Comments on: A Tale of Two Shittys http://inflexionadvisors.com/blog/2008/12/01/a-tale-of-two-shittys/ Changing HR one post at a time. Thu, 02 Feb 2012 09:28:06 +0000 hourly 1 By: mark.stelzner http://inflexionadvisors.com/blog/2008/12/01/a-tale-of-two-shittys/comment-page-1/#comment-8459 mark.stelzner Thu, 11 Dec 2008 22:04:56 +0000 http://www.inflexionadvisors.com/blog/?p=142#comment-8459 @Mark Danielson - Wow. Excellent comments Mark and thank you for tracking me down over here at Inflexion. I love what you've been doing to build community on GovLoop and enjoy your stories tremendously. I don't envy the 12% rate of sobbing from "the occasional help" though and imagine you might be dealing with well in excess of two shittys on that front. It sounds God-awful, but thanks for keeping a great sense of humor throughout it all. And keep taking pictures...they're fantastic. Best, Mark @Mark Danielson – Wow. Excellent comments Mark and thank you for tracking me down over here at Inflexion. I love what you’ve been doing to build community on GovLoop and enjoy your stories tremendously. I don’t envy the 12% rate of sobbing from “the occasional help” though and imagine you might be dealing with well in excess of two shittys on that front. It sounds God-awful, but thanks for keeping a great sense of humor throughout it all. And keep taking pictures…they’re fantastic.

Best,
Mark

]]> By: Mark Danielson http://inflexionadvisors.com/blog/2008/12/01/a-tale-of-two-shittys/comment-page-1/#comment-8457 Mark Danielson Thu, 11 Dec 2008 21:31:26 +0000 http://www.inflexionadvisors.com/blog/?p=142#comment-8457 Mark, As a one-person HR office, (with occasional help from the City Administrator's office when phone and paper volume get out of hand,) I feel your burn. Let me pass this along: The occasional help comes in the form of a person who was asked to move over to my office when the lines outside get too long. When asked what she thought of this arrangement, the person said, "I don't want to do it, I don't like that office and I am not comfortable in there. If you make me, I'll do it, because I have to." After that, the City Administrator said, "OK, then it's settled, you'll work in the HR office mornings as needed." We arranged for her to report every day to my office and to work in there until 11:00 a.m. In the stunned silence that followed, I thought of the three people I really needed to serve our 200+ employees in 14 Departments with Police, Fire, Water, Electric, Harbors Dept.'s on 24 /7 schedules. I thought of all the best practices not being practiced. And I thought, there must be a better way. The occasional help has cried large tears and sobs 7 times in the office so far (60 days.) I try to assuage, console, help, reassign work, care. And still...here I am slogging through. Every day is a tale of two shittys. But your posts have aided in my inspiration. I love stories. I love posting to a social website and seeing my ideas melt down in the crucible of others' opinion. And I especially love it when an idea flies, takes wing and soars above into the clear skies of rightness and goodness. Like your posts. Even the shitty ones. Thank you. MD Mark,

As a one-person HR office, (with occasional help from the City Administrator’s office when phone and paper volume get out of hand,) I feel your burn.

Let me pass this along: The occasional help comes in the form of a person who was asked to move over to my office when the lines outside get too long. When asked what she thought of this arrangement, the person said, “I don’t want to do it, I don’t like that office and I am not comfortable in there. If you make me, I’ll do it, because I have to.”

After that, the City Administrator said, “OK, then it’s settled, you’ll work in the HR office mornings as needed.” We arranged for her to report every day to my office and to work in there until 11:00 a.m.

In the stunned silence that followed, I thought of the three people I really needed to serve our 200+ employees in 14 Departments with Police, Fire, Water, Electric, Harbors Dept.’s on 24 /7 schedules. I thought of all the best practices not being practiced.

And I thought, there must be a better way. The occasional help has cried large tears and sobs 7 times in the office so far (60 days.) I try to assuage, console, help, reassign work, care. And still…here I am slogging through. Every day is a tale of two shittys.

But your posts have aided in my inspiration. I love stories. I love posting to a social website and seeing my ideas melt down in the crucible of others’ opinion. And I especially love it when an idea flies, takes wing and soars above into the clear skies of rightness and goodness.

Like your posts. Even the shitty ones. Thank you. MD

]]> By: Michael A. Stelzner http://inflexionadvisors.com/blog/2008/12/01/a-tale-of-two-shittys/comment-page-1/#comment-8295 Michael A. Stelzner Tue, 02 Dec 2008 21:39:23 +0000 http://www.inflexionadvisors.com/blog/?p=142#comment-8295 "Hello. "I am calling from India. My budget? ... "Um. $50. "Hello, is anyone there?" “Hello.

“I am calling from India. My budget? …

“Um. $50.

“Hello, is anyone there?”

]]> By: mark.stelzner http://inflexionadvisors.com/blog/2008/12/01/a-tale-of-two-shittys/comment-page-1/#comment-8283 mark.stelzner Tue, 02 Dec 2008 12:25:20 +0000 http://www.inflexionadvisors.com/blog/?p=142#comment-8283 @Breanne - Hopefully you'll have a better December! @SignGurl - My wife's family is from Michigan so I appreciate the duress/stress you must be under. Let me know if I can help in any way. @Breanne – Hopefully you’ll have a better December!

@SignGurl – My wife’s family is from Michigan so I appreciate the duress/stress you must be under. Let me know if I can help in any way.

]]> By: SignGurl http://inflexionadvisors.com/blog/2008/12/01/a-tale-of-two-shittys/comment-page-1/#comment-8282 SignGurl Tue, 02 Dec 2008 11:35:40 +0000 http://www.inflexionadvisors.com/blog/?p=142#comment-8282 Unfortunately, this scene is playing out even more rampantly here in Michigan. I suspect my husband will be on the axed list, sooner rather than later. Your point about needing to help others is well taken. I wish the world would listen. Unfortunately, this scene is playing out even more rampantly here in Michigan. I suspect my husband will be on the axed list, sooner rather than later.

Your point about needing to help others is well taken. I wish the world would listen.

]]> By: Breanne http://inflexionadvisors.com/blog/2008/12/01/a-tale-of-two-shittys/comment-page-1/#comment-8278 Breanne Tue, 02 Dec 2008 04:31:15 +0000 http://www.inflexionadvisors.com/blog/?p=142#comment-8278 Welcome to my November! Welcome to my November!

]]> By: mark.stelzner http://inflexionadvisors.com/blog/2008/12/01/a-tale-of-two-shittys/comment-page-1/#comment-8273 mark.stelzner Mon, 01 Dec 2008 22:19:45 +0000 http://www.inflexionadvisors.com/blog/?p=142#comment-8273 @Jason - Thanks for the commiseration. As James Bond said, Tomorrow is Another Day @Tracy Tran - Cheers to that Tracy! Hang in there man and good luck with your old firm. @Sharlyn Lauby - We should start a support group. @Tim H - Save those other parts for the future Mrs. Hughes, wouldya? @Jason – Thanks for the commiseration. As James Bond said, Tomorrow is Another Day

@Tracy Tran – Cheers to that Tracy! Hang in there man and good luck with your old firm.

@Sharlyn Lauby – We should start a support group.

@Tim H – Save those other parts for the future Mrs. Hughes, wouldya?

]]> By: Tim H http://inflexionadvisors.com/blog/2008/12/01/a-tale-of-two-shittys/comment-page-1/#comment-8272 Tim H Mon, 01 Dec 2008 22:08:10 +0000 http://www.inflexionadvisors.com/blog/?p=142#comment-8272 Marc, I just wanted to drop you a note to tell you that I am here if you need a shoulder or an ear. (All other body parts I ain't sharing...) Tim Marc,

I just wanted to drop you a note to tell you that I am here if you need a shoulder or an ear. (All other body parts I ain’t sharing…)

Tim

]]> By: Sharlyn Lauby http://inflexionadvisors.com/blog/2008/12/01/a-tale-of-two-shittys/comment-page-1/#comment-8271 Sharlyn Lauby Mon, 01 Dec 2008 21:58:29 +0000 http://www.inflexionadvisors.com/blog/?p=142#comment-8271 Hate to say it...but I can empathize. And, you nailed it with #2 (no pun intended.) Hate to say it…but I can empathize. And, you nailed it with #2 (no pun intended.)

]]> By: Tracy Tran http://inflexionadvisors.com/blog/2008/12/01/a-tale-of-two-shittys/comment-page-1/#comment-8269 Tracy Tran Mon, 01 Dec 2008 21:49:17 +0000 http://www.inflexionadvisors.com/blog/?p=142#comment-8269 Kind of a mixed day for me. Didn't get any additional calls and discover a couple of my friends have been laid-off or going to be. I've been helping out on their search (they live way outside of D.C). Also, got a call from my old company and they needed my assistance for the next few weeks. A mixed bag and during this time, it's very grim of having business, unless I'm lucky. Oh, got this from Laurie...today is National Bloody Mary Day. Have one or 2 and take a nap. Kind of a mixed day for me. Didn’t get any additional calls and discover a couple of my friends have been laid-off or going to be. I’ve been helping out on their search (they live way outside of D.C). Also, got a call from my old company and they needed my assistance for the next few weeks. A mixed bag and during this time, it’s very grim of having business, unless I’m lucky.

Oh, got this from Laurie…today is National Bloody Mary Day. Have one or 2 and take a nap.

]]>