Small Victories
I'm feeling pretty proud of myself right now :-))
Today I accompished a good thing for my pupil/trainee. I stood up for her, against my superior (I almost wrote superior commanding officer - proof that I've been watching too much Stargate) and I was heard. Granted, it's only a small victory, we only got a reprieve of a few days, the matter isn't entirely off the table, but still...
For the first time in my (rocky) career as a mentor to a pupil/trainee I've got the feeling that I've done the right thing. The responsible, thoughtful, guiding thing that I'm supposed to be doing while training others.
For more details...
Okay, here's what happened at work:
Our second-in-command (again with the military code! I have to stop doing that!)... anyway, our second boss (who distributes our tours), realized a few days or even weeks ago that next week we would be having a bit of a problem because two of my co-workers would go on vacation simultaniously. Meaning, the one tour those two always care for, wouldn't be covered.
And our second boss decided that our pupil would have to take over that tour. All alone, by herself.
BUT... the thing is, okay, two things: One, it's not allowed.
Okay, it's not exactly forbidden that a pupil/trainee has its own tour, at least not by law. But it's supposed to be only in emergencies (for example when someone calls in sick very unexpectedly). Trainees are supposed to learn something by working WITH us. They're not supposed to do the work FOR us. Usually trainees always run along with a mentor/trainer (a.k.a. me). And for the last 20 months it's been that way. My workplace took great care to do it like that (unlike the place where I completed my training, I had to work on my own FOR the others all three years).
But now my second boss shot it all to pieces and decided that this counts as an emergency and our pupil would have to take a tour of her own. And I think it's not an emergency. It was known for a long time that we would be having problems covering all the tours during summer vacation time.
That's one thing. And the second: Our pupil just spent 3 months away from our workplace. She was in school and she did an external work-experience thing and she will have her first day back with us on Monday. So under no circumstances would it be fair to let her go on her very own tour, all alone with no back-up, on her first day back, don't you think?
Even if it was an emergency (which it is not).
So I talked to our second boss about it. On behalf of our pupil. I took sides and opposed to this whole thing. Told my boss that she couldn't do this. It's not allowed and...
Well, I must have had some pretty good arguments because, although she didn't tell me, my boss caved and changed the whole tour schedule. I talked to our pupil on the phone and she told me that apparently she'll be coming with me on my tour. For three days at least. She won't have to take her own tour! Ha!
So, small victories...
I'm feeling good about this.
Today I accompished a good thing for my pupil/trainee. I stood up for her, against my superior (I almost wrote superior commanding officer - proof that I've been watching too much Stargate) and I was heard. Granted, it's only a small victory, we only got a reprieve of a few days, the matter isn't entirely off the table, but still...
For the first time in my (rocky) career as a mentor to a pupil/trainee I've got the feeling that I've done the right thing. The responsible, thoughtful, guiding thing that I'm supposed to be doing while training others.
For more details...
Okay, here's what happened at work:
Our second-in-command (again with the military code! I have to stop doing that!)... anyway, our second boss (who distributes our tours), realized a few days or even weeks ago that next week we would be having a bit of a problem because two of my co-workers would go on vacation simultaniously. Meaning, the one tour those two always care for, wouldn't be covered.
And our second boss decided that our pupil would have to take over that tour. All alone, by herself.
BUT... the thing is, okay, two things: One, it's not allowed.
Okay, it's not exactly forbidden that a pupil/trainee has its own tour, at least not by law. But it's supposed to be only in emergencies (for example when someone calls in sick very unexpectedly). Trainees are supposed to learn something by working WITH us. They're not supposed to do the work FOR us. Usually trainees always run along with a mentor/trainer (a.k.a. me). And for the last 20 months it's been that way. My workplace took great care to do it like that (unlike the place where I completed my training, I had to work on my own FOR the others all three years).
But now my second boss shot it all to pieces and decided that this counts as an emergency and our pupil would have to take a tour of her own. And I think it's not an emergency. It was known for a long time that we would be having problems covering all the tours during summer vacation time.
That's one thing. And the second: Our pupil just spent 3 months away from our workplace. She was in school and she did an external work-experience thing and she will have her first day back with us on Monday. So under no circumstances would it be fair to let her go on her very own tour, all alone with no back-up, on her first day back, don't you think?
Even if it was an emergency (which it is not).
So I talked to our second boss about it. On behalf of our pupil. I took sides and opposed to this whole thing. Told my boss that she couldn't do this. It's not allowed and...
Well, I must have had some pretty good arguments because, although she didn't tell me, my boss caved and changed the whole tour schedule. I talked to our pupil on the phone and she told me that apparently she'll be coming with me on my tour. For three days at least. She won't have to take her own tour! Ha!
So, small victories...
I'm feeling good about this.