What to Do Now?
Yesterday, I spent some time engaged in busywork. You know the kind - work that someone thinks has value but really just takes up time and siphons energy away from other tasks. Fortunately, it was only 15 minutes worth of time, but the exercise itself had nothing to do with my job or my vision for my job.
The exercise was related to a book that we are all reading this year for our jobs. The book is entitled "The Energy Bus," and was a quick read. It is about finding a common destination and getting people onto your bus who will add to your energy and get you to your goals. It is a good idea and a wonderful story, but the process that we are taking to find a common idea is not really clear.
Disclosure: I am not someone who enjoys team building exercises. I am not someone who enjoys most group projects (with the exception of this one we did in eighth grade). I am the type of person who does best when I am allowed to be on my own with occasional check-ins with the others. So, this entire type of exercise is not my cup of tea, so I start all of these types of things with a bad attitude.
Basically, we were asked to start putting together a vision. The problem? We had no idea of what our vision was for - was it for us as a staff? Was it for our students? Was it for each one of us?
One of my group members wanted to take control and tried to make us write a vision statement (we already have one, but this staff member is brand new and doesn't know this). The exercise itself was not to write a vision statement, but was to identify goals or desired outcomes for something to do with work. Between the three of us (all therapists in the school rather than teachers), we ended up focusing on communication.
Communication is a challenge for our facility. On Monday, I had to meet two brand new students in the music therapy session because no one had informed us that these students were coming. Surprise! Kids switch residences and classrooms and no one says anything to those of us who work with those same kids. So, we went with needed better communication to those who are actually affected by decisions.
I don't know if that was the task or the response that our leaders wanted, but that is what we came up with during our discussion.
My question is "what now?"
I put together my own vision statements every so often. Most of them don't have much to do with my full time job. The statements seem to focus mostly on my other goals and dreams for myself. Maybe it's time to put together one for my full time job. I wonder what it will end up looking like...
Time to get ready for work (I woke up with the light and then went back to sleep! That NEVER happens to me, so I am later than usual - and happy about it!!), and get this day started!
Happy Wednesday!
The exercise was related to a book that we are all reading this year for our jobs. The book is entitled "The Energy Bus," and was a quick read. It is about finding a common destination and getting people onto your bus who will add to your energy and get you to your goals. It is a good idea and a wonderful story, but the process that we are taking to find a common idea is not really clear.
Disclosure: I am not someone who enjoys team building exercises. I am not someone who enjoys most group projects (with the exception of this one we did in eighth grade). I am the type of person who does best when I am allowed to be on my own with occasional check-ins with the others. So, this entire type of exercise is not my cup of tea, so I start all of these types of things with a bad attitude.
Basically, we were asked to start putting together a vision. The problem? We had no idea of what our vision was for - was it for us as a staff? Was it for our students? Was it for each one of us?
One of my group members wanted to take control and tried to make us write a vision statement (we already have one, but this staff member is brand new and doesn't know this). The exercise itself was not to write a vision statement, but was to identify goals or desired outcomes for something to do with work. Between the three of us (all therapists in the school rather than teachers), we ended up focusing on communication.
Communication is a challenge for our facility. On Monday, I had to meet two brand new students in the music therapy session because no one had informed us that these students were coming. Surprise! Kids switch residences and classrooms and no one says anything to those of us who work with those same kids. So, we went with needed better communication to those who are actually affected by decisions.
I don't know if that was the task or the response that our leaders wanted, but that is what we came up with during our discussion.
My question is "what now?"
I put together my own vision statements every so often. Most of them don't have much to do with my full time job. The statements seem to focus mostly on my other goals and dreams for myself. Maybe it's time to put together one for my full time job. I wonder what it will end up looking like...
Time to get ready for work (I woke up with the light and then went back to sleep! That NEVER happens to me, so I am later than usual - and happy about it!!), and get this day started!
Happy Wednesday!
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