I think I am a fairly flexible person when it comes to my work. I know I am not as much with my personal life, but professionally, I try hard to put in all of my efforts and beyond.
It is no secret really that my supervisor and I have a tense, but professional relationship. We will probably never see eye-to-eye on things; however, I try to stay out of her way as much as possible. Unfortunately, she doesn’t do the same.
This semester I have been off teaching in order to work full-time in another department. I have not been in the classroom, which translates to some as ‘not doing much work’. Whenever someone is absent I am the first person who is contacted to cover a class. Most of the time I have politely explained that I am in the middle of work and cannot accommodate – it is not a policy that classes need to be covered if someone is absent from teaching.
An adjunct instructor decided to quit suddenly last week. Rather than sit down and have a conversation with me about options or ways to cover her classes between my work and perhaps someone else, I was TOLD that I will be taken back to teach full-time – completely disregarding and devaluing any of the current work in which I was involved in.
As a leadership scholar, I find this attitude and approach out of line. Because I am professional, I accepted the situation with a bit of complaint to the other department supervisor as it did affect the projects for him. However, I did not fight it with my supervisor knowing that it would fall on deaf ears.
The point is that I am pushed to my limits with her and the department. For the second time this semester I have been forced to switch my focus without a real conversation or treatment as a professional. She might say that it is because I am so willing to accommodate or that my work is reliable and professional so that is why. Whatever the reason, the point is that I have had a enough of being the ‘go-to’ person. There are 84 other people whom I work with who are also professionals that could be called upon….
So, that’s my current life….four weeks of full-time teaching again – not really a bad thing, but unexpected….
-T π
