Work
November 01, 2004
Let me set the tone of this update first so that you can have a reference point.
I’m writing because I’m forcing myself to write. I really don’t want to write again because, quite honestly, I haven’t much to say. My writing this update is akin to my washing the dishes. It’s not fun but it has to be done.
I think I’ll write about work tonight. In my 7 months in this position, I am looking at work through two eyes: the eyes of the instructor, and the eyes of the company. Unfortunately, these two sets of eyes do not always (pardon the pun), see eye to eye with one another. However, this dual vision helps me everyday in making choices about correctional choices to take with instructors or how far to defend an instructor.
One matter that’s been peeving me of late is the amount of work people do. Last month I had the busiest single month ever at work. On top of a rather unheard of number of observations, I also had my foot in a few other projects, and assignments. No matter. I am one to take on challenges. I did all the work with nary of peep of complaint. (I only mentioned my workload to my buddies as a rather personal lament but never to those in positions to evaluate). What do I see at our little round table sometimes? People with zero workload. Yes. They have literally nothing to do. To their credit, they offered their help but sadly, I had work that only I could do. Oh well. Hopefully what comes around goes around or whatever that shitty saying is.
Next matter. The instructors. They lack the company eyes. That only have instructor eyes. These eyes are very near sighted. They see what they have to do. They see what their peers have to do. They get used to not having to put in full effort each day and they bitch. They bitch like highschool children. “Why did I get 6 lessons when John had 5?” They get paid to do 8. Sometimes their complaints are genuine but most of the time, I try to ignore all the ridiculous complaints that come out. Quite frankly, many of them haven’t put in a hard day’s work in their life. I’m rather sick of seeing people my age and sometimes older act like children. When I was in their position, I did what was asked and swallowed it. I lost nothing by doing my job. I gained nothing by complaining.
Eep. OK before I go off on a crusade and wipe out the whiney babies at work, I’ll end here. Maybe it was good to get that off my chest.
March 30th, 2006 at 23:52
I work for NOVA as an employer. I find it amazing to see how many of my coworkers think the work they do is not something to be proud of. There is an announcement posted in the instructors’ room that if we introduce a friend of ours to NOVA and they sign up and take a lesson, we will each receive 10,000 yen (around US$100). I have really been disappointed and surprised by how many people say they’d get 10,000 yen and lose a friend. They all claim that as soon as the friend had a lesson at NOVA (at any branch, from any instructor, they say), the friend would be so turned off by the company that they’d stop being friends with the person who recommended NOVA to them. Doesn’t this just say that they themselves don’t care about the company and don’t think they themselves are doing a good job? I would gladly, proudly recommend MY lessons at NOVA to any of my friends (but definitely not any lessons of those instructors!!!) What are your thoughts about this, Jerry?
March 31st, 2006 at 06:20
Hello, Maya. You work for NOVA as an employer? I’m not really sure what you do.
I, like you, would highly recommend my lessons to anyone. Hopefully one of the reasons why I train new instructors is because I can teach an excellent lesson. I find a lot of my friends at work do feel proud of what they do, it’s just that they’re not content with all the new directives that have been coming out lately. They are not exactly benefitting instructors (or students sometimes).
With that said, I have also seen some instructors teach and they are very miserable people. Sometimes their attitude makes me want to go over to them and yell at them. Professionalism holds me back. I would not want my worst enemies taking lessons with these instructors.
As for the new dochimo campaign. There are jokes being made that if we sign a friend off, they become a student and therefore we cannot have any social contact with them anymore without breaking ‘the clause’ in our contract. And if that clause is no longer enforced as is rumored, then why hasn’t any directive been issued letting instructors know otherwise?