The word I hate to hear the most
No, it’s not “moist.”
It’s “voluntold.”
As in, “Kim, you are being voluntold to do this work that you know nothing about for another team. Good luck!”
Ha. No one ever came out and said it quite like that. But I have been told that I’ve been voluntold for something. Grr.
I want to help out – where I can. I don’t want to be thrown in to something I’m not trained on/don’t know how to do (or want to learn how to do, ha) because another team is short staffed. Sorry.
This hasn’t happened in my detail position (the whole intent of a detail is to learn new things), but happened frequently in my old position. I was a designer, in a service role, but was assigned as project manager on a few projects.
I did the project management work to the best of my ability, but rarely enjoyed it. I was bitter I was told to do it with no training on procedures or systems (no previous training, that is – I had people to reach out to when I had questions). I was annoyed one project was unique and had SO many problems and lasted years – and is still ongoing. I hated that I always had to ask about how to do things then get back to the client. I pretended I knew what was up, but I didn’t. I hated that sinking feeling in my stomach of faking it all. the. time.
I don’t like being voluntold. I suppose I like it when it’s an option. Make me think I have a choice, at least? (Am I being a millennial?!?! Maybe!)
When I was in the design position, and we got a new boss in early 2015, I told her that I couldn’t handle the majority of my workload being things I didn’t know how to do (project management, and other new tasks my team was being assigned). I told her I needed at least a few things to work on that I knew how to do, to boost my confidence and help me get through the other things. She listened, and did what she could, but I still kept getting those “voluntold” things.
Anyway.
All of that ^ was just because I wanted to whine that when I started my detail the only two projects they made me keep were two project management ones. The ones I dislike the most. The ones I never wanted. The ones where I don’t really know what I’m doing.
Every time I have to work on them during my detail I feel so frustrated it’s taking time away from the detail – time from working on and learning about something I actually want to do/learn about.
But… ugh, that’s work. I just wanted to vent!
No related photo, but here’s the view from my desk this week:
Themocracy
I think that’s a horrible feeling too–being expected to do something that you know nothing about. I’m starting to realize though that I find this a lot more difficult than other people; it sounds like you do too. Some people are totally fine with uncertainty and just jump right into some unknown project somehow! I’m not sure anyone likes being volun-told though!
Props to the people who thrive on this – I know they are out there! I cannot have ALL of my work be this way, or a big portion of it. I want to learn and grow but yeah, not be thrown in to it! Sink or swim! Is some of your work like this now?
That’s an amazing photo of the view from your desk! And I hate being volunteered for something without people asking me first 🙂 So not respectful 🙁
Thanks! I choose a different seat on the days I am in and like seeing all the different views.
Yes! And it’s even worse when you hear about it from someone else who knew before you!
Vent away! Besides everyone being a-holes in my last job being given a ton of stuff I didn’t know how to do was part of why I didn’t like it. It makes you feel like you are always playing catch up but not getting anywhere (even if u are). I’m glad your detail is better but it sucks they made u keep those two projects 🙁
That is a very good description of how it makes you feel! You are always busy but it’s very hard to learn from (unless something goes epic-ally bad). I am sorry you had to deal with that!!!!
I feel for you – I don’t like having to do things where not only am I not confident in knowing what I’m doing, but I’m also not learning enough to do it again (updated excel, I’m looking at you).
Exactly – if you aren’t learning from it, then what is the point? They just need a body to get this thing done? (yes) Sorry you are having excel issues! 🙁