My work...

Some loud thinking again: Forced fun. Is that respectful? Can it become almost humiliating?

And I/we have heard:

“You ought to/shall talk!”

Because many people are said to be or keep quiet.

But some are told not to talk! Actually my (female) boss said I had been he one that had talked most on the meeting I am referring to below! I got dumb hearing this, and thought the more. But felt I didn't want to argue...

I who used to be most quiet of the quiet!!!

"People don't say what they think!!"

we have heard.

"They talk in the corridors instead!"

"I don't want corridor-talk!"

our former boss (a he) said once. I dropped my cheek. And thought for myself that:

"Does this have the opposite effect? Or people rather keep totally quiet and explode when they have built up enough inside? And if you can't create this sort of communication you can't order it!"

Actually I also asked a psychologist (needed to get permission from someone? with deep self-irony):

"Am I allowed to think that they are stupid???

The psychologist got dumb. Dropped HIS cheek. And then he said:

"Yes, you ARE!"

What my female boss above used wasn't it a Master Suppression Technique? First we are told to say what we think and then yo are told thatyou have spoken most of all on a meeting!

My piano-colleagues replied to this (when I told them later):

"And?? (what did she mean? What should you do?)"

Yes, I don't know, maybe she could have tried to meet what I said? And discuss facts? Or?

Slowly I have realized it is like this she functions; things just slip out of her mouth, and maybe she even regrets what she has said... But having this trait can't it be a problem, create problems? Putting quite high demands on people around? (do all get the same understanding though?)

My boss also said about having a lecture in communication (later a piano colleague said that our boss and another colleague had been on a lecture about communication on Monday, the day before we started): Can you learn these things by reading about them or hearing about them on a lecture? Only? Some can? But can all? I doubt on the effectiveness. But information is better than nothing?

I sat in a small group this week discussing an inquiry about the psychosocial environment at our work. After this I was quite upset. Went home for lunch. Called a colleague to pour out a little of the frustration. And succeeded to calm down!

This time of the year, making our time-plans (with he pupils) is something we all think is one of the toughest, if not THE toughest, periods of the year.

Before we got on summer vacation we got a graphical oversight over measures we need to take to make more co-workers more satisfied with the psychosocial work environment.

On this meeting this week I tried to point out how important it is to try to engage ALL at our workplace in these questions/topics (if possible). Tried to put emphasize on that about participation and engagement. The less people feel engaged and participating the less they do in work (not that I want to force anybody to anything) – and the less they reply/answer to any inquiries of any kind. If they aren’t engaged in this work and/or inquiries of this kind things can’t lead to anything. Hmmm, my impatience has grown with the years?

Only 14 of 32 teachers had replied/answered to this inquiry! I wonder what this says (IF it says anything?). That people are satisfied, and/or don't really care? Only the less satisfied have answered? OR the most satisfied? Or it's he most passionate that have answered to the inquiry?

But I am not going to beat my head bloody in trying to change these things if they don’t get real support! And with a sigh and tired smile, I don’t think our (female) boss understands what I mean. She has no real sense for making people engaged and participating; despite she is such a social person as she is. Not afraid of talking, liking parties (and big parties), having a lot of social contacts (I think)... But does this automatically mean a person can handle other people?

If she, and nobody else, understands the work environment it can be as it is.

What do I have in my backpack, influencing me in these topics? Having grown up in a big family (with five younger siblings, coming close, being big sister out in the fingertips?) a father who worked as teacher the first 6, 5 years of my life, and as headmaster till his retirement. He in turn having difficulties to subordination? Having difficulties with women… Especially with strong women?

And I think my mom actually also had teacher-tendencies! Even though she worked as nurse…

After this sidetrack, back to the meeting this week: according to the results from the inquiry people weren’t really satisfied with the psychosocial work environment. And not with the atmosphere or cooperation, and they thought that it wasn’t clear who shall do this and who shall do that, i.e. the organization of the work could become better.

People also thought that the meaningfulness on our meetings isn’t what it ought to or could be. And they didn’t think that suggestions that are put forward are leading to concrete changes/improvements.

Another thing that we could explore the consequences of was the possibilities for development (in general?).

Hmmm, and the medicine against this, and something that is thought to transform the workplace and create understanding between individuals and groups and create a “we-feeling,” is parties and playing games… Having what I would call forced fun…

But I am no kid any more (but quite girlish, something I have mixed feelings about. Is this side a protection?)!! I am a grown up person (I HOPE!!) and I want to be treated like one!

This is a workplace not a kindergarten!

This doesn’t exclude that I can’t play with my pupils, and have fun with them, and also do such things with my colleagues! But if people are forced to this it can become disrespectful and almost humiliating!?

Yes, if we were treated with real, genuine respect of bosses capable of showing this – how would that be??

Would we behave differently too with our pupils/students, colleagues, parents etc.?

Spontaneously and temperamentally writing, pouring out! Yes, I work with artistic things (do I??? How artistic is what I/we do – actually???).