion and move on to the next one. If I don't have anything to do, I ask for something. If I do not ask for something, that means I have tasks to complete. Unless those tasks need to be changed for one reason or another, then I don't need to be told. If management doesn't know what I'm doing, that's a whole different problem.