Learning to take a compliment...

After a singularly rough week at work, I can sit back on this Thursday night and say it doesn't seem to be ending as badly as it began. Of course, there's still Friday to get through but Friday's are generally pretty calm where I work.

I had to deal with a sticky employee issue this week. It's always so difficult to watch one of my workers struggle and dig themselves deeper into a hole. Sometimes when this happens they get to the point of no return but, hopefully, that didn't happen just yet and we may be able to salvage this one. I'd go into more detail but I hold my employee's confidentiality very dear.

Whenever I am face with employee issues I do a lot of second guessing. I am never quite sure if I'm making the right calls or giving them the right advice. I think about it constantly and I even dream about it. I want to do right by them so it stays with me for a long time. In the middle of all of this, my boss called me into her office and sprung my Employee Evaluation on me. We haven't done evals in a couple of years where I work. They are historically attached to a performance raise but we haven't been able to give anyone raises in a long time due to the state of public funding for mental health services. Rather than pocket the money we put what we get into our services. Commendable, at least.

So, I'm sitting there in her office and she hands me the form eval she's filled out and I start reading it as she's talking to me. I had to re-read it a couple of times because, as it  happens, it was absolutely glowing! I was floored. She then goes on to tell me that she could not do her own job if I wasn't there doing mine and that our entire program has relied on my knowledge and understanding and enthusiasm for the recovery process and that I have influenced so many people! Again, flabbergasted! After nearly a week of second guessing myself, my boss was telling me how valuable I was and how much of an asset I was. She then went on to say that when the Director of the Community Intervention Center retired next spring she hoped I would put in a letter of intent because, according to her, I was the most qualified employee for the job and, in her words, I would "shake things up!"

I was humbled. Truly humbled. I know I have a good work ethic and I do put a lot into my job and I can honestly say that I have always felt valued at my job. I've been there 20 years this month! But I had no idea she felt this highly of me. None at all.

That night when I went to sleep I thought about all of the wonderful things she said to me. It made me feel so good knowing that I have made some kind of impact in my life. It made me feel like I had a purpose. And that is a very good thing!