Poli-Tricks

Peace....


I have come to learn an uncomfortable truth.....
It doesn't matter how well you do a job, nor does it matter how efficient you are.
Unless you are the boss, you MUST play office poli-tricks.

I have had several job in my working career. So I have had several employee reviews. It is always the same.... My employers have NEVER been dissatisfied with my work. What they do say is that I don't play well with others. Playing well with others has never been one of my aspirations. Work is work. Play is play.

When I take a job, I assume it is to perform a specific service. Anything outside my job description is extra... And if I'm not getting paid for it.......

I have a coworker that does VERY little work. She does a lot of walking around and politricicking. Yet... she is the employee of the month and I get reprimanded. Here is the thing... I do what I am supposed to do. Not only that, I keep meticulous records. I'm also professional. So when employers want to get up in my ass about anything that is non job related, they never have a leg to stand on. Because... I do my job.

I am a very playful person, but I am not playful at work. I keep my life compartmentalized. I have my work people.... My righteous people... my sorority people... my family....my party people... I used to have church people, but they are all gone now... my good friends. Only my good friends get to be in more than one cipher. And my God is the ultimate good friend and he gets to be in everything.

I have come to learn to NOT make good friends in environments where we will have the same person signing our paychecks. Coworkers are as dependent on their check as I am. They will sell you out if they feel like it will preserve their job, or if they feel they need to. So why give them ammunition? On my 1st real job, I closely befriended a woman. She eventually became my boss. And when that happened I was initially thrilled. BUT.... she knew everything about me by that point. And she used that information against me whenever she had the opportunity to further herself. I was not just hurt at the job... but my feelings were hurt. I have never allowed myself to have a work close friend.

I am a polite person. I follow the rules of etiquette. Those are the only rules that can't be disputed. When I have a job with a office or a desk, I have the most current edition of Emily Post right on display. I strive to non-offensive to my coworkers. But I am no pushover and are always well aware of what my duties are. I speak to people and make the clients feel comfortable in the work environment. What more do people want?

I would love to work with me. But that's not who I work for or with.

When I get to work, I get here early. The reason behind that is I don't want to be late. Also I like to ease into my day and not be thrust into it. I then make a list (I also make one the night before) of what I need to accomplish and by what time. When I sit down with my cup of coffee, I proceed to knock my tasks out. Then when I'm done, I'll do whatever. Even when I come back from lunch, I do a mini version of the same morning procedure. It is rare I leave with work undone. I even plan out my week based on this model. That is right and exact. Making people feel warm and fuzzy... not so much.

Now here is where folks tell me I'm mean.... I don't eat lunch with other folks because... I follow a special diet and can get annoyed when folks make comments... because they are comments and not genuine questions... about what I eat. That is rude and insulting. I do not go out for drinks with coworkers or want to fool with them on my off time. I have a life and other shit to do. I'm not going to spend my recreational time with people where I have to be super cautious about what I say, what I wear, who I'm with, etc. If I'm invited to a wedding or funeral, I'll go. I will show my respects, but that's all you're getting from me. I won't buy trinkets from folks children. I don't sell anything, and I have no children for them to purchase crap from. There is no equality there and I don't feel any kind of way about it. I'm not sharing my personals with you. I'm just not. Me and the 7 had begun cohabiting for a minute before the people I currently work with realized. The only way they found out is because he came to a funeral with me.

I'm harking on work since I tend to be more cautious because that's where my money comes from. I have these same issues everywhere I go. My family thinks I'm a wild hippy Muslim child. I don't know where they get that from. I suppose it's because I'm different from them in obvious aspects (appearance, and religion is all I can think of). But in every way it matters I am very similar to them and have similar concerns. My sorority doesn't say it verbally, but I can see with their eyes that they think me different from them as well. I wrap my head... but always stylishly! I wear locs that can be seen (but that's no longer a faux pas these days?) and I have a very small nose ring that most folks don't notice. I see their eyes going up to my head then looking me all over. The old women just flat out ignore me until they want me to do something. I have decades in. Them old biddies don't mean shit to me. I pledged once. I won't do it again. Righteous people treat me suspect because I have college degrees, a square job, never been to jail and have no children. I must be an agent! I'm not interested in the things that interest them and just strive to see Allah's world manifest... And I'm not Muslim. My close friends are my sanctuary. I except them without questions and I expect the same. And for the most part, it's what I get. I have 7 of them that know me... and it's good. Unfortunately most of them aren't local. Oh well... this is a global existence.

I realize the common denominator is me, but I am unwilling to change because it essentially works for me. I have feelings... lots of feelings.... more feelings than folks suspect. And it's more important for me to protect those feelings rather than let folks run rough shot all over them and that is what folks do until proven otherwise. But I recognize.... that eventually.... I'm a have to figure out how to smooze... or become my own boss.


Peace