Accounting

I've discovered that I like doing reimbursements and figuring out excel spreadsheets at work. Also, though it can be taxing, I enjoy figuring out our timekeeping spreadsheet (which is almost always incorrect, despite significant efforts to change this). It is the analysis work that I find gratifying. On the other hand, when people ask me to compose a letter or write minutes, it drains me. Nor was I eager to volunteer for our newsletter committee. I enjoy writing, but something about it in the work setting either doesn't interest me or stresses me out. Maybe I'm out of practice ...or maybe I just don't like writing professionally.

However, keeping track of money interests me. I only get to see a sliver of the money management in our department, but it's my favorite part. It seems to me that the people who understand money are quite valuable. They're the ones who understand the gears of a business and can tell you if something is possible logistically, fiscally. It's a language I encounter every day, but only certain individuals are allowed to know what any of it means. So I thought it was time for me to take an accounting class.

I've taken it as a good sign that I haven't bailed on this idea yet and that I've had enough interest/momentum to actually sign up for a class. This is kind of a big deal, though, because I don't know what will happen. I'm stepping into waters where I've never been and into an area where I've not been known to excel - numbers. I'm the kind of person who is asked for help with essays and grammar, not mathematical discrepancies. However, if I want to learn accounting, it can't hurt to take a class and see how it goes.

Having a good manager is key

One part of my job for which I feel the most fortunate is how I have a great coworkers and a great supervisor. My supervisor, Maria, advocates for me and those under her for proper treatment and rewards for excellent work. Nearly everyone under her has moved up. There is one manager in the research area, however, who doesn't advocate for her one employee (and she only has one). The employee has been an administrative assistant for years and prospects of a promotion for her are slim, because her boss is afraid to have a discussion with the chair about giving her a raise. Other people have tried to negotiate for this employee, but the discussion has to come from her boss and she won't do it. It's tragic. However, I think only so much can be blamed on the boss. If the employee wants a raise, she needs to take responsibility to look elsewhere...especially if she's been in the same position for years.

I hope to be in a position (professional and mental) where I do not fear authority.

Mistakes

March was a difficult month for me at work. I've either been making mistakes or mistakes I made in the past decided to become visible. The errors have been minor to middle-grade ones. The minor ones hurt my self-confidence at most, but the middle-grade ones involved making other people look inconsiderate/uninformed. I've sent out a couple apology emails. One of the mistakes involved a doctor yelling at another employee. That one made me feel the worst. The short story is that I had wrong information, which I passed on to someone and she passed on to someone else. Between the time I found that information and the mistake happened (an announcement went out with this wrong information), the right information actually came to my inbox. However, my brain cells were not working and it didn't occur to me that the two pieces of information didn't match...even as I was talking about one of them aloud to a coworker.

Guilt hung over me like an overcast day. I felt like I could have prevented it had I been thinking. I told the story to several people, including those involved in the blowup, and no one blamed me. It still took me a few days to get over it.

It just goes to show that when you think you're on top of your game, you still mess up and it can be the worst. At least my profession doesn't hold the physical lives of others in my hands. I would have a hard time dealing with those kind of mistakes.

Suddenly, I was a Supervisor

I had written this back on February 28th, but didn't publish it. It was an important learning moment for me in my career, though, so I want it to be on record.

Let me introduce our main office administrative team to you:

Janet - residency manager

Nilu - fellowship coordinator

Amy - residency coordinator, administrative associate

Melissa - administrative assistant (formerly Amy's position)

Janet came to me yesterday and let me know Melissa was taking time off. She asked me if I wanted a copy of her forms. Two things went through my head:

1) Why would I need her forms? Why would I care?

2) Shouldn't Maria (executive assistant and head admin of department) get the forms?

I asked Janet about this and she said that she (Janet) and I were Melissa's direct supervisors. Umm...what? I was pretty sure Maria was her supervisor. In the past, the previous fellowship coordinator was on the verge of being let go because she had reported to the incorrect person...at least those were the reasons brought against her. Janet had talked to Maria, though, who said that, no, we were in charge: Janet was the manager over here and I knew exactly what Melissa was in charge of and what she was supposed to be doing. Therefore, we were her supervisors. 

I felt a sinking feeling in my stomach. It wasn't that I didn't want this responsibility, I just felt bad because sometimes I lost patience with Melissa. Many times I've wondered why she's asked me certain questions...why can't she take some initiative and figure them out herself? Or I've wondered why she needs help writing an email or why she isn't quick and snappy about things like me. I've always answered her questions, helped her with emails, never mentioned her work pace, but I've been silently judgmental about it. Now that I realize I'm professionally responsible for her...I feel terrible about it. 

Training someone is challenging. I keep trying to remind myself that when I start new jobs, I feel like the dumbest person ever. I repeat questions over and over again and I forget things. There are also things you don't think about...like how to correspond with others appropriately. There's a system of class levels and formality within the hospital and between other academic institutions. You have to learn how to communicate between the classes - how you address people, how you phrase what you want without offending them, or even if you should be sending them email or calling them at all (you don't email chairs of departments directly, for instance - you talk to their assistants). There were times when I asked my coworkers how to say things...because I didn't know a professional way to do so. I forget this sometimes. I forget how much I've learned, especially when it comes to "invisible" skills. 

Overall, Melissa does a great job. She's positive and gets along with the doctors. She does everything they ask and gets tasks done on time. Who am I to complain that she's not high-strung like me about details? Or that she isn't rushing around. Maybe she is...I sit in the back and only see her about half the day anyway.