metaphor – only fun when played by your rules.
So yesterday was the first Super Bowl moment of this job and let’s just say I lost. The first catch up between my manager and myself took about 20 mins and I said maybe three sentences.
Walking into the room I felt like I had been doing a pretty good job but had selected a couple areas for improvement because although very close, I’m not perfect. 😉
Well Mr Manager did not agree and began ever so politely and pleasantly to criticise the past three months of my work. All of this was said with a smile on his face and he made sure to add that “none of this was personal it was just that the individuals in the role before me had just been better.” Paraphrase.
By now my earlier optimism had exited the room and been replaced by a partial resting bitch face, partial it’s-not-right-but- it’s-ok smile. (RIP Whitney, HBD Brandy). I was not ready for this and when asked if I had anything to say said something like, “I’m still getting used to this role and can do better..” 😒
Long story short, probation extended and won’t be mentioned to the team unless I chose to mention it myself.
All caught up and back to my desk.
Not long after, a colleague leaves the office followed shortly by the manager. Both return after a meeting lengths amount of time.
After some time manager leaves, so I enquire…
Me: You have your turn with….?
Colleague: Yeah, was told your probation was being extended.
Pause. Ok. Really?
I enquired further and discovered that probation extension is very popular in this department and even the “amazing” employee mentioned above who was perfect at the job from day one was on probation for two years! (No typo).
Perspective is slowly coming into focus.
The one positive mentioned in the meeting was I get on with the team and have a lot of friends in the building. I don’t. I just talk to people… (People I see everyday…)
This was mentioned as a comparison to him knowing practically everyone, with 11 years of employment thrown in. Impressive but nothing I aspire to. Thanks. Rather not have to earn my right to verbal communication.
Anyway let’s see how the next two months play out.
for those who arent schoolin life 